By Brad Segall

NEW HOPE, Pa. (CBS) — Plans have been announced for the grand reopening of the Bucks County Playhouse, in New Hope, Bucks County.  The first production kicks off in early July.

Playhouse officials say renovations are on schedule and everything looks good for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the first production of “A Grand Night for Singing,” by Rodgers and Hammerstein, on July 2nd.

The historically summer theatre has been dark since late 2010, and the reopening will come 73 years (and one day) after it first opened in 1939.

Producing director Jed Bernstein says many stars were born at the theatre, and he believes that magic will happen again.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t surprised if ten or fifteen years from now you and I will be talking about folks who debuted there in the early teens of 2012 and 2013 that are now the big stars,” he tells KYW Newsradio.

Bernstein says the first production of the year is appropriate because the Hammersteins, who lived in Bucks County, helped start the theatre.

A gala celebration on July 5th is planned to raise money to help fund the next phase of renovations at the playhouse.

There will be three productions at the theatre this year. The second summer production will be “Barefoot in the Park,” in August, and then a third holiday production in December but details on that haven’t been released.