Bucks County Playhouse Announces Free Outdoor Concert

On Saturday, May 1 Bucks County Playhouse will herald the arrival of spring with the unveiling of upgrades to its New Hope riverfront campus and a free "Boat Concert" at noon on the Delaware.

Producing Director Alexander Fraser invited the community to visit the Playhouse for the festivities, which includes the 12 Noon boat concert by singer Andrew Polec, as well as to experience the upgrades to the Playhouse's facilities, which includes the return of outdoor socially distanced dining and drinking options, a new seasonal menu at The Deck, tweaks to the Courtyard Bar and new landscape lighting.

"The Playhouse has the most beautiful outdoor setting in the heart of New Hope, and we have used the winter months to make enhancements to our outdoor spaces," says Fraser. "We want to create a welcoming atmosphere for guests, that not only represents an aesthetic upgrade, but also provides better safety and visibility. We want to thank the community, and especially our donors, for their extraordinary support over the past year making our reopening possible."

Among the aesthetic upgrades are new up-lighting on the historic sycamore tree in the Playhouse's Courtyard, additional path-way illumination in the flower beds along the Playhouse and enhanced directional path lighting heading from the parking lot towards the river promenade. Additional lights were added in the riverbed area below The Deck Restaurant- creating an illuminated canopy of trees at nighttime. Architectural lighting was also installed near the waterfall and the Aquetong Creek.

As part of the Boat Concert, the Playhouse will highlight upgrades to its outdoor speakers along the promenade and under the restaurant. This will provide for a better listening experience for the concert as well as subtle ambient music during restaurant hours.

Bucks County native, Andrew Polec, who starred in the national tour of the musical "Bat Out of Hell" and whose parents still reside in Doylestown, will christen the Playhouse's new Boat Concerts. He will sing a free 45-minute set that patrons can view, socially distanced, on the river promenade and lawn.

"Andrew is a powerhouse singer - immensely talented who can sing anything. When he appeared in our Halloween concert last year he absolutely blew the roof off the Playhouse," says Fraser.

Indoors this weekend, the Playhouse will also welcome back Swearingen and Kelli with their popular show, "The Music of Simon and Garfunkel" for three performances on Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm.

Swearingen and Kelli's show recreates the music, memories and magic of the most famous folk-rock duo of our time. A native of Bethlehem, PA, AJ Swearingen has been performing this music for twenty years with mastery of Paul Simon's intricate guitar playing. His deep baritone blends perfectly with Jayne Kelli's vocals delivering a true tribute to the sound of the 1960's Greenwich Village, NY coffeehouse performances.

"They've appeared at the Playhouse three times to great success," says Fraser. "Without a doubt, welcoming these audience favorites back- even for a reduced audience - illuminates our path to a return to a more robust schedule of performances and is a harbinger for great things ahead."

The Playhouse also recently announced additional concerts for Spring and Early Summer featuring artists from the world of Broadway and the New York City cabaret scene curated by New York promoter Jim Caruso, as well as the world premiere of a new show starring and written by "Sex and the City" scribe Candace Bushnell. Details and tickets are now available on the Playhouse's website BucksCountyPlayhouse.org.

Thanks to a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Playhouse will soon embark on upgrading its architectural lighting on the building. More details will be announced soon.

In addition to the lighting upgrades, the Playhouse has made subtle enhancements to its Courtyard Bar - installing a new draft system dedicated to regional craft beers (e.g. Troeg's, Yards, Riverhorse, Brooklyn Brewing, and Cape May Brewing). The Courtyard Bar will offer a full-service bar with beer wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic refreshments. It will accept walk-ins.

"As we begin to emerge, May 1 marks the start of a season where we can safely gather, be entertained and celebrate the beauty of our community," says Fraser. "We look forward to welcoming patrons back to our campus and our theater. This is just the beginning."

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