Bucks County Playhouse Breaks Records to Celebrate MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET

On September 18, Bucks County Playhouse celebrated the extraordinary, "record-breaking success" of its smash hit, "Million Dollar Quartet," by actually smashing records on the stage of the New Hope theater.

The musical, which recalls an iconic night in music history, when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis all converged at Sun Studios in Memphis for an all-star jam session, recently became the top-grossing and most attended production in the Playhouse's history. The previous record was set earlier this summer by the its critically acclaimed production of "42nd Street." "Million Dollar Quartet" has already been extended to September 29, 2018.

In keeping with the rock and roll theme, several members of the cast joined Producing Director Alexander Fraser in "breaking" prop 45 RPM records to mark the occasion. Showing off their musicianship, cast members also entertained guests with an unplugged version of "Blue Suede Shoes." Among the cast participating in the event were Sky Seals (Johnny Cash), John Michael Presney (Carl Perkins), Zach Cossman (Fluke), Ari McKay Wilford (Elvis Presley) and Ryah Nixon (Dyanne).

"When Executive Producer Robyn Goodman and I first came down here in 2013, we were thrilled with the opportunity of taking this beautiful facility that had laid dormant and was underperforming and turn it around. And now, after 4 and 1/2 years, we believe The Playhouse has finally hit its stride. We are excited to celebrate the incredible success of 'Million Dollar Quartet'. Clearly our audience enjoys musicals, as we do, and who doesn't love rock and roll?" asks Fraser. "The growth in audience this summer has been particularly important to the sustainability of the Playhouse. When we first arrived, only four of every 10 seats at a given performance were sold. That has improved tremendously. We're thrilled that so many new patrons are discovering Bucks County Playhouse through shows like "Million Dollar Quartet" and "42nd Street." This extension allows even more theatergoers the chance to make the Playhouse their go-to place for live entertainment as we work to build an audience that will sustain us long term."

The 2018 Bucks County Playhouse Season is sponsored by Bank of America. The production plays the following schedule: Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 2:00 pm, Thursdays at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm, Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm. There is an additional evening performance on Wednesday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets currently start at $45; special rates are available for groups of 10 or more. For complete details, up-to-date pricing and to purchase tickets, please visit buckscountyplayhouse.org, call 215-862-2121, or visit the box office at 70 South Main Street, New Hope, PA.

Photo: Sky Seals, John Michael Presney, Zach Cossman, Ari McKay Wilford and Ryah Nixon pointing to the smashed records