Photos by Barbara Mintz/Bergen County Players
(ORADELL, NJ) -- Bergen County Players (BCP) continues its 93rd season with a special holiday run of SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical, returning to the Little Firehouse Theatre nearly four decades after its original BCP production in 1986. With music by Neil Fishman, and book and lyrics by Harvey Edelman, the holiday family show runs December 6-21, 2025 and is directed by Bunny Mateosian.
The beloved fairy tale returns to the Little Firehouse Theatre with fresh energy, dazzling design, and a cast ready to enchant a new generation.
The musical offers a playful, family-friendly twist on the classic Brothers Grimm tale, set in a Nice Little Kingdom where a boastful miller's daughter must spin straw into gold. When she is offered help by the magical creature Rumpelstiltskin, she finds herself in a world of enchantment, chaos, and a puzzling promise. It is a fairy tale that the whole family will enjoy!
With musical direction by Steven Bell, and choreography by Diana Baer, SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical will be presented at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell, with performances on Fridays at 7:30pm and Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00pm & 3:30pm. All tickets are $19 and can be purchased at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200, or by visiting the box office at 298 Kinderkamack Road during regular hours. The 60-minute production is recommended for ages three and up and will have a cast meet-and-greet after every performance.
SPIN was originally conceived by musical theater veterans Neil Fishman and Harvey Edelman for Bergen County Players in 1986. Fishman is a veteran composer, orchestrator, and producer. Collaborating with Mr. Edelman, he has written the music for many theatrical properties to delight adults and children of all ages.
Edelman is an accomplished musical theater lyricist and book writer whose works have been staged nationwide, while also featured in the Macmillan Publishing Educational Series and Head Start program. In addition to his work as lyricist and producer, he has written the librettos for a number of the team's musicals, including Rumpelstiltskin, Songsleuth, and Puss in Boots.
Bunny Mateosian of Closter, a tireless Life Member of BCP for more than forty years, has directed numerous shows, including The Man Who Came to Dinner, Whodunnit?, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Story of Velveteen Rabbit, among others. She has costumed dozens of shows, including The Fantasticks, Ragtime: The Musical, A Christmas Carol: The Musical, Spamalot, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Few Good Men, and Into the Woods, to name a few. Our audiences have enjoyed her many performances, including the world premiere of Rupert Holmes' Thumbs! and her Perry Award-winning performance in The Beauty Queen of Leenane. Currently, Bunny is enjoying portraying Mother Goose in BCP's website series Bedtime Stories, where she introduces the narrators of books for children.
"I was fortunate to be at BCP in 1986 when the original story of Rumpelstiltskin was reimagined for us as a musical," says Mateosian. "Having costumed the show back then, I remember vividly Neil's wonderful music, Harvey's playful and touching lyrics and book, and their new plot. I couldn't stop giggling at the delightful non-traditional characters. I am thrilled to be able to bring this magical tale back to our stage for today's young audiences."
The talented cast of SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical includes a mix of familiar faces and newcomers to BCP. Carlos Palencia Junior of Fair Lawn will star as Rumpelstiltskin, with Danielle Nelken of Clifton as the miller's daughter, Jane. Peter Caust of Glen Rock will reprise his 1986 role as the boastful Miller. Additional cast members include Damon Vincenty of Westwood as the incompetent and bumbling King; Jennifer Cottone of Emerson and Katie Lupfer of Tenafly in the roles of the King's two sisters, Shirley and Adele; Eric Schrager of Park Ridge as the Tanner; Sharla Herbert of River Edge as the Cobbler; and Howard Kerner of Teaneck, as Melbrook, the senile jester.
The production team is comprised of Jim Lupfer (Producer), Michael Smith (Set Design/Construction), Terri Caust (Assistant to the Director), Catherine Cavallo (Prop Master), Aruwyn Connor (Props and Crew), Olga Garey (Costumes), Allan Seward (Lighting Design), Jack Linefsky (Lighting Operator), Debbie Zika (Member-at-Large), Barbara Mintz (Photography), Lauren Zenreich (Décor), Marci Weinstein (Bios & Program Notes), Kay Koch (Social Media), and Fred Wagner (Publicity).
BCP is proud to continue its community involvement by donating a portion of its 2025-2026 season proceeds to Joan's Joy Foundation, which honors the memory of 7-year-old Girl Scout Joan Angela D'Alessandro. The organization also invites patrons to participate in the local PBA's 37th annual Toy Drive by bringing new, unwrapped toys to performances of SPIN.
TICKET AND SCHEDULE INFORMATION
* All performances of SPIN: THE RUMPELSTILTSKIN MUSICAL will 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 at 7:30pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00pm & 3:30pm.
* All patrons entering the theater must have a ticket, even if the child shares a seat with a parent. All tickets are $19 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.
* 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. For detailed parking information please click here.
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.
All photos by Barbara Mintz/Bergen County Players
