Bergen County Players, Inc.

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NEWS/PRESS

BERGEN COUNTY PLAYERS HAS "MAGIC TO DO" WHEN THE CAPTIVATING TONY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL PIPPIN OPENS ON SEPTEMBER 14TH

BCP To Launch Its 87^th Season At Little Firehouse Theater in Oradell

Oradell, NJ, August 23, 2019 – Bergen County Players, one of America’s longest-running little theater companies, is proud to open its 87th season with the four-time Tony Award-winning musical, Pippin. Under the direction of Ellyn Essig, Pippin will be performed at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell from September 14th through October 12th, 2019. Shows will be on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased online at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200 or by visiting the box office at 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell during regular box office hours.

This coming-of-age musical tells the story of Pippin (Tom Kiely), a young prince and heir to the throne of Charlemagne, who longs for passion and adventure in his life. The musical uses the premise of a magical and mysterious troupe of performers, led by the charismatic Leading Player (Kimberly Olson Bunker), to chronicle Pippin’s quest. With the encouragement of the Leading Player, Pippin explores the glories of war, the temptations of love, and the intrigues of political power before discovering that happiness lies not in the extraordinary but in the ordinary moments that happen every day.

Filled with wondrous magical feats and sizzling choreography, Pippin boasts a book by Roger O. Hirson and an unforgettable score from four-time Grammy winner, three-time Oscar winner and musical theater giant, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell). It features songs that have become Broadway standards, including "Magic To Do," "Corner of the Sky," "Glory," "No Time at All," "Morning Glow," and "Love Song." The original production of Pippin opened on Broadway in 1972 under the direction of Bob Fosse and played for nearly 2,000 performances.

Director Ellyn Essig of Cliffside Park is a Life Member of Bergen County Players. She received the 2018 Perry Award for Outstanding Production of a Play for her direction of Steel Magnolias. Other directing credits include Veronica's Room, Getting Away With Murder, Hair, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Catch Me If You Can and A Christmas Carol. She is the co-founder of Stage Scene & Song Performing Arts, a local theater company dedicated to education and performance of youths ages 9-18 years. “Pippin was a record that never left my turntable,” raves Essig. "This show is sure to captivate a wide range of audiences with its unforgettable music, dazzling choreography, and universal storytelling.”

The talented cast of Pippin includes Kimberly Olson Bunker of Hackensack as Leading Player, Tom Kiely of Allendale as Pippin, Mark Bogosian of Tenafly as Charlemagne, Elaine Thoman of Ridgewood as Fastrada, Dan Loverro of Parsippany as Lewis, Carol Fisher of Teaneck as Bertha, Candice Belina of Paramus as Catherine, and Alex Café of Emerson as Theo. Other members of the company include Elisabeth Erdmann of Nutley, Jenna Stewart of River Vale, Cassandra Barckett of Little Falls, Angelina Aragona of Washington Township, Eric Holzer of Montclair, Eitan Hiller of Teaneck, and Aaron Correa of River Vale.

The production team is comprised of Ellyn Essig (Director), David Luke (Producer), Steve Bell (Music Director), Diana Baer (Choreographer), Michele Roth (Stage Manager), Kathleen Ruland (Asst. To The Dir.), Gerard Bourcier (Set Design and Construction), Jody Laufer (Set Construction), Gerard Bourcier (Lighting Design), Lynne Lupfer and Lauren Zenreich (Set Décor), Barbra Murtha, Rachel Alt and Karen Markle (Props), Rick Essig, Joe Ercole, Tim Larsen and Rob DeScherer (Sound Design), Peter Simpson and Kathleen Ruland (Lighting Operator), Maureen Mulvihill (Costumes and Makeup), Rob Kopil and Randi Kestin (Sound Operation), Ellyn Essig (Sound Mixer), Alan Zenreich (Photography), Gloria Bumbaco, Ken Slezak, Darlene Slezak, David Luke and Mary Clair Bongiovani (Crew), Sandra Conklin (Programs), and James Lugo (Member At Large).

TICKET AND SCHEDULE INFORMATION

All performances take place at The Little Firehouse Theatre at 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell, home to the Bergen County Players since 1949. Performance times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm.
Tickets for Pippin are $25 for all performances, and can be purchased online at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200 or by visiting the box office at 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell during regular box office hours. Visa, Master Card, and American Express are accepted.
BCP's popular Questions & Artists talkback session will be held following the performance on Friday, September 20, 2019.
Those interested in Group Sales or benefit theater parties can call (201) 261-4200 (option #6)
BCP offers seating to accommodate patrons who are mobility impaired and can transfer from a wheelchair. These seats can be purchased by calling the box office at 201-261-4200 and will be released for public sale two weeks prior to performance.
Advance discount tickets for students age 25 and under with proper ID are available for $14 by phone or walk-up at every performance, pending seat availability. Not available online. There is a limit of one discount ticket per student ID.
A new program is now available for qualified non-profit organizations to use one performance of each production as a fundraising event. The group will book all 200 seats at a deeply discounted price and then resell the tickets at a price of their choosing, with the difference in price kept by the group. The available date is the Thursday of each show’s final weekend. Interested groups can email fundraising@bcplayers.org for more information.
Parking is free for our patrons at the Park Avenue municipal lot, across the street, one-half block north of the theater, as well as street parking on Kinderkamack Road and various side streets, all within easy walking distance.

Further information can be found at www.bcplayers.org

The Bergen County Players, Inc. is a non-Equity, non-profit community theater company dedicated to presenting quality productions for the enrichment of the community.

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