Photo by Richard Frant
(ORADELL, NJ) -- Fresh off being named the top live music or theater venue by 201 Magazine's "Best of Bergen" readers, Bergen County Players (BCP) invites audiences to brace themselves for a whirlwind of espionage and outrageous comedy with the Tony Award-winning The 39 Steps, which runs weekends from May 2-31, 2026. Directed by BCP life member Steve Bell, this breakneck adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 film classic blends film noir suspense with Monty Python-style absurdity.
The 39 Steps, adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan, and the movie by Alfred Hitchcock, follows Richard Hannay, a dapper gentleman with a mundane life who is suddenly thrust into a cross-country manhunt after a mysterious woman is murdered in his flat. In a feat of theatrical wizardry, a cast of just four actors portrays over 150 characters, sometimes changing identities with only the swap of a hat. From death-defying escapes atop moving trains to a touch of unlikely romance, the play is a masterclass in physical comedy and inventive stagecraft.
The production stands out for its “plying of minimal resources to maximal effect,” offering the “relief of being committedly silly.” (The New York Times)
Photo by Richard Frant
Director Steve Bell of Hackensack, a BCP Life Member and three-time past President, brings his extensive experience to this high-energy "theatrical rollercoaster." His directing credits include Rent, 33 Variations, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Drowsy Chaperone, A Little Night Music, Curtains, The King and I, and Urinetown, to name just a few. BCP audiences have enjoyed his performances in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Fantasticks, It Shoulda Been You, Guys and Dolls, Anything Goes, The Full Monty, Into the Woods, and Follies (Perry Award winner), among others. He has served as musical director for numerous shows, including A Christmas Carol: The Musical, Ragtime: The Musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Pippin, Cabaret, Man of La Mancha, The Music Man, and Company.
“For me, The 39 Steps is a love letter to the magic of live theater,” says director Steve Bell. “It’s an incredible puzzle where four actors recreate a cinematic masterpiece using nothing but their wit and a few trunks. After a season of powerful stories, we wanted to end on a note of pure, unadulterated joy.”
The Cast & Creative Team
The production features Craig Ernest Woodward (Little Falls) as the dashing fugitive Richard Hannay. Craig is a familiar face at BCP, having previously starred as Robert (The Drowsy Chaperone and The Play That Goes Wrong) and Bob Cratchit (A Christmas Carol: The Musical). Other favorite regional credits include Princeton (Avenue Q), Motel (Fiddler on the Roof), Whizzer (Falsettos), and Lumiere (Beauty and the Beast). NJ Pfautsch (Nyack, NY) takes on the formidable task of playing the three leading ladies in Hannay’s life – Annabella, Margaret, and Pamela. NJ is making her debut at BCP. Her prior credits include Winnifred (Witch), Teresa (Italian American Reconciliation), and Eve/Hannah (One Act Jamboree).
Photo by Richard Frant
Rounding out the cast are the versatile "Clowns," Joshua Switala (Allendale) and Paul Aiello (Little Falls), who portray every other character in the play. BCP audiences may recognize Joshua from his recent turn as Max (The Play That Goes Wrong). Other credits elsewhere include Johnny Blood (Desperate Measures), Benvolio (Romeo and Juliet), Michal (The Pillowman) and Brian (It Shoulda Been You). Paul is thrilled to be returning to the BCP stage! He was most recently seen as Professor Plum (Clue), and Albert (It Shoulda Been You) – Perry Award winner. Other favorite credits at BCP include Aldolfo (The Drowsy Chaperone), Benny Southstreet (Guys and Dolls), Richard Henry Lee (1776), and Chief Purser (Anything Goes).
Photo by Richard Frant
Producers Felicia Benson-Kraft and Michele Roth, with stage manager Alyson Cohn, head an extensive creative team dedicated to capturing the parodic spirit of the genre. Through specialty props and period-perfect costumes, they bring 1930s Britain to the stage. The team includes Jody Laufer (Set Construction), Gerard Bourcier (Set Design and Construction), Marci K. Weinstein (Set Décor), Allan Seward (Lighting Design), Michele Roth (Lighting Operation), Tim Larsen and John Giresi (Sound Design), Bryan John Morris (Sound Operation), Lynne Lupfer and Jody Rozenblit (Costumes), Jennifer Bancks and Phil Pope (Property Design), Sarah Choi (Specialty Props), Alyssa Fanelli Johnson (Hair/Wig Design), and Janica Carpenter and Jennifer Cottone (Make-up Design). The crew includes Maryana Ivlev, Richard L. Field, Jody Rozenblit, Laura Asinari and Debbie Zika (Crew Chief/Assistant to the Director), Marci Weinstein (Program Notes), and Kay Koch (Social Media Director). James Lugo serves as Member-at-Large.
The 39 Steps is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
Photo by Richard Frant
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 Apple Pay and Google Pay when purchasing via a mobile device. Those interested in Group Sales or benefit theater parties can call (201) 261-4200 (option #6).
* BCP’s popular Questions & Artists talkback session with cast and crew will be held following the performance on Friday, May 8.
* 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 aged 25 and under with proper ID are available for $19 by phone or walk-up at every performance, pending seat availability and are 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.
Photo by Richard Frant
Community Impact
Bergen County Players continues its commitment to the community by donating a portion of the season’s proceeds to Joan’s Joy Foundation of Hillsdale, NJ, honoring the memory of 7-year-old Girl Scout Joan Angela D’Alessandro.
Founded in 1932, Bergen County Players, Inc. is a non-profit dedicated to quality community theater and is one of America’s longest-running little theater companies.
Photo by Richard Frant
