Ashley Blanchet, Jarran Muse & More to Star in Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS at Bucks County Playhouse

Bucks County Playhouse caps off a magical 2023 mainstage season with the beloved holiday musical, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” beginning November 17 through December 31.

The Playhouse’s Executive Producer Robyn Goodman, Producing Director Alexander Fraser and Producer Joshua Fiedler announced casting for the new production, featuring direction by Playhouse Artistic Associate, Hunter Foster and choreography by Richard Riaz Yoder (currently seen in Broadway’s “Some Like It Hot.”). 

“Nothing gives us more pleasure than taking a classic and rediscovering it for our audiences, and who didn’t grow up loving ‘White Christmas?,” says Producing Director Alexander Fraser. “To work with Hunter and Richard and a terrific creative team in mounting this production continues the work we have done this year to reintroduce theatergoers to the Playhouse and build audiences for the future. We look forward to welcoming all audiences to experience the magic of Christmas at the Playhouse and in New Hope.”

Jeremiah James, Jarran Muse, Ashley Blanchet and Kaitlyn Frank lead the cast of the stage adaptation of the beloved Hollywood musical. James, who plays Bob Wallace recently appeared in the Broadway company of “Funny Girl” with Leah Michele. He also appeared as part of the Playhouse’s 2023 Gala. Muse, who appears in the role of Phil Davis, was in the original Broadway cast of “White Christmas” and most recently appeared on Broadway in “Ain’t Too Proud.” Blanchet, who stars as Betty Haynes, was recently seen on Broadway in “Waitress” and as Elsa in “Frozen.” Kaitlyn Frank, who plays Judy Haynes was recently seen on Broadway in “Funny Girl.” 



The production also features Nathan Lucrezio (Broadway’s “Aladdin” and “Diana: The Musical”) as Ralph Sheldrake, Richard E. Waits (BCP’s “Kinky Boots” and LaMaMa’s “Mama Rose”) as General Waverly, and Ruth Gottschall (BCP’s “Guys and Dolls,” “42nd Street” and Broadway’s “Mary Poppins”) as Martha. 

The ensemble includes Caitlin Belcik (Broadway: “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas”), Michael Harp (2019 Jimmy Award Nominee), Jay Aubrey Jones (Broadway’s “Cats” and “How to Succeed…), Kat Katona (White Plains Arts Center’s “Cabaret”), Lauralyn Mcclelland (Broadway’s “Grease!” and “West Side Story”), Stephanie Eve Parker (Mt Gretna’s “Applause!”), Joey Socci (Paul Taylor’s Company B at Pace University), Jesse Swimm (Broadway’s “School of Rock”), and Renell Taylor (“A Wonderful World”). Tara Rajan (“The Goodbye Girl” Off-Broadway) and MacKenzie Reff (Paper Mill’s “Finding Nemo”) will alternate in the role of Susan Waverly.

The creative team includes David L. Arsenault (Scenic Design), Nicole V. Moody (Costume Design), J. Jared Janas (Hair and Wig Design), Kirk Bookman (Lighting Design), and Ashton Michael Corey (Sound Design). Musical Director is Jeffrey Campos. Pamela Edington is production stage manager. Casting by Paul Hardt. 

Based on the classic Hollywood movie musical, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” is a technicolor, Broadway musical extravaganza. With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and a book by David Ives and Paul Blake, “White Christmas” contains some Berlin’s most popular tunes including "Blue Skies," "I Love a Piano," "How Deep is the Ocean?,” ''Count Your Blessings” and the title song, “White Christmas.” 

Following a stint in the army, song-and-dance men, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis become one the hottest duos in show business. After a chance meeting, they follow The Haynes Sisters to Vermont where they discover a nearly bankrupt inn run by their former Army commander. With no snow in the forecast, and no tourists in sight, can Wallace, Davis and the Haynes Sisters pull off a yuletide miracle?

The 2023 Season Sponsors are Bank of America and Capital Health. “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” is sponsored by Trinity Health MidAtlantic– St. Mary Medical Center. The opening night performance on November 18 at 7:30 pm is sponsored by Capital Health.

“White Christmas” will run from November 17 through December 31 with an official opening night on November 18 at 7:30 p.m. “White Christmas” will play Tuesdays and Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, with matinees on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. Special added holiday performances on Wednesday, November 22 at 7:30 pm and Friday, November 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $39. Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. 

For full details, 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.

ABOUT BUCKS COUNTY PLAYHOUSE

Steeped in a theatrical history that stems back to its founding in 1939 by a roster of theatrical royalty, Bucks County Playhouse is celebrating the eleventh anniversary of its 2012 re-opening and restoration. With more than 75,000 patrons walking through its doors every year, the Playhouse is leading the economic resurgence of New Hope and the surrounding community. In 2014, Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler took the helm of the Playhouse, reclaiming its reputation of attracting Broadway and Hollywood artists. Playhouse productions of “Company” starring Justin Guarini, and William Finn’s “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” were named by Wall Street Journal to its “Best of Theatre” list for 2015. In 2018, the Wall Street Journal again hailed the Playhouse and Artistic Associate Hunter Foster in its Best of the Year listings for its production of “42nd Street” and in 2019 labeled the Playhouse “one of the best regional theaters on the East coast.” Box office records have been repeatedly broken by Signature Productions of “Steel Magnolias” directed by Marsha Mason, “Mamma Mia!” directed by John Tartaglia and “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” “Million Dollar Quartet,” “42nd Street,” and “Guys & Dolls” (all directed by Hunter Foster). In 2021, the team developed and presented Candace Bushnell’s “Is There Still Sex in the City,” which the Playhouse then partnered to move to New York. Recent critically acclaimed productions include “Tick, Tick .. Boom!” with Andy Mientus and “The Bridges of Madison County” with Tony-nominee Kate Baldwin and Nicholas Rodriguez. The creative teams who come to create new productions at the Playhouse are among the most talented artists working in the professional theatre today and relish the opportunity to work on the historic stage where Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, and Jessica Walter began their careers.

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