(Oradell, NJ) -- The 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, over five weekends beginning 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 and will be presented at the Little Firehouse Theatre, 298 Kinderkamack Road, in Oradell. 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.
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."
The 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).
