Bucks County has a legendary role as a mecca for makers of arts, entertainment and culture.

It was a weekend retreat for New York City’s Algonquin Round Table and the likes of Dorothy Parker and George S. Kaufman, as well as S.J. Perelman.

The nexus of the New Hope School of the Pennsylvania Impressionists were William Langson Lathrop, Edward Redfield and Daniel Garber, framing an artists’ colony that extended to Clarence Carter, Fern Coppedge, Richard Peter Hoffman and Walter Emerson Baum.

Oscar Hammerstein II is reputed to have observed that “the cattle are standin’ like statues” in a Bucks County pasture at what is now Highland Farm Bed & Breakfast for his and Richard Rodgers’ ”Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’” from “Oklahoma!,” and where he mentored Stephen Sondheim.

The Pearl S. Buck House, James A. Michener Museum, Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle are monuments to Bucks County’s literary and philanthropic heritage.

Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, opening with “Springtime For Henry” in 1939 after its purchase by Moss Hart and a coterie of theater folks, continues as a creative generator.

Hart supposedly based “George Washington Slept Here” (1940 play co-written with Kaufman; 1942 movie starring Jack Benny and Ann Sheridan) on the ramshackle manse that he and his wife, actress and arts advocate Kitty Carlisle, restored along Aquetong Road.

Blending disciplines of journalism, television, the motion picture and stage in a new role is Candace Bushnell with her one-woman show, “Is There Still Sex In The City?,” in its world premiere through July 18, Bucks County Playhouse.

Bushnell, who wrote and stars in the show based on her 2019 book, joins a list of luminaries debuting on the Bucks Playhouse stage: Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, Liza Minnelli, to name a few.

It’s a dream come true for Connecticut native and New York City resident Bushnell:

“It was like a fantasy when I was eight. Some day, I’ll be a playwright and maybe I’ll be on stage.

“I think when I was eight, I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a one-woman show.

“I didn’t think it could ever happen. So, I didn’t pursue it. And then when this opportunity came ... It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” says Bushnell in a phone interview.

“I met Marc Johnson. He’s David Foster’s manager. He does a one-man show for David Foster [16-time Grammy Award-winning musician-composer]. He [Johnson] said, ‘I think you could do a one-woman show and I could book it in theaters.’

“I had done a lot of lectures. It just evolved from there.

“He [Johnson] sent it around and people responded.

“And then we got Lorin Latarro, a Broadway director [“Mrs. Doubtfire”], and she got in touch with Bucks County Playhouse and they wanted to do it.” Latarro is a Bucks County Playhouse Artistic Associate.

“I’ve been working on it on and off for a couple of years since 2018. I was working on it during the coronavirus pandemic. I was writing it. And we did some rehearsals last fall, socially-distanced. We rehearsed in New York.”

The Bucks premiere workshop of Bushnell’s one-woman show is produced by the Playhouse’s Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler.

The show, which began its run June 22, is the eighth world-premiere at Bucks Playhouse since 2012.

“We are so proud to present this show and have Candace, Marc and Lorin here working on something new,” says Executive Producer Robyn Goodman in a press release.

“Women of all generations can empathize with Candace. When my female friends and I read Candace’s columns and books we not only wanted to be her, but she freed us to talk honestly about sex and gave us the confidence to be ourselves and pursue our dreams.” Goodman says.

Says Bushnell of her show, “It would be like spending an evening with Candace Bushnell in her apartment.

“The set includes my actual couch from my apartment, and some of my shoes.”

“The Manolos?” I ask, referring to Carrie Bradshaw’s stiletto of choice by designer Manolo Blahnik. Bradshaw is the “Sex And The City” columnist that Bushnell based on herself.

“Yes, the Manolos, which is great because I have all these old clothes in my closet. I was so happy that they could clean it out a bit,” says Bushnell.

