Bucks County Playhouse facts for kids
The Bucks County Playhouse is a famous theater located in New Hope, Pennsylvania. It has a long history and has been a special place for many actors and plays.
The building where the playhouse stands today was once a grist mill called Hope Mills. After a fire in 1790, Benjamin Parry rebuilt the mills and named them New Hope Mills. This is how the town of New Hope got its name!
In the 1930s, the old mill building was going to be torn down. But a group of people, including famous playwrights Moss Hart and Kenyon Nicholson, bought it. They started changing the building into a theater in 1938. The very first play at the new Bucks County Playhouse was Springtime for Henry. It opened on July 1, 1939, and starred Edward Everett Horton.
The Bucks County Playhouse became a popular summer theater. It was a place where many actors started their careers. It also became a testing ground for plays that were planning to go to Broadway. For example, Neil Simon's play Barefoot in the Park first opened here in 1963. It starred Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley. Many other famous actors have performed here, like Grace Kelly, Angela Lansbury, and Dick Van Dyke.
In 2010, the playhouse faced some financial trouble. But a group called the Bucks County Playhouse Conservancy worked hard to raise money. They saved the property and did a lot of renovations. The theater proudly reopened its doors on July 2, 2012.
The playhouse is also part of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.
Contents
Amazing Performances at the Playhouse
Over the years, many exciting and memorable shows have taken place at the Bucks County Playhouse.
Early Years: 1939-1950s
- 1939: Springtime for Henry, starring Edward Everett Horton, was the very first play.
- 1941: Golden Boy starred Hume Cronyn. Also, The Man Who Came to Dinner featured its writers, George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, along with Harpo Marx!
- 1946: Helen Hayes performed in Alice Sit-by-the-Fire with her 16-year-old daughter, Mary MacArthur.
- 1949: Future movie star and princess, Grace Kelly, made her stage debut here in The Torchbearers.
- 1951: Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn acted together for the first time on stage in The Fourposter.
- 1952: Angela Lansbury appeared in Affairs of State. Grace Kelly also returned to the playhouse after becoming famous.
- 1955: The Today Show broadcast live from the playhouse. This was a big deal and brought national attention to the theater!
Stars and New Plays: 1959-1970s
- 1959: Dick Van Dyke had his first dramatic role here in Cradle and All. Robert Redford also appeared in Tiger at the Gates.
- 1960: Neil Simon's very first play, Come Blow Your Horn, had its world premiere at the playhouse.
- 1963: Neil Simon's famous play, Barefoot in the Park, also premiered here. It starred Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley. This play was directed by Mike Nichols, who later won a Tony Award for it.
- 1963: The Daly family, including Tyne Daly, her sister Glynn, and brother Tim, all appeared together in Jenny Kissed Me. Tyne Daly started her career here at age 15.
- 1963: Alan Alda performed in King of Hearts.
- 1964: Liza Minnelli starred in Time Out For Ginger.
- 1964: Rob Reiner worked as an apprentice here. He helped with shows like Sunday In New York and Bus Stop.
- 1964: The Arthur Godfrey Show on CBS radio broadcast live from the playhouse for two weeks.
- 1965: James Daly and Colleen Dewhurst starred in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Rob Reiner was an apprentice this whole season.
- 1966: George C. Scott and Colleen Dewhurst starred in The Lion in Winter.
- 1966: Bernadette Peters appeared in Riverwind.
- 1970: John Lithgow directed and acted in several shows, including a revival of Barefoot in the Park.
- 1974: Give ‘Em Hell Harry, a play about President Harry Truman, had its world premiere here.
- 1976: Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach's show The House of Blue Leaves broke the playhouse's attendance record.
Recent Highlights: 1989-Today
- 1989: Audra McDonald received great reviews for her role in Man of La Mancha.
- 2012: After its renovation, the playhouse reopened with A Grand Night for Singing. It was directed by Lonny Price.
- 2012: A new production of Barefoot in the Park was also performed.
- 2012: It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play featured Justin Guarini.
