Well-Strung (Credit: Bucks County Playhouse)
The genre-defying string quartet Well-Strung returns to Bucks County Playhouse with two concerts on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1, both at 1:30 p.m. The group last performed to a sold-out house at the Playhouse on New Year’s Eve 2021.
Well-Strung features Edmund Bagnell (violin), Christopher Marchant (violin), Daniel Shevlin (cello) and Trevor Wadleigh (violin). This acclaimed ensemble merges classical string performance with pop vocals, creating a sound that spans Beethoven to Taylor Swift. Known for their charisma and crossover appeal, the group presents classical repertoire while singing hits by artists such as Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson and more—offering audiences a fresh and dynamic concert experience.
Conceived by Mark Cortale and Christopher Marchant, Well-Strung has performed around the world, gaining international recognition. Their third album, “Under the Covers,” debuted on Billboard’s Classical Chart at No. 3 and on the Classical Crossover Chart at No. 4. In 2016, the quartet was invited to perform at the Vatican in Rome and at a gala for President Obama. Their viral music video, “Chelsea’s Mom,” led to a command performance for and meeting with Hillary Clinton.
The group has made multiple television appearances, including three performances on NBC’s “Today Show” and a guest spot with Andy Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live.” Their second album, “POPssical,” debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart.
Well-Strung has performed alongside celebrated artists including Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris, Audra McDonald and Deborah Voigt. Additional highlights include collaborations with the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, as well as a performance opening for Joe Jonas and DNCE at Pride Toronto.
Well-Strung appears as part of the Playhouse’s Visiting Artists Series, which features nationally acclaimed performers and complements its year-round Mainstage programming. This year’s Mainstage season includes “The Apple Boys,” running May 2–25, and “Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical,” running June 20 through July 20, as well as “She Loves Me” running from August 15 – September 14, and finally, “Elf: The Musical” from November 21 to January 4.
Tickets for Well-Strung start at $55 and are available at BucksCountyPlayhouse.org or by calling the box office at 215-862-2121.
ABOUT BUCKS COUNTY PLAYHOUSE
Steeped in a theatrical history that stems back to its founding in 1939 by a roster of theatrical royalty, Bucks County Playhouse is celebrating the twelfth anniversary of its 2012 re-opening and restoration. With more than 75,000 patrons walking through its doors every year, the Playhouse is leading the economic resurgence of New Hope and the surrounding community. In 2014, Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser and Robyn Goodman took the helm of the Playhouse, and it has reclaimed its reputation of attracting Broadway and Hollywood artists. Playhouse productions of “Company” starring Justin Guarini, and William Finn’s “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” were named by Wall Street Journal to its “Best of Theatre” list for 2015. In 2018, the Wall Street Journal again hailed the Playhouse and Artistic Associate Hunter Foster in its Best of the Year listings for its production of “42nd Street” and in 2019 labeled the Playhouse “one of the best regional theaters on the East coast.” Box office records have been repeatedly broken by signature productions of “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” “Steel Magnolias” directed by Marsha Mason, “Million Dollar Quartet,” “42nd Street,” and “Guys & Dolls” (all directed by Hunter Foster) and “Mamma Mia!” directed by John Tartaglia and choreographed by Shannon Lewis. The 2023 season was the brightest yet, featuring hit productions of Jonathan Larsen’s “Tick, Tick Boom” directed by Eric Rosen, “Bridges of Madison County” directed by Hunter Foster, who also led “The Rocky Horror Show” starring Frankie Grande. “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” became the top-selling show in Playhouse history. The creative teams who come to create new productions at the Playhouse are among the most talented artists working in the professional theatre today and relish the opportunity to work on the historic stage where Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, and Jessica Walter began their careers.
