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298 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ 07649

201-261-4200

Bergen County Players, inc.

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NEWS/PRESS

BroadwayWorld.com Review: BCP's THE MUSIC MAN Strikes Up the Band!

This year marks the 80th Anniversary season for the Bergen County Players of Oradell, NJ and director Larry Landsman is making sure that his joyful rendition of Meredith Willson's THE MUSIC MAN starts things off with a bang. The production includes the largest cast and creative team that has ever been assembled on the stage of The Little Firehouse Theatre. 

From the moment the orchestra, led by BCP veteran Steve Bell, opens with a rousing rendition of Willson's Overture, the audience can't help but join in with hands a-clapping and toes a-tapping. Bell adeptly leads his musicians through such wonderful classics as “Seventy-Six Trombones," “The Wells Fargo Wagon” and “Gary, Indiana."

As the fast-talking salesman and charming swindler Professor Henry Hill, John Ade is superb. He manages to win over not only the heart of Marian Paroo, but of the audience as well. By the time Ade finishes leading the cast in the show's first big production number, we're all convinced that there is indeed "trouble right here in River City."

Katie Weigl makes her BCP debut as the sweet, but no-nonsense River City librarian Marian. The actress brings her solid theater background to the role and charms the audience with her gorgeous renditions of 'Till There Was You" and "Goodnight My Love."

The supporting cast members give equally strong performances. As Hill's conniving sidekick Marcellus Washburn, Jimmy Vinetti brings down the house. His innate comic abilities come shining through as he leads the company in an animated rendition of "Shipoopi." Paula O'Brien is also wonderful as Marian's worrisome Irish mother and Rob Kopil and Janica Carpenter share countless humorous moments as the Mayor and First Lady of River City.

Equally impressive is the stunning set designs of Rob Ