A New Act Begins at Bucks County Playhouse

After 12 years of bringing world-class entertainment to Bucks County Playhouse, Producing Director Alex Fraser is ready to move on to the next chapter of his life. As he looks back at his long career, there is one theme that rises above all the rest: joy. “All I ever wanted was to have fun and joy in my life, and theater is a place where I could not only experience that joy myself, but also share it with an audience,” Fraser says.

Making Changes

When Fraser first stepped into Bucks County Playhouse in 2014, it had just undergone renovations in an attempt to revive the luster of the once-iconic venue. Although it had been a staple in the summer-stock circuit, times had changed, and live theater just did not seem to captivate local audiences the way it had in the past. Ticket sales were sparse, and the historic building was losing its appeal. “If we had 100 people in the audience, that was a good night,” Fraser says.

While Fraser knew a change was necessary, it took time to figure out how to bring back audiences. “My producing partners, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler, and I spent the first two years doing what we thought the audience wanted to see instead of really trying to figure out what they actually wanted to see,” Fraser says.

That insight led to one of the most important lessons of his tenure. “I began to realize that history alone does not sell tickets,” he says. “The legacy [of the playhouse] is wonderful, but the real challenge is making sure it feels alive right now, not just remembered for what it used to be.”

Audiences Return

Fraser remembers the moment when everything began to shift. “We put on a production of ‘Buddy Holly,’ and audiences just loved it,” he says. “We ended up doing it three times. It became very clear to me from the success of that show that what the audience wanted to see was very popular work.”

Over the next decade, attendance continued to grow as audiences showed up to watch hits like “Guys and Dolls,” “Clue,” and “Anastasia.” Word spread quickly that the playhouse was once again the place to be for top-notch productions.

“You have to build up this critical mass,” Fraser says. “It is like this little snowball, and it gradually builds. It was just a much longer hill than I realized.”

The larger audiences did more than just boost ticket sales—the casts fed off the new energy they brought. As the crowds got bigger, the productions got even better. “Every single actor who works on that stage comments on the extraordinarily warm feeling they get from the audience,” Fraser says. “That energy made such a difference in the quality of the shows.”

A Community Treasure

Nicole Hackmann, executive director of Bucks County Playhouse, emphasizes how essential community support has always been to the theater. “Our community has stood by us through reopening, the pandemic, and now this transition,” she says. “Our donors, subscribers, and partners, from fellow nonprofits to local businesses, make this work possible.”

While Fraser often receives praise for the playhouse, one particular comment from a loyal patron has stayed with him throughout the years. “One woman told me that every time she saw a show here, she walked out on a cloud,” he says. “She could come in after a hard day’s work, and it took her completely out of whatever she was worried about, and she left feeling like a million bucks. Comments like that make us all feel proud of the work we have done.”

Now, as Fraser prepares to step away from Bucks County Playhouse after more than a decade at the helm, the question on many minds is not whether the theater will continue to thrive but how its unique sense of joy and connection will carry forward under incoming Producing Director BT McNicholl.

Passing the Torch

McNicholl is no stranger to the stage. He spent a decade as producing artistic director of La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in La Mirada, California. He also has worked on a dozen Broadway productions, including Tony Award-winning shows such as “Spamalot” and “Billy Elliot.”

Careful deliberation went into the decision to hire McNicholl, and Hackmann looks forward to his tenure. “Following a thorough national search led by members of our board of directors, I have complete confidence that BT, given his relationships, experience, and depth of knowledge, will be an inspiring artistic leader for Bucks County Playhouse,” she says.

While Gayle Goodman, the playhouse’s board president, is sad to see Fraser leave, she also welcomes the transition from Fraser to McNicholl and believes it will be natural. “BT’s experience, imagination, and respect for our legacy will guide us into that exciting next chapter, one that will continue to strengthen our vision of being recognized for world-class productions and for nurturing future generations of artists and audiences,” she says.

McNicholl has a strong appreciation of the theater’s past and a clear vision for guiding the playhouse into the future. He understands that anyone who comes into an organization as successful as Bucks County Playhouse stands on the shoulders of the people who came before. “It is my intention and hope to continue that trajectory,” he says.

Fraser also is confident that McNicholl will be a good steward of the beloved playhouse. “It is so much easier for me to leave the theater to somebody like BT, who comes from the same world as I do,” he says. “I am proud that the work that I have done is going to allow him the opportunity to come in and take the next step.”

The Magic of the Playhouse

McNicholl and Fraser seem to have a shared vision that extends beyond programming. Both understand how integral the theater’s physical space is to the playhouse’s allure. In fact, it is one of the things that drew McNicholl to accept the position. “This setting, being on the corner of the river and the creek and the waterfall, there is something about the light on the river that feels magical,” he says.

Fraser shares that deep appreciation for the aesthetics of the playhouse and believes it is one of the most beautiful theaters in the country. “The proportions of the building are perfect,” he says. “It almost feels like a small Broadway playhouse, with something of a dollhouse feeling to it. When the audience leaves here, they know they have been part of something special.”

But taking in a show at Bucks County Playhouse isn’t just about the theater itself. For Fraser, an important part of building up the venue was understanding that the entire town was part of the overall experience. “People do not just come for the show,” he says. “They come for the whole night. They come into New Hope, walk around, have dinner, and come back to the theater. It becomes a whole experience.”

When McNicholl takes the reins of the theater on June 22, it will be with respect for the legacy Fraser helped build and a clear understanding of the feeling that has always been at the heart of Bucks County Playhouse: the joy of sharing great theater with an audience. “When the lights go down and the curtain rises, there should be that sense in the room that anything can happen,” McNicholl says. “That is the magic of theater.”

Lela Casey has been writing professionally for over 15 years. She and her family live in Doylestown.

Photograph by Juan Vidal Photography