Independent Arts News Reporting Bucks County Playhouse Names Broadway Veteran BT McNicholl as Producing Artistic Director
Reported on Friday, March 27, 2026.
Pictured Above: BT McNicholl. Photo Credit: Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: NEW HOPE, PENNSYLVANIA
McNicholl joins Bucks County Playhouse following a decade as Producing Artistic Director of La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles County
New Hope, PA — Bucks County Playhouse announced most recently the appointment of director, producer and arts leader BT McNicholl as the organization’s new Producing Artistic Director, ushering a new era for one of the most iconic theaters on the east coast.
McNicholl joins Bucks County Playhouse following a decade as Producing Artistic Director of La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles County, where he led one of Southern California’s premier regional theaters through a period of significant artistic and financial growth. Under his leadership, La Mirada set new all-time records for revenue, attendance, and subscriptions, defying national post-pandemic trends while expanding programming, audiences, and artist opportunities.
“BCP has thrived under extraordinary creative leadership, and we are deeply grateful to Alex Fraser, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler, our current producers, for their unwavering commitment to this historic institution. Their work has greatly strengthened the Playhouse and positioned us for what comes next,” says Gayle Goodman, President of the Bucks County Playhouse Board of Directors and Search Committee Co-Chair. “We have found our new Producing Artistic Director, BT McNicholl, whose experience, imagination, and respect for our legacy will guide us into an exciting new chapter. Together, these leaders—those who will complete remarkable tenures in June and one who will begin a promising one in June — ensure that the Playhouse continues to shine as one of Bucks County’s most cherished landmarks.”
“Bucks County is in the middle of a cultural renaissance, and the Playhouse is at the heart of it. It is imperative that we keep this momentum through this leadership change so finding the right person was critical. I couldn’t be more thrilled with BT coming on board,” says Mitch Berlin, Vice President of the Bucks County Playhouse Board and Search Committee Co-Chair.
McNicholl, a theater veteran who has worked on 12 Broadway productions, including three Tony Award-winning hits, brings extensive experience as a director, producer, writer, and administrator working across Broadway, regional theater, international productions, and municipal arts institutions.
At La Mirada Theatre, McNicholl curated seasons that balanced Broadway-caliber productions with cultural presentations featuring artists including Jay Leno, Gladys Knight, Paul Anka, Margaret Cho and Clint Black. He also transformed underutilized theater spaces into new performance and hospitality venues, generating significant revenue while enhancing the patron experience.
Previously, McNicholl served as Producing Artistic Director of the Palace Theatre/Stamford Center for the Arts in Connecticut where he created new performing spaces and programming innovations.
“Buck County Playhouse is a national treasure, and I’m honored to steward the next chapter of its extraordinary artistic legacy,” McNicholl said. “I salute the visionary work done by Alex Fraser, Robyn Goodman, and Josh Fiedler, and look forward to collaborating with the remarkable team, artists and supporters who make the Playhouse such a beloved theater.”
As a director, McNicholl served on the creative team of a dozen Broadway shows including “Spamalot,” “Billy Elliot”, “Cabaret” as an associate to master directors Mike Nichols, Stephen Daldry, Sam Mendes, Jerry Zaks and James Lapine. He also worked with legendary writers such as Sondheim, Kander and Ebb, and Comden and Green. A BMI-award winning writer, McNicholl’s musicals have played Off-Broadway, on national tour, in regional theatres, and at Madison Square Garden. His international directing work spans productions across Europe, Asia and Australia, and his regional directing credits include award-winning productions at Goodspeed Musicals, Walnut Street Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse and performing arts institutions throughout the United States.
McNicholl succeeds Producing Director Alexander Fraser, Executive Producer Robyn Goodman and Producer Josh Fiedler, who previously announced they will step down from their roles in June after more than a decade of leadership. Since joining the organization in 2014, Fraser, Goodman and Fiedler have played a vital role in the Playhouse’s revival and growth, which has led the transformation of New Hope and the region’s economy.
“BT is a vibrant, engaging leader who has helped create some of the most enduring musicals of our era,” said Producing Director Alexander Fraser. “His creative vision aligns with the foundation Robyn, Josh and I have built, and will continue to drive the meaningful economic impact on New Hope and the surrounding region that we began a decade ago.”
