Broadway returns to Bucks County Playhouse in its biggest season yet

Ten years after it's multi-million dollar reopening and renovation, the Bucks County Playhouse returns to full production this year with a heavy line-up of shows, continuing their precedent of large, Broadway-influenced bodies of work.

The late summer is bringing three productions from the New Hope theater: "Kinky Boots," the Tony-winning musical ending July 30; "Dames at Sea," the tap-happy musical from Aug. 12 to Sept. 11; and the contemporary musical "ALiEN8," which will be showing Aug. 4 to 6.

Fall brings us Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical "Evita," from Sept. 23 to Oct. 30.

Since its original opening in 1939, the historic theater has been in the hands of several different producers until closing in 2010, followed by the 2012 purchase of the property by the Bridge Street Foundation.

Producer Josh Fiedler spoke on the importance of continuing the Playhouse’s legacy for the community and persevering through this renaissance.

“We spent a lot of years really getting to know the community and really engaging everyone to let them know that this is a new playhouse,” said Fiedler. “We’re Broadway producers so we had a goal of really bringing in Broadway talent, which we slowly and steadily have done, all culminating in a fantastic 2019 season with 'Mama Mia' and a bunch of other successful stories, really finding our groove with big stories.”

Yet as Fiedler, Executive Producer Robyn Goodman and Producing Director Alexander Fraser were bringing their creative ideas together and elevating the organization to peak form, the pandemic struck, forcing it to put live productions on hold.

Fiedler said they “truly never really shut down the Playhouse,” and had alternatives such as “programmed movies, little concerts, slowly building our way up.”

“We weren’t able to do the things we were known for — the big musicals that the community really loved — so we decided this year that we were going to come back and do them, and what’s been so amazing is that our subscribers and the community have stuck by us,” Fiedler said.

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The award-winning producers with backgrounds in Broadway productions understand the level they want to take things to, while continuing to deliver versatile stories.

The Playhouse recently recently added on a managing director position that has been taken on by Adele Adkins, focusing on sustaining the business side of things for the future.

“I’m honored to be working with these producers, and watching the work they do and how they do it up close is so exciting,” said Adkins. ”I truly think I’ve landed in this very magical place.

“A part of the growth that’s going to happen here that I’m playing a role in, is expanding what is called the visiting artist series; that is everything that’s not produced by the producers,” Adkins said. Bringing in performances such as "classical music and dance" will complement the diverse future of the theater.

These performances will plug in the gaps where the main musicals and plays aren’t happening, keeping the Bucks County Playhouse busy all year in the future.

Adkins will begin reaching into the classical world to start “trying chamber music and recitals to see what the appetite in the area is, which will help be a barometer for growing into the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons.”

“Once we get that on a roll, I don’t think there will be any stopping the Playhouse.” Adkins said.

For details on upcoming shows and obtaining tickets, visit bcptheater.org.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County Playhouse featuring big Broadway shows in COVID comeback