Word of Mouth at Bucks County Playhouse

Bucks County Playhouse will present its popular story-telling series, "Word of Mouth," this Sunday, DECEMBER 13 at 7pm, hosted by renowned storyteller, Michaela Murphy, Bucks County Playhouse's Director of Education. It can be viewed for free on Bucks County Playhouse's Facebook page (TheaterBCP), website (bcptheater.org) as well as the YouTube channel (BCPTheaterInfo).

Entitled, "Word of Mouth: Gifts," the program will feature three highly acclaimed actors/storytellers beginning with Julie Halston, who just completed her role of Rita Marshall in the Broadway production of Tootsie." Returning to "Word of Mouth," is National Public Radio's, Ophira Eisenberg, known for her program, "Ask Me Another." They will be joined on the program by Broadway/Television/Film husband and wife, Damian Young ("Ozark") and Welker White (HBO's "Bad Education.")

Producing Director Alexander Fraser is pleased to present these weekly experiences with the Playhouse's Executive Producer, Robyn Goodman. Fraser said, "As we continue these days of quarantine and safe distancing, we are happy to connect with our friends in this very creative way. This week, Playhouse Live! again features the Playhouse's 'Word of Mouth' Storytelling Series, offering a perfect tonic to escape in these stories as told by a fantastic group of professional story-tellers. Murphy said, "It's an honor to work with these celebrated artists. Our sessions are dynamic and thought-provoking as our guests share their personal stories in their unique, entertaining style."

About the DECEMBER 13 Guests:
Julie Halston recently starred as Rita Marshall in the Broadway production of "Tootsie." Other credits include Richard Greenberg's "The Babylon Line" at Lincoln Center and her acclaimed performance as Gay Wellington in the Broadway production of "You Can't Take it With You" for which she received The Richard Seff Award and a Drama Desk Nomination. Other Broadway credits include "On The Town," "Anything Goes," "The Twentieth Century" (Outer Critics Circle Nom) and "Hairspray." She is founding member of Charles Busch's legendary theatre company and co-starred with Mr. Busch in numerous productions. Television viewers know her as Bitsy Von Muffling on "Sex and The City." Other credits include "The Class," "Difficult People," "Law and Order SVU" and most recently "Divorce" and "Almost Family." In 2011 was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Off-Broadway Alliance.

Ophira Eisenberg is a Canadian-born standup comedian and writer. She hosts NPR's nationally syndicated comedy, trivia show "Ask Me Another" where she interviews and plays silly games with Sir Patrick Stewart, Awkwafina, Roxanne Gay, Terry Crews, Jessica Walter, Josh Groban, Nick Kroll, Tony Hawk, George Takei, Sasha Velour, Ethan Hawke, Julia Stiles, Lewis Black, Uzo Aruba, Michael C. Hall and more. She has appeared on Comedy Central, "This Week At The Comedy Cellar," The New Yorker Festival, Kevin Hart's "LOL Network," HBO's "Girls," "Gotham Live," "The Late Late Show," "The Today Show," and VH-1. Selected as one of New York Magazine's "Top 10 Comics that Funny People Find Funny," and featured in the New York Times as a skilled comedian and storyteller with a "bleakly stylish" sense of humor, Ophira is also a regular host and teller with The Moth. Her stories have also been included in two of The Moth's best-selling collections. Ophira's own comedic memoir, Screw Everyone: "Sleeping My Way to Monogamy" was optioned for a feature film.

Damian Young is recognized for his early work in the films of Hal Hartley ("Amateur," "Simple Men," "No Such Thing") and cult favorite Nickelodeon's "The Adventures of Pete and Pete." His television credits include "House of Cards," FX's "Damages," USA's "The War Next Door," Showtime's "Californication," HBO's "The Comeback," "The Good Wife," "Neon Joe Werewolf Hunter," "Blacklist," "White Collar," "Person Of Interest," "Numb3rs," "Elementary," "Third Watch," "CSI: Miami," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "Law and Order," and many others. Films include "Catfight," "We Only Know So Much," "Ocean's 8," "The Greatest Showman," and Todd Haynes' "Wonderstruck," and "Birdman." Damian currently appears on "Ozark" and "Shrill." Theatre credits include the Broadway productions of "Sacrilege" with Ellen Burstyn, and "All My Sons" with Dianne Wiest and John Lithgow. Other theatre includes work off-Broadway and at noted regional theaters including The Vineyard, Playwright's Horizons, The Atlantic Theatre Company, Yale Rep, ART, Hartford Stage, and many others. Damian, along with his wife, Welker White, bring screen acting intensives to acting programs both here and abroad with their company The Moving Frame.

Welker White has worked as an actor and educator for over 30 years. Welker has performed on and off-Broadway, as well as at noted regional theaters. Numerous film and television credits include work with directors Peter Weir, Nora Ephron, Chris Rock, and Ryan Murphy. Welker most recently completed her third Martin Scorsese movie, "The Irishman," playing Josephine Hoffa opposite Al Pacino's Jimmy Hoffa. She can currently be seen in HBO's "Bad Education" opposite Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney, and in the 2020 Sundance break-out hit, Rhada Blank's "The 40-Year Old Version," on Netflix. Welker is on the acting faculty at Brooklyn College's MFA Acting Program, where she teaches acting for film. Additionally, her company, The Moving Frame, brings screen acting intensives to training programs throughout the U.S. and abroad. Welker has been awarded a Fulbright Specialist Designation for her teaching.

Michaela Murphy is a writer, playwright, storyteller and teacher. Her stories have been featured on NPR, Off-Broadway (Second Stage Theater), The Moth Mainstage (NYC and National Tours) and Peabody Award winning "The Moth Radio Hour," "The Liar Show," "RISK!" and TEDx, the Clinton White House and in The New Yorker. She is formerly the Director of Education at Second Stage Theater and was a guest Artistic Director for several of The 52nd Street Project replications (Navajo and Chippewa Nations). Michaela is a Co-Founder of "L!FE: Leadership Fueled by Entrepreneur-ism" (Detroit, NYC), an education platform for High School students, and was Director of the Entrepreneurs-in-Training program at Barnard College.

Audiences wishing to join Murphy and company for "Word of Mouth" can join the stream from Bucks County Playhouse homepage bcptheater.org or see it stream live on the Playhouse's Facebook page at facebook.com/TheaterBCP or the YouTube Channel BCPTheaterInfo.

Authors

• James Lecesne