Galyana Castillo as Darlene Love with the cast of “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
Bucks County Playhouse is currently putting on “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” through July 20. The show celebrates the life and legacy of pop music icon Ellie Greenwich.
This Broadway musical traces the rise of Greenwich, whose doo-wop inspired sound helped define the girl-group era of the 1960s. Recognized as one of the first modern biographical rock musicals built around an artist’s own catalog, “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” premiered on Broadway in 1984. The original production featured Greenwich herself alongside fellow rock legends Annie Golden and Darlene Love, all portraying versions of themselves.
The show features a book by Anne Beatts and music and lyrics by Ellie Greenwich and friends, based on an original concept by Melanie Mintz. Audiences can expect a vibrant, dance-filled Broadway musical that highlights chart-topping hits such as “Be My Baby,” “Chapel of Love,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “River Deep, Mountain High,” and the title song, “Leader of the Pack.”
The cast of “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
From left: LaRaisha DiEvelyn Dionne, Kyra Kennedy and Sy Chounchaisit at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
LaRaisha DiEvelyn Dionne, Giuliana Augello, as Annie Golden, and Lexie Plath in “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
Fiona Claire Huber, Kyra Kennedy and Lexi Plath in “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
LaRaisha DiEvelyn Dionne, Giuliana Augello, as Annie Golden, and Lexie Plath in “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
Kyra Kennedy as Ellie Greenwich and Michael Evan Williams as Jeff Barry in “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
From left: David Nick Alea, John Michael Peterson, Michael Evan Williams, DeShawn Travis Bowens and Fabi Gallmeister at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
From left: Kyra Kennedy as Ellie Greenwich with the cast of “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
Galyana Castillo as Darlene Love in “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical” at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)
From left: Elizabeth Yanick, Galyana Castillo and Sy Chounchaisit at Bucks County Playhouse through July 20. (Credit: Joan Marcus/Courtesy of Bucks County Playhouse)Performances continue until Sunday, July 20. Directed and choreographed by Shea Sullivan, the cast of “Leader of the Pack” features Kyra Kennedy (“Teeth: The Musical”) as Ellie Greenwich, Galyana Castillo (Broadway’s “Sweeney Todd”) as Darlene Love, Giuliana Augello (BCP’s “The Bridges of Madison County” and “Grease”) as Annie Golden, Michael Evan Williams (“Titanique”) as Jeff Barry, Danny Rutigliano (BCP’s “Last of the Red Hot Mamas”) as Gus Sharkey, and Jenny Lee Stern (Broadway’s “Rocky”) as Rosie/Lounge Singer. Sy Chounchaisit (BCP’s “Mamma Mia!”) is Pattie, and LaRaisha DiEvelyn Dionne (City Stage Theater’s “Brooklyn: The Musical) is Jasmine Guy. The ensemble includes David Nick Alea (BCP’s “Grease”), DeShawn Travis Bowens (BCP’s “The Apple Boys”), Halley Daigle-Saez (Florida Rep’s “Beguiled Again?), Elena Doyno (NCL’s “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”), Sofia Douvikas (Greasepaint Theater’s “Heathers”), Fabi Gallmeister (National Tour of “Escape To Margaritaville”), Fiona Claire Huber (National Tour of “An American in Paris”), John Michael Peterson (Arizona Theatre’s “Scrooge: The Musical”), Lexie Plath (National Tour of “The Prom”), Ethan Eisaiah Rualo (IAMT’s “A Chorus Line”) and Elizabeth Yanick (National Tour of “Chicago”).
“Leader of the Pack” is the third production of Bucks County Playhouse’s 2025 Season, which is sponsored by Bank of America. The Opening Night sponsor is The Logan Inn.
“Leader of the Pack” plays the following schedule: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm with matinees on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 pm. Special performance on July 4 at 1:30 pm. Tickets may be purchased now via the Bucks County Playhouse box office by calling (215) 862-2121, or online at BucksCountyPlayhouse.org
ABOUT BUCKS COUNTY PLAYHOUSE
Steeped in theatrical history dating back to its founding in 1939 by a roster of theatrical royalty, Bucks County Playhouse is celebrating the 13th anniversary of its 2012 reopening and restoration. With more than 75,000 patrons walking through its doors each year, the Playhouse continues to lead the economic resurgence of New Hope and the surrounding community. In 2014, Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler assumed leadership of the Playhouse, helping it reclaim its reputation for attracting top-tier 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 the 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 & Dolls (all directed by Foster), as well as Mamma Mia! (directed by Artistic Associates John Tartaglia and choreographed by Shannon Lewis). A brief pause during the pandemic did not diminish the theater’s momentum. Bucks County Playhouse continued producing both onstage and onscreen throughout 2020, culminating in a live summer season in 2021 that welcomed an increasing number of first-time audience members. The 2023 season featured standout productions such as Jonathan Larson’s Tick, Tick… Boom! (directed by Artistic Associate Eric Rosen, who returned in 2024 to helm the audience and critical favorite Anastasia: The Musical); 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. In 2024, more than 40% of the audience were first-time attendees, drawn to record-breaking productions of Grease! and Anastasia: The Musical. The Playhouse continues to attract some of the most talented creative teams in professional theater—artists who relish the opportunity to work on the historic stage where Grace Kelly, Robert Redford and Jessica Walter began their careers.
