You may know that a 20-year-old Philadelphian named Grace Kelly made her stage debut at the Bucks County Playhouse in 1949. But did you know that John Travolta, Audra McDonald, Robert Redford, Colleen Dewhurst, and about a thousand other instantly recognizable names also performed on its stage?
It’s hard not to root for the latest effort to restore the former gristmill to its mid-century heyday, when New York playwright Moss Hart ran the joint and Neil Simon tested out a play called “Nobody Loves Me” that later moved to Broadway as “Barefoot in the Park.”
The beloved New Hope theater will reopen July 2 after major financial troubles forced its closure in 2010. The Rodgers and Hammerstein revue, “A Grand Night for Singing”, will kick things off July 2-29, followed by (drum roll) that Neil Simon favorite, “Barefoot in the Park,” Aug. 7-26.
The future looks bright, and good karma likely awaits anyone who shells out $50 for a ticket or two.
Exploring Pennsylvania 
February 20, 2013 at 8:55 pm |
Just stumbled on your blog – wow! I had no idea. We’re transplants to PA and never knew about this Playhouse (we’re in Montco). We need to check it out. Thanks for sharing.