(ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players (BCP), one of America’s longest-running little theater companies, presents the uplifting, toe-tapping, joyous classic rock musical Godspell. Under the direction of Lynne Lupfer, this musical sensation, the first offering from internationally acclaimed composer Stephen Schwartz, continues to touch audiences around the world with its vibrant rock score and messages of kindness, tolerance and love. Performances will run Friday through Sunday from March 19 through April 10.
Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for Godspell, as well as the current Broadway hit Wicked and has also contributed music and/or lyrics to Pippin, The Magic Show, The Baker’s Wife, Working (which he also adapted and directed), Rags, and Children of Eden. He has also worked in film, collaborating with Alan Menken on the songs for Disney’s Enchanted as well as the animated features Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre
Dame, among others. John-Michael Tebelak originally conceived of Godspell as his Master's Thesis project at Carnegie Mellon University in 1970. All the original cast members contributed to the playful script that evolved under his direction.
Godspell is structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew. The parables are interspersed with music set primarily to lyrics from traditional hymns. In the show, a small group of people help Jesus Christ tell different parables by using a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques and hefty doses of comedy. An eclectic blend of songs, including "All for the Best", "Save the People" and of course the pop hit "Day by Day", ranging in style from pop to vaudeville, is employed as the story of Jesus' life dances across the stage.
After the musical was created in 1970, it moved to the off-off-Broadway La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in the East Village of Manhattan. The show was then rescored for an off-Broadway production, which became a long-running success and spawned multiple productions nationally and internationally, including a Broadway revival in 2011. Now, just after the musical’s 50th anniversary, BCP is delighted to bring it back to its audiences!
Godspell will be directed by Lynne Lupfer of Tenafly. Lynne’s previous directing credits at BCP include Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, Leading Ladies, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Mouse That Roared, and most recently, You Can’t Take It with You. “Godspell is all about people with different ideas coming together to build a community,” says Lynne. “Is there anything that our world today needs more? We hope that our stories and songs will encourage all who come to join together in unity.”
The talented cast of Godspell includes Nick Nappo of Suffern, NY as Jesus, Patrick Dwyer of Ridgewood as John the Baptist/Judas, along with Diana Baer of Little Falls, Sara Den Bleyker of Rochelle Park, Matthew Blum of Hackensack, Yaritza Camarano of New Milford, Nina LaBarre of Westwood, Katie Lupfer of Tenafly, Bryan John Morris of New Milford, and John Sapida of Little Ferry.
Nick is making his BCP debut in Godspell, with some of his previous credits including The Full Monty, The Tempest, Lost in Yonkers and Disgraced. Patrick is also appearing at BCP for the first time, having appeared elsewhere in Curtains, The Music Man, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and Once Upon a Mattress. Sara has appeared elsewhere in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Top Girls and Urinetown, and Nina’s past credits include Gypsy, The Wild Party and Les Misérables. This production of Godspell marks John’s fifth time performing the show, and he has also appeared in In the Heights, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and The Wedding Singer.
Yaritza has performed standup comedy and voiceover work around the New York area.
Diana is no stranger to the BCP stage, having choreographed recent productions of Pippin, Jack and the Beanstalk, You Can’t Take It with You and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Matthew’s credits at the Little Firehouse Theatre include The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, Cabaret and Guys and Dolls. Katie’s onstage BCP credits include You Can’t Take It with You, Leading Ladies, The Mouse That Roared and The Man Who Came to Dinner, and Bryan has appeared in 33 Variations, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Spamalot at the Little Firehouse Theatre.
The production team is comprised of Lynne Lupfer (Director/Set Décor), William Rich (Musical Director), Alexis DePersia-Norelli (Choreographer), Michele Roth (Producer), Geri Berhain (Assistant Director/Stage Manager), Barbra Murtha (Props), Allan Seward (Lighting Design), Jim Lesko (Set Construction), Tim Larsen (Sound Design), Jill Hendrickson (Lighting Operator), Barry Reed (Sound Operation), Lisa Dahlborg and Katie Lupfer (Costumes), Yaritza Camarano and Jessica Lohsen (Makeup), Teri Noel and Nick Nappo (Publicity), Sara Den Bleyker (Social Media), Richard Frant (Photography), Marci Weinstein (Program Notes), and James Lugo (Member At Large).
Acting on its desire to keep its members and patrons safe, new and upgraded MERV filters have been installed on all HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) units, as well as UV lights on all HVAC units to help eradicate airborne pathogens. BCP will continue to follow CDC and State of New Jersey guidelines and will adhere to the following protocols. All cast, theater volunteers and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required of everyone upon entry. Face coverings will be required in all public areas of the theater including lobby areas, restrooms and when seated during the performance.
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 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets for Godspell are $25 for all performances. Tickets can be purchased online at www.bcplayers.org or by calling 201-261-4200 to leave a message with the box office. Those interested in Group Sales or benefit theater parties can call (201) 261-4200 (option #6) Church groups of 10 or more may use the code CHURCH3BCP upon ordering to receive a $3 discount per ticket!
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. There is also a $5 Student Rush discount beginning 30 minutes before curtain for every performance. 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 [email protected] for more information.
Parking is free for their 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.
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.
ALL PHOTOS BY RICHARD FRANT