Bucks County Playhouse Artistic Associate Anna Louizos is Production Designer Consultant for costume design and set design for Bushnell’s show. Lighting is by Travis McHale, sound is by Matt Given and projections are provided by Ethan Noble. Hair and Makeup is by David J. Witchell.

“Is There Still Sex In The City?,” with a run time of approximately two hours including intermission, is being presented for a limited, non-capacity audience in the Playhouse, following latest CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines.

“The hope is for it to go to New York. I know everybody does streaming, but this is a live stage show. I’m sure there will be some live-capture. But it’s not, “Oh, God, this is a Netflix special.’ It’s not that kind of thing.

“It’s really about going out with your girlfriends. It’s very especially about women’s friendship, sex in your 50s, and what happens to you and your life.

“It talks about dating in these times, although that’s really covered much more in the book.

“The show covers my life. It’s really kind of my life story. It’s really how I ended up writing ‘Sex In The City,’ how I got there, how I invented Carrie Bradshaw and what happened to me after.”

Bushnell wrote a New York Observer column (1994-96) that was adapted into the bestselling “Sex And The City” book, basis for the HBO hit series, ”Sex And The City” (1998- 004) and two theatrical movies (2008, 2010).

Bushnell has written “4 Blondes” (2001), “Trading Up” (2003), “Lipstick Jungle” (2005), “One Fifth Avenue” (2008), “The Carrie Diaries” (2010) and “Summer and the City” (2011).

Two of her novels have been adapted for television: “Lipstick Jungle” (2008-09) on NBC, and “The Carrie Diaries” (2013-14) on The CW.

Production is underway for a “Sex And The City” sequel series, “And Just Like That ... ,“ starring the original actors, Sarah Jessica Parker (Carrie Bradshaw), Kristin Davis (Charlotte York) and Cynthia Nixon (Miranda Hobbes), but not Kim Cattrall (Samantha Jones), with 10 half-hour episodes on HBO Max.

Bushnell says that although her life as columnist living the single life in New York City was the basis for her 1997 book, the Carrie Bradshaw character and the “Sex And The City” HBO show, it changed after several seasons.

“Over time, things were added, characters were created. And then I had a lot of characters that were in the book that weren’t in the show. The first two seasons were pretty close to the book.

“I’m a feminist,” says Bushnell. “The people who wrote the show, I have no idea. If you read my books, you will understand.

“The show is about being your own Mr. Big and not relying on men. That’s my message. Now what people do with my material has to do with many factors like money and what the audience wants. I don’t have control over that.

“Show biz ain’t a nice business. Journalism is a lot nicer than show business. There’s a lot less money in journalism.”

Bushnell is enjoying her time in New Hope.

“I had come to New Hope but I hadn’t come to the Playhouse. The people are really nice. The area is beautiful. I’ve been walking and riding along the canal.”

Bushnell says doing a one-woman show has its challenges.

“So far, it’s been really fun. But it’s definitely a physical thing. You’ve got to think about the voice, straining the voice, not straining the voice. Talking in the theater is not that bad. But talking on the cell phone is probably the worst,” she laughs.

“There’s a lot of memorization. There’s blocking. If you’ve been doing it all your life, it’s not complicated. But I’ve never done it. It’s different and it’s definitely challenging that way. I have to wear Spanx, which I don’t normally do. It’s a lot of hair and makeup.

“And there’s the show-must-go-on aspect. You can’t say, ‘I don’t feel like doing it.’”

Bushnell says of her show, “I think it’s a great night out. People are coming with their sister and mother and friends, their girlfriends and guy friends. And people really seem to be enjoying it. I’m thrilled.”

For Tuesday and Thursday evening performances, there’s a “Girls Night VIP Package” of preferred seating, post-show cocktail, meet and greet photo opportunity with Bushnell and a coupon for two “Candace Cosmos” with light snacks.

“Is There Still Sex In The City,” 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, through July 18, Buck County Playhouse, 70 S. Main St., New Hope. Tickets: www.buckscountyplayhouse.org; 215-862-2121