“Producing at Bucks County Playhouse over the past 12 years has been an extraordinary experience for Alex, Josh and me,” said Robyn Goodman, Executive Producer. “We’re incredibly proud of the work that’s happened on that stage and so grateful for the way the New Hope community welcomed us and embraced the artists we’ve brought here.”
“BT McNicholl is a wonderful choice to lead the theater forward,” said Josh Fiedler, Producer. “He’s deeply respected in the theater community, and I know he will continue to connect with the incredible artists who have helped make the Playhouse such a special place.”
McNicholl’s appointment follows a national search led by Shruti Adhar of Management Consultants for the Arts, who worked closely with the Playhouse’s Board of Directors to identify the organization’s next artistic leader. The search committee included Gayle Goodman, Mitch Berlin, Richard Henriques, Sherri Daugherty, and Lynn Breen.
McNicholl will join a leadership team that includes Executive Director Nicole Hackmann and Managing Director Teresa Sanpietro. Under the stewardship of the Playhouse Board of Directors, McNicholl will continue to focus on strengthening the Playhouse’s financial position and ensuring the organization’s long-term sustainability while advancing its artistic mission.
McNicholl’s appointment reflects Bucks County Playhouse’s continued commitment to producing new works, reimagined classics and artist-driven programming while strengthening its position as a cultural anchor for Bucks County and a leading nonprofit theater in the United States.
Founded in 1939 and restored and reopened by Bridge Street Foundation in 2012, Bucks County Playhouse presents Broadway-caliber productions, world premieres, visiting artists and community programming that attracts audiences from across the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.
McNicholl will assume his role as producing artistic director beginning June 22, 2026.
About Bucks County Playhouse
Bucks County Playhouse, whose theatrical legacy dates to its founding in 1939 by a roster of Broadway luminaries, celebrates the 13th anniversary of its 2012 reopening and restoration. Welcoming more than 80,000 patrons annually, the Playhouse continues to help drive the economic resurgence of New Hope and the surrounding region.
In 2014, Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler assumed leadership of the Playhouse, guiding its artistic revitalization and helping it reclaim its reputation for attracting top Broadway and Hollywood talent. Productions of “Company,” starring Justin Guarini, and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” were named to The Wall Street Journal’s Best of Theatre list in 2015. In 2018, the Journal again recognized the Playhouse — and artistic associate Hunter Foster — for its acclaimed production of “42nd Street.” The following year, the publication hailed Bucks County Playhouse as “one of the best regional theaters on the East Coast.” Box office records have been repeatedly broken by signature productions including “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” “Steel Magnolias” (directed by Marsha Mason), “Million Dollar Quartet,” “42nd Street” and “Guys and Dolls” (all directed by Foster), as well as “Mamma Mia!” (directed by artistic associate John Tartaglia and choreographed by Shannon Lewis). In 2022, the Playhouse produced Candace Bushnell’s solo show “Is There Still Sex in the City?” successfully stewarding the production to Off-Broadway.
A brief pause during the COVID-19 pandemic did not diminish the theater’s momentum. The Playhouse continued producing onstage and onscreen throughout 2020, culminating in a live summer season in 2021 that welcomed an increasing number of first-time patrons. The 2023 season featured notable productions including Jonathan Larson’s “Tick, Tick … Boom!” (directed by artistic associate Eric Rosen, who returned in 2024 to helm the audience and critics’ favorite “Anastasia: The Musical”), “The Bridges of Madison County,” directed by Foster, and “The Rocky Horror Show,” starring Frankie Grande. Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” became the highest-grossing show in Playhouse history, a record later eclipsed by a new production of “Elf: The Musical” in 2025. In both 2024 and 2025, more than 40% of the Playhouse audience consisted of first-time attendees, drawn to record-breaking productions including “Elf: The Musical,” “The Rocky Horror Show,” “Grease!” and “Anastasia: The Musical.” The Playhouse continues to attract top creative teams — artists who relish the opportunity to work on the historic stage where Grace Kelly, Robert Redford and Jessica Walter began their careers.
