Hello, Dolly! Tony nominee Kate Baldwin, who starred in the 2022 production of The Bridges of Madison County at New Jersey's Axelrod Performing Arts Center, reprises her performance as Iowa housewife Francesca in the Bucks County Playhouse staging of the Jason Robert Brown-Marsha Norman musical that began performances August 11.
Again directed by Hunter Foster, the limited engagement continues through September 10 at the New Hope, Pennsylvania, venue. Baldwin stars opposite Nicholas Rodriguez (Company, Tarzan) as Robert.
The cast also features Bart Shatto as Bud, Thomas Cromer as Michael, Emily Pellecchia as Carolyn, Giuliana Augello as Marion/Chiara, Mark S. Megill as Charlie, Nikki Yarnell as Marge, and Sealth Grover as Paolo with Natalie Myrick, Lucy Horton, Lara Hayhurst, and Rutledge Varley. Most of the company also appeared in the earlier New Jersey production.
Get a look at the production in new photos below:
Kate Baldwin in Bridges of Madison County
Kate Baldwin and cast of Bridges of Madison County
Bart Shatto and cast of Bridges of Madison County
Kate Baldwin and Nicholas Rodriguez in Bridges of Madison County
Nikki Yarnell and Mark Megill in Bridges of Madison County
Nicholas Rodriguez in Bridges of Madison County
Kate Baldwin and Nicholas Rodriguez in Bridges of Madison County
Kate Baldwin and Lucy Horton in Bridges of Madison County
Kate Baldwin and Nicholas Rodriguez in Bridges of Madison County
Emily Pellecchia and Thomas Cromer in Bridges of Madison County
Kate Baldwin and Nicholas Rodriguez in Bridges of Madison County
Kate Baldwin in Bridges of Madison County
The romantic musical, which has a score by Tony winner Brown (Parade, Songs for a New World) and a book by Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner Norman (The Secret Garden, 'night Mother), centers on a brief, four-day love affair between a National Geographic photographer and an Italian-American housewife in 1965 Iowa.
“I was deeply moved by Hunter’s production of The Bridges of Madison County when I saw it in New Jersey in 2022,” said Bucks County Playhouse Executive Producer Robyn Goodman in an earlier statement. “The show has some of the most beautiful music written for the stage. You may have read the book or seen the film, but there is nothing like the live depiction of this romance onstage.”
The production also has music direction by Keith Levenson, scenic design by Anna Louizos, lighting design by Paul Miller, costume design by Lauren Roark, hair and wig design by Jared Janas, sound design by Jeff Sherwood, and casting by Paul Hardt. Jackie Mariani is production stage manager, and Kellian Frank is assistant stage manager.
The Bridges of Madison County won 2014 Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, both for Brown. The musical was also nominated for Best Actress in a Musical (Kelli O'Hara) and Best Lighting Design (Donald Holder).
Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep starred in the 1995 film adaptation of the Robert James Waller novel; Tony winner O'Hara starred alongside Steven Pasquale in the Broadway company, which also featured Hunter Foster as Bud, Francesca’s husband.
For ticket information visit BucksCountyPlayhouse.org.
