Bucks Playhouse to Host Hammerstein Festival

Patrick Cassidy will be among the performers at Bucks County Playhouse’s Oscar Hammerstein Festival’s Benefit concert, “Hammerstein in Hollywood,” on April 22 beginning at 8 p.m., Cassidy is the son of Playhouse honoree Shirley Jones, who was scheduled to participate in the festival but is unable to attend because of an injury. Tony nominee Andrea McArdle (“Annie”) has also joined the cast., “Shirley Jones sadly cannot be with us due to a fracture,” says Alexander Fraser, producing director for the playhouse. “She is recovering and will be back on her feet soon, but her doctor has advised her not to travel., “We are thrilled that her son Patrick Cassidy can be with us to celebrate Oscar Hammerstein and Bucks County Playhouse, where his parents spent a fantastic summer of 1955. We also look forward to welcoming Andrea McArdle back to New Hope, where she last appeared on the Playhouse stage in 2014. While we are disappointed that Shirley cannot be with us, Patrick and Andrea are two enormously talented performers who certainly add extra star wattage to the already extraordinary cast assembled for this concert.”, “Hammerstein in Hollywood” is the highlight of Bucks County Playhouse’s Third Oscar Hammerstein Festival, April 22-23.  The benefit concert cast also features Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”), Max von Essen (“An American in Paris”), Malcom Gets (“A New Brain”) and Carmen Cusack (“Bright Star”). Ted Chapin, president and chief creative officer of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization, serves as host for the benefit event, which will be directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes (“Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella”) with musical direction by David Dabbon (“Disaster”)., Named in honor of the master writer Oscar Hammerstein II whose countless accomplishments during his illustrious career have included mentoring a young Stephen Sondheim at Hammerstein’s Highland Farm in Bucks County. The Festival is a year-long program that offers expert mentorship to early career composers and lyricists., Over the course of two days, The Oscar Hammerstein Festival features special events all devoted to musical theater.  The playhouse offers festival passes for attendees to enjoy all events, and can be purchased online or at the box office. Single tickets may also be purchased for the “Hammerstein in Hollywood” benefit concert. Tickets for the Benefit Concert and Post-Show Reception are $150. Concert-only tickets cost $75 for orchestra and $45 for rear orchestra. A limited number of passes are also available. Passholders receive admission to all the weekend events., Among the other programming scheduled for this year’s festival is a workshop featuring excerpts from “The New World,” a new musical that will debut at the Bucks County Playhouse this fall. Composer Gary Adler (“Altar Boyz”) and lyricist Phoebe Kreutz (“Awesomer & Awesomer”) will take festival pass holders into the evolution of their new musical and chat about some of the changes as they ready the musical for production at the playhouse this fall., New York Post theater columnist Michael Riedel will also present at the festival — giving insight into the current and past state of Broadway with a talk based on his book, “Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway.” Riedel’s book tells the tale of the men whose contentious battle for the Broadway theater district turned 1970s Times Square into today’s mecca for theatergoers and tourists., Pass-holders will enjoy these and other seminars featuring artists and experts within the musical theater field. They also will network with other pass holders and presenters at an informal farewell brunch on Sunday at the historic home of Bucks County Playhouse Producing Director Alexander Fraser., For more information or to purchase either tickets to the benefit concert, or a Weekend Festival Pass, go to www. buckscountyplayhouse.org or call 215-862-2121.