Bucks County Playhouse to Premiere New Film ANDY MIENTUS SINGS JONI MITCHELL'S LADIES OF THE CANYON

Broadway and television star Andy Mientus brings Joni Mitchell's iconic 1970 album "Ladies of the Canyon" to life in a new filmed concert, captured last winter in New Hope, Pennsylvania. The film features performances by Christy Altomare (Yardley, PA native and Broadway's "Anastasia"), Tony Award winner Nikki M. James ("The Book of Mormon"), Krista Pioppi ("Spring Awakening"), and Cathy Ang (HBO Max's "And Just Like That"). It was directed by Tony Award nominated Director Michael Arden with musical direction by Benjamin Rauhala ("Hit-List"). Justin Goldner is also featured on guitar.

At 26 years old, Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded songs, drew album art, and hand wrote lyrics for the release of her third studio album, "Ladies of the Canyon", which Rolling Stone hailed as "An album of departures, overheard conversations and unquiet triumphs for this hymnal lady who mingles the random with the particular so effectively." Mientus covers the album in full - stripping beloved songs such as "Big Yellow Taxi," "Woodstock," and "The Circle Game" down to find the hymns inside these unquiet triumphs.

The filming brings a new perspective to the highly successful cabaret version of the show that was well received by critics and audiences in performances around the country. The new streaming version was produced by the Playhouse's Tony Award winning team of Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler. Under the direction of Michael Arden ("Deaf West's 'Spring Awakening'" and "Once on This Island"), the new film was shot in Winter 2021 in an 18th century Bucks County stone barn. Ethan Noble served as video producer. Lighting designer is Adam Honoré. Music Producer is Jackson Teeley. Anna Louizos was design consultant. The film was stage managed by Justin Scribner.

The Playhouse will celebrate the new film with a world premiere screening at Bucks County Playhouse on Saturday, February 12 at 8 pm. The premiere includes an advanced screening of the film, along with live performances by Mientus and Ang. Arden will join the performers for a Q&A session with the audience.

The "Ladies of the Canyon" film will then become available OnDemand on StellarEvents.com for a limited period beginning Sunday, February 13 through Sunday, February 27. There will be a special online viewing party hosted by the cast of the film. The date will be announced soon. Tickets are now on sale for both the live event and at-home streaming of the film. Details and tickets are available at BucksCountyPlayhouse.org.

Andy Mientus co-stars in the upcoming Netflix series "Grendel" based on the award-winning "Dark Horse" comic book. Also on Netflix, he can be seen in "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings: Two Doors Down" (GLAAD Media Award) and in the recurring role of Hartley Rathaway (aka The Pied Piper) on the hit CW series "The Flash". Mientus made his television debut as composer Kyle Bishop on the NBC musical drama "Smash," and was also a series regular on the NBC/Universal series "Gone". Other television roles include "Anger Management" (FX) and "Chasing Life" (Freeform). On Broadway, Mientus starred as "Marius" in the revival of Les Miserables, and as "Hanschen" in Deaf West Theater's revival of "Spring Awakening," which he also co-conceived with director Michael Arden. Other stage credits include the National Tour of "Wicked", "Tommy" at The Denver Center, Moisés Kaufman's revival of "Bent" at Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and the Off-Broadway revival of "Carrie" at MCC. Mientus made his London stage debut in the new musical "The View Upstairs" at Soho Theatre. He is a founding company member of The Forest of Arden and was associate director of their first commission, "ALIEN/NATION", at Williamstown Theatre Festival. As a writer, he made his debut with the book and lyrics to "Burn All Night" at American Repertory Theater (ART), and with the young adult fiction series "The Backstagers" from Amulet/Abrams, available online and in bookstores nationwide. Andy's next novel, "Fraternity", will be published in 2022 by Amulet/Abrams. He can also be heard on "The Jonathan Larson Project" (Ghostlight Records). Andy trained at the University of Michigan immediately prior to making his professional debut in "Spring Awakening" directed by Michael Mayer.

Director Michael Arden is a 2-time Tony nominated director for his Broadway revivals of "Spring Awakening" and "Once On This Island." He won the Ovation and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical for "Spring Awakening." "Once On This Island" received the Tony Award for Best Revival and enjoyed a sellout national tour. Other theatre credits include: "A Christmas Carol" starring Jefferson Mays, "Maybe Happy Ending" at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, "Joseph..." at Lincoln Center and "ALIEN/NATION" with his company, The Forest of Arden at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. He regularly directs "The Conners" for ABC, and has appeared in numerous features and TV shows, notably "Grey's Anatomy," "Bride Wars," "Anger Management" (over 100 episodes), "Source Code," and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Onstage, Michael has appeared on Broadway in "Big River," "The Times, They Are A-Changin'," and "King Lear" among others. Arden is a Presidential Scholar in the Arts and alumni of The Juilliard School. He has been named on Variety's Broadway Impact List and the Winner of an NAACP Award.

Musical director Benjamin Rauhala worked on the music team for both Bartlett Sher's Broadway revival of "Fiddler on the Roof" and the Broadway production of "American Psycho." He was Associate Music Director on "The Secret Life of Bees", directed by Sam Gold at the Atlantic Theater. His other Off-Broadway credits include David Byrne's "Joan of Arc: Into the Fire" at The Public Theater and the recent revival of "The Marvelous Wonderettes" at Theater Row. He is best known as the music director for Jeremy Jordan, the Tony-nominated star of Broadway's "Newsies", and as the co-creator and 'Fairy Godfairy' of the Broadway Princess Party concert series with Laura Osnes. He met Mientus while serving as music director for "Hit List", the metamusical from the NBC television show "Smash," and is an Original Programming Producer at Feinstein's/54 Below, where he has created dozens of sold-out concerts, including the 'Broadway Loves' Series, which has famously honored Demi Lovato, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, and many more beloved pop icons.

Tickets to the film premiere/live performance/Q&A on Saturday, February 12 at 8 pm are now on sale at BucksCountyPlayhouse.org or by calling the Box Office at 215.862.2121. The new film begins streaming on demand beginning Sunday, February 13. Advanced tickets are now available at BucksCountyPlayhouse.org or at StellarEvents.com

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