Independent Arts News Reporting Bucks County Playhouse Celebrates the Holidays with Irving Berlin’s “Holiday Inn”
Reported on Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Pictured Above: (L-R) Eric William Morris, Luke Hawkins, Deanna Cudjoe, Alyse Alan Louis. Photo Credit: Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: NEW HOPE, PENNSYLVANIA
Beloved Broadway musical featuring “White Christmas,” “Blue Skies,” “Easter Parade” and more than 20 Irving Berlin classics brings music, dancing and family fun to New Hope November 19–January 3
New Hope, PA — The holidays arrive in spectacular style at Bucks County Playhouse when Irving Berlin’s “Holiday Inn,” the heartwarming Broadway musical inspired by the beloved film, takes the stage November 19 through January 3. Featuring dazzling dance numbers, a charming romantic story and more than 20 of Irving Berlin’s most celebrated songs, the production promises a festive theatrical experience for audiences of all ages.
“Holiday Inn” is co-directed by Nick Corley and Shea Sullivan, with choreography by Sullivan. Both directors return to Bucks County Playhouse, where Corley previously served as associate director of Candace Bushnell’s “Is There Still Sex in the City?” and directed the Playhouse’s 2023 production of “Tommy & Me.” Sullivan, who directed and choreographed this fall’s “Rock of Ages,” also helmed the Playhouse productions of “Leader of the Pack” and “Last of the Red Hot Mamas.” Her additional credits include “Frozen” at Paper Mill Playhouse and the Off-Broadway productions of “R.R.R.E.D.,” “Neurosis,” “Polkadots” and “Pageant!”
Featuring a treasure trove of Irving Berlin favorites, including “Blue Skies,” “Easter Parade,” “Heat Wave,” “Cheek to Cheek” and the biggest-selling holiday song of all time, “White Christmas,” “Holiday Inn” celebrates the joy of the holidays — and the magic of music and dance throughout the year.
“There’s something special about spending the holidays together at Bucks County Playhouse, and ‘Holiday Inn’ is exactly the kind of show that brings everyone together,” says Producing Artistic Director BT McNicholl. “It’s filled with wonderful music, spectacular dancing, romance and plenty of laughs — all wrapped up in the warmth and nostalgia of an old-fashioned holiday celebration. Whether you’re continuing a family tradition or starting a new one, making the Playhouse part of your holiday season is a wonderful way to make memories together.”
The Playhouse’s production of “Holiday Inn” will be dedicated to the memory of acclaimed Broadway scenic designer Anna Louizos, who designed the show’s original Broadway premiere in 2016. A beloved member of the Bucks County Playhouse family and its Artist Council, Louizos designed 18 productions at the Playhouse over more than a decade, most recently this summer’s “South Pacific.” Her extraordinary artistry and longstanding connection to the Playhouse make this dedication especially meaningful. Louizos was the spouse and longtime partner of former Playhouse Executive Producer Robyn Goodman.
When song-and-dance man Jim Hardy leaves the bright lights of show business behind for a quieter life in Connecticut, he discovers that his farmhouse might be the perfect setting for an entirely new kind of entertainment. His idea: transform the property into a country inn that opens only on holidays. But when an old show-business partner returns and romance complicates his plans, Jim discovers that love, friendship and a little theatrical magic can make every day worth celebrating.
Eric William Morris (Broadway’s “King Kong”) stars as Jim Hardy, the song-and-dance man who trades the spotlight for a Connecticut farmhouse. Luke Hawkins (Broadway’s “Xanadu,” Harry Connick Jr.’s “A Tribute to Cole Porter”) plays his former performing partner Ted Hanover. Hawkins has also appeared as a tap soloist at Carnegie Hall and toured internationally with Connick.
Deanna Cudjoe (Broadway’s “Smash,” Barrington Stage Company’s “A Chorus Line”) plays Lila Dixon, their glamorous stage partner, while Alyse Alan Louis (Havertown, PA native from Broadway’s “Amélie” and “Disaster!”) stars as Linda Mason, the talented performer who captures Jim’s heart. Carlos Lopez (Broadway’s “A Chorus Line,” “Grease,” “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Man of La Mancha”) portrays Danny, and Tina Stafford (BCP’s “Once” and “Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Playhouse Christmas Show”) plays Louise.
Sharing the role of Charlie Winslow are Grant Knudson (Walnut Street Theatre’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “Beauty and the Beast”) and Eddie Pfender (“Mame,” “Pippin”).
The ensemble includes Kelly Liz Bolick (BCP’s “Last of the Red Hot Mamas” and “Rock of Ages,” The Public Theater’s “Southern Comfort”), Caro Daye Attayek (Broadway and national tour of “Mamma Mia!,” national tours of “Aladdin” and “Hairspray”), Cecilia Snow (national tour of “Six”), David Nick Alea (national tour of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” BCP’s “Grease” and “Leader of the Pack”), Bobby Mac (BCP’s “Last of the Red Hot Mamas” and the international touring group Boy Band Evolution), John Reed (Off-Broadway’s “Amid Falling Walls”), and Brandon J. Morris (Goodspeed Musicals’ “Crazy for You” and “White Christmas”).
Rounding out the company are Danny Feldman (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s “The Producers”), Maddie Hewgley (Elon University’s “A Chorus Line”), Gabriel Hobbs (Gateway Playhouse’s “West Side Story”), Kayla Kwok-Jun Nielsen (Arizona Broadway Theatre’s “A Christmas Story”) and Liesl Landegger (Off-Broadway’s “Gotta Dance!”).
“Holiday Inn” features music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and a book by Gordon Greenberg and Chad Hodge. The musical is based on the film from Universal Pictures and is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com.
The creative team includes scenic designer Luke Cantarella, costume designer Tracy Christensen (Broadway’s “Sunset Boulevard” and “Souvenir”), lighting designer José Santiago, sound designer Jeff Sherwood, hair and wig designer J. Jared Janas (two-time Drama Desk Award nominee), props supervisor Anya Kutner and music director Trevor M. Pierce (national tours of “Elf” and “Anything Goes”).
Erin Mittman serves as production stage manager, assisted by Esther Bermann and Emily Carleton.
Performances of Irving Berlin’s “Holiday Inn” run November 19 through January 3 at Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main Street, New Hope, PA. Special Pay-What-You-Can preview performances will be held November 19 and 20. The official opening performance is Saturday, November 21 at 7:30 pm. ASL Interpreted performance is December 13 at 1:30pm. Tickets are available at BucksCountyPlayhouse.org or by calling the Box Office at 215-862-2121.
Bucks County Playhouse’s 2026 season is sponsored by Bank of America. Irving Berlin’s “Holiday Inn” is sponsored by EY (Ernst & Young).
About Bucks County Playhouse
Bucks County Playhouse, whose theatrical legacy dates to its founding in 1939 by a roster of Broadway luminaries, celebrates the 14th anniversary of its 2012 reopening and restoration by the Bridge Street Foundation. Welcoming more than 80,000 patrons annually, the Playhouse continues to help drive the economic resurgence of New Hope and the surrounding region.
Beginning in 2014, Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler led the Playhouse’s artistic revitalization, 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 Theater 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.”
The Playhouse has continued to build on that momentum with record-breaking productions including “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” “Steel Magnolias,” “The Rocky Horror Show,” “Grease!,” “Anastasia: The Musical,” “White Christmas” and “Elf: The Musical,” which became the highest-grossing production in Playhouse history.
Now under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director BT McNicholl, the Playhouse continues its commitment to artistic excellence and new work development.
