1960

The 1960 Season held several firsts. Twelve Angry Men, the second show of the season was making it's world premiere, Agnes de Mille directed Shelley Berman and Playhouse favorites Philip Bourneuf and Frances Reid in The Mirror Under the Eagle and Neil Simon's first play, Come Blow Your Horn, made its debut.
Two For The Seesaw opened the season and starred Sheree North and Philip Abbott. It was a very popular show in Summer Stock at the time as it had only two actors and one set making it economical as well. The show was so popular at Bucks that three extra matinees were scheduled during the two week run and at the time broke the Box Office record for an opening show at Bucks. Two For The Seesaw was Sheree North's dramatic stage debut although she was already a star in her own right having been seen on the Broadway stage and on the silver screen. Philip Abbott recreated the role of Jerry Ryan in Two For The Seesaw. It was a role which he played on Broadway when Henry Fonda needed a temporary leave.
Sheree North

Philip Abbott also starred in the second show of the season, Twelve Angry Men. This was the world premiere and the first time it had been done in the English language. The play was originally done in Paris.
Philip Abbott
The third production of the season was a comedy called Operation Mad Ball starring comedian Jack Carter. It was Carter's first appearance at Bucks. The cast included many actors that would go on to become very recognizable show business names. Dana Elcar, Bonnie Bartlett and John Gabriel all appeared in Operation Mad Ball. A special appearance was made by Odette Myrtil, local celebrity and owner of New Hope restaurant Chez Odette. Odette had previously appeared in New York in productions of Love Song, Countess Maritza and South Pacific. It was her first appearance at Bucks as well.
Jack Carter
Russell Nype and Carol Bruce starred in the next production, Petticoat Fever. Petticoat Fever had been performed previously at Bucks during the first season in 1939 and again in 1942 when the season was held in Philadelphia at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel because of World War II gas rationing. The show centered on a wireless operator who has been stranded without women for two years and what happens when first one woman and then a second arrive at his outpost.
Russell Nype
State of the Union played next starring Faye Emerson and John Baragrey. Ms. Emerson had made over 30 movies for Warner Brothers including Mask of Demetrius, Hotel Berlin and The Very Thought of You. She first appeared on Broadway in The Play's The Thing which was also produced by Bucks County Playhouse producer, Mike Ellis.
Faye Emerson
Old favorites Phil Bourneuf, Frances Reid and Shelley Berman returned in 1960 for the world premiere of The Mirror Under the Eagle. Described as "an unusual new play about the theatre", the play was directed by Agnes de Mille who was making her Summer Theatre directorial debut. Ms. de Mille, of course, was famous for her history making ballets for the musical, Oklahoma! and revolutionized the dance for American Theatre.
Shelley Berman
Following The Mirror Under the Eagle was a series of three plays done in repertory. Man and Superman, The Sea Gull and Affairs of Anatol were presented for two weeks in August. Following those plays was Happy Ending starring Ruth Chatterton, Conrad Nagel and Pert Kelton.
Gene Rayburn returned for his fourth visit to the Bucks County Playhouse in Come Blow Your Horn. The play had the distinction of being the first play of Neil Simon's to be produced.
Gene Rayburn
Rounding out the season was The Marriage-Go-Round starring Constance Bennett and Edward Mulhare. Ms. Bennett had appeared at Bucks previously in 1954 in Sabrina Fair. Mike Ellis summed up the 1960 season in the final Playbill by calling it "the most interesting, exciting and provocative season of them all."