Photo by Michael Smith/Bergen County Players

(ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players is thrilled to continue its 93rd season with Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig's uproarious whodunnit The Game's Afoot: Or Holmes for the Holidays. The limited run opens October 25 and runs through November 15, 2025. It takes place Christmas Eve 1936 and Broadway star William Gillette, admired the world over for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes, invites his fellow Broadway cast members to his lavish Connecticut mansion for an elegant weekend of revelry.

When one of the guests is mysteriously stabbed to death, the festivities in the isolated house quickly turn dangerous. Trapped in the isolated, gadget-filled house, Gillette must channel his inner Holmes to find the killer before another victim falls. Will Gillette uncover the secrets his guests are hiding? Will his guests ever be able to drink eggnog again?

Tony Award winner Ken Ludwig is an internationally acclaimed playwright whose many hits on Broadway, in London's West End and throughout the world have made his name synonymous with modern comedy. Named Best Play at the 2012 Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allen Poe Awards, The Game's Afoot was inspired by Ludwig’s extended vacation with his family in London.

"I chose to write a play about William Gillette in part because he is iconically American,” says Ludwig. “In a way, Gillette provides us with a unique, prismatic view of American theater at the beginning of the twentieth century, and as such, I thought he could form an exciting nucleus for a tale of American mystery and adventure.”

Showtimes are Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets are $30 on Fridays and Saturdays, and $28 on Sundays. They are available for purchase online, by calling (201) 261-4200, or by visiting the box office at 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell during regular box office hours.

The production is directed by Glenn Woertz of Alpine who previously directed BCP’s Second Stage productions of Love Letters, The Realistic Joneses, and Adaptation. This Life Member has also performed on stage at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Veronica’s Room, Moonlight & Magnolias, Table Manners, Central Park West, and 45 Seconds From Broadway, to name a few.

Woertz is thrilled to be bringing The Game's Afoot to the BCP stage, "This show is packed with laugh-out-loud moments and a twist ending that will have even the most seasoned mystery fans guessing," said Woertz. "The cast's energy, combined with Ken Ludwig's brilliant writing, creates a real roller-coaster ride for the audience."

A Trip to Gillette Castle Awaits

As a special tie-in to the play's inspiration, all ticket holders will be entered to win four passes for a tour of the actual Gillette Castle in East Haddam, Connecticut. The real William Gillette, a prolific star of the American stage, built the 14,000-square-foot castle with the royalties he earned, entertaining his theatrical friends within its stone walls.

For this farcical thriller, Woertz has assembled a talented cast of BCP favorites. Rob Eigenbrod of Bergenfield leads the cast as the good-humored, strikingly handsome Broadway star, William Gillette. Playing Gillette’s dotty, elegant mother, Martha, is Cynthia Barry of Fair Lawn. Rounding out the cast is Ian Kenny of Parsippany as Felix Geisel, the company’s histrionic character actor who has given his life to the stage, playing opposite Rachelle Rennagel of Montclair portraying the wry and outspoken Madge Geisel, who like her husband has devoted her life to the theater. Joshua Switala of Allendale will portray Simon Bright, the enthusiastic, handsome young man of the company, eager to please, while Kati Fortune of South Orange plays Aggie Wheeler, the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ingénue of the company. Felicia Benson-Kraft of Maywood co-stars as Inspector Goring, the eccentric, completely one-of-a kind English detective who by turns is witty and incisive, then suddenly lost and dim. Margaret Summer of Ramsey will play the glamorous Daria Chase, the theatre critic we all love to hate.

The production team of The Game’s Afoot is comprised of Kathleen Ruland (Producer), Joellen Tierney (Assistant to the Director), Michele Roth (Stage Manager), Michael Smith (Set Design and Construction), Jody Laufer (Set Construction), Lynne Lupfer (Decor), Gerard Bourcier (Lighting Designer), Tim Larsen (Sound Designer), Olga Garey (Costumes), Fergus and Melina Halpin (Properties), Jill Hendrickson (Lighting Operator), Lisa Dahlborg (Sound Operator), Joanne Misha (Makeup), Alan Zenreich (Video Designer), David Luke (Crew Chief), Darlene and Ken Slezak, and Richard Field (Stagehands), Marci Weinstein (Program Notes), Michael Smith (Photography) and James Lugo (Member-At-Large).

Bergen County Players will donate a portion of the 2025-2026 season’s proceeds to Joan’s Joy Foundation of Hillsdale, New Jersey, which honors the memory of 7-year-old Girl Scout Joan Angela D’Alessandro. The Foundation promotes child safety via programs and provides fun experiences for at-risk children.

Photo by Michael Smith/Bergen County Players

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. Show times are Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm.

* Tickets are $30 on Fridays and Saturdays and $28 on Sundays 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, as are ApplePay and GooglePay when purchasing via a mobile device. 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.

* BCP’s popular Questions & Artists talkback session with cast and crew will be held following the performance on Friday, October 31.

* Advance discount tickets for students aged 25 and under with proper ID are available for $19 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.

* Rush discount tickets for students aged 25 and under with proper ID are available for $10 at the box office window, starting 30 minutes prior to curtain. There is a limit of one Rush ticket per student ID and cash is the only payment method accepted.

* 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, including municipal lots behind Town Hall and the Library on Church Street. All locations are within easy walking distance.

Bergen County Players, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting quality theatrical productions to the community. Founded in 1932, BCP is one of America’s longest-running little theater companies.