Bucks County Playhouse Remembers Neil Simon

A Statement On The Passing Of Neil Simon From Bucks County Playhouse:

"Of all the notable alumni of Bucks County Playhouse (BCP), no one artist has had the impact on the American theater and on popular culture as Neil Simon. From the moment that Mr. Simon's first play debuted on our historic stage in 1960, until his passing on Sunday, Mr. Simon earned his place as one of America's most prolific playwrights, as well as one of the funniest. His career began with the Playhouse production of "Come Blow Your Horn."

The world premiere of "Nobody Loves Me," the play that would go on to become "Barefoot in the Park," remains an important moment in the development of the Playhouse's storied reputation. "Chapter Two," with Marsha Mason directing the story based on a portion of her life with Simon, holds a cherished place in our hearts as one of the first plays we produced at Bucks County Playhouse when we first arrived in 2014. We send our condolences to our friend Marsha Mason and to all of Mr. Simon's family and friends."

Alexander Fraser, Producing Director and Robyn Goodman, Executive Producer

A History of Neil Simon and Bucks County Playhouse:

· COME BLOW YOUR HORN: Neil Simon's very first play debuted on Monday, August 29, 1960, at Bucks County Playhouse featuring the professional debut of Emmy Award-winner Jessica Walter. Playhouse Producer Mike Ellis and William Hammerstein then took the play to the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia and then to Broadway, where it opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Feb. 22, 1961, and ran for 677 performances. It was the first of Neil Simon's plays to be adapted into a movie, starring Frank Sinatra, and was released on June 5, 1963.

· BAREFOOT IN THE PARK: Mike Nichols made his professional directorial debut at Bucks County Playhouse thanks to Producer Mike Ellis, with the world premiere of Simon's romantic comedy, NOBODY LOVES ME. Opening on Saturday, April 27, 1963, it starred Robert Redford, Elizabeth Ashley, and Mildred Natwick. The play was renamed BAREFOOT IN THE PARK when it transferred to the Broadway stage and opened on Oct. 23, 1963, at the Biltmore Theatre for 1,530 performances.

· BAREFOOT IN THE PARK was chosen as one of the two summer productions to celebrate the BCP's revitalization and its grand reopening in July 2012.

· BCP Alum and Playhouse Artist Board Member, Marsha Mason, received one of her Academy Award nominations for her starring role in the film version of Neil Simon's CHAPTER TWO, which was based on her marriage to Mr. Simon. She brought her unique, personal perspective as the Director of CHAPTER TWO at BCP from May 22 - June 15, 2014, under the current BCP Producing Team of Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman, Stephen Kocis and Josh Fiedler.

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