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Friday, September 4, 2015

“GUYS AND DOLLS” BY THE BERGEN COUNTY PLAYERS A VERY SAFE BET INDEED!

 

Bergen County Players, inc.

G&D_01GUYS AND DOLLS

WHEN: Saturday, September 12th and concluding Saturday, October 10th. The curtain for Friday and Saturday performances will rise at 8 pm with Sunday matinees at 2 pm. Guys and Dolls Q&A will take place immediately following the September 18, 2015 performance. Admission is included in the cost of the ticket.
WHERE:
Little Firehouse Theatre, 298 Kinderkamack Road, in Oradell
TICKETS: $24 for all performances. Advance discount tickets for students age 25 and under with proper ID are available for $14 by phone or walk-up only, pending seat availability.
Tickets are available to be purchased online at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200 or by visiting the box office during regular box office hours.
Those interested in Group Sales of 20 or more tickets can email  groups@bcplayers.org or call the main number and press #6.
Parking is free at the Park Avenue municipal lot, across the street, one-half block north of the theatre.

G&D_14The Bergen County Players will kick off their 83rd season in high style with a production of the classic musical Guys and Dolls, celebrating the incredibly entertaining musical's 65th anniversary.

Winner of 5 Tony Awards (including Best Musical),the show was extremely fresh and different when it premiered on Broadway in 1950 and ran for 1200 performances, and there’s still nothing like it today because the gangsters, gamblers and other New York underworld “guys” it portrays speak the unique dialect legendary writer Damon Runyon was known for—a mix of stilted formal language and slang. The original Broadway production of Guys and Dolls opened to unanimously positive reviews, with the Daily News declaring that "The book is a work of easy and delightful humor. Its music and lyrics...amount to an artistic triumph."

G&D_04The story is set in motion by a bet between gamblers Sky Masterson, (Jody Laufer of Fair Lawn) and Nathan Detroit (Steve Bell of Hackensack), about taking Sarah Brown (Chloe Nevill of Ringwood) to dinner in Havana. That presents quite a challenge since Sarah works at the Save-a-Soul mission with her superior, General Matilda Cartwright (Andrea Pieper of New Milford), her grandfather Arvide Abernathy (Bill Cantor of Woodcliff Lake) and fellow band members (Frank McDonnell of River Edge, Randi Kestin of Fair Lawn and Jeff Pieper of New Milford). Nathan is romantically involved with Miss Adelaide (Janet Gaynor-Matonti of River Edge), a featured performer with the Hot Box Girls (Lauren Salaterski of Mahwah, Elisabeth Erdmann of Nutley, Rosella DeVincenzo of Oradell, Honor Friberg of Dumont, Debbie Zika of Hillsdale and Emily Cooper of Westwood). More often, though, he hangs around with other suspect types that include Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Brian Eller of Wyckoff), Benny Southstreet (Paul Aiello of Jersey City), Harry the Horse (Frank Favata of North Arlington), Big Jule (Howell Mayer of Saddle Brook) and the other gamblers (Matthew Blum of Paramus, Daniel Reid of Emerson, Jim Kelly of Park Ridge and Richard L. Field of Cliffside Park) who are all pursued by Lieutenant Brannigan (Mark Herrmann of Mahwah).

Director Dottie Fischer is thrilled, after many years, to tackle it for a second time. She believes “It’s really a perfect show, with lyrics that are true to the dialog and songs that spur the action. It's noisy, humorous, salty and tough and a great opportunity to once again be rocked by the show-stopping "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat.”

In addition to director Fischer, the production team includes Paul Reitnauer III (Producer and Stage Manager), Geri Berhain (Assistant to the Director), Jalmari Vanamo (Music Director), Sharla Herbert (Choreographer), Steve Moldt (Set Designer), Marci K. Weinstein (Set Décor), Lynne Lupfer (Costume Design), Michele Roth (Costumes), Christopher R. Hughes (Sound Design), Andrew Whitney (Sound Operation), Allan Seward (Lighting Design), Kathleen Ruland (Lighting Operation), Christine Francois (Props), Corrine Sarro (Makeup), Jennifer Beza, Gloria Bumbaco, Richard Ciero and Roy Harry (Crew), Steve Mintz and Barbara Mintz (Photography), Ed Gross (Publicity) and Marci K. Weinstein (Program Notes).

The Bergen County Players has grown tremendously from its roots as a small community theatre when it was founded in 1932; today, more than 300 volunteer members, working on and off stage, make possible the nine productions presented each season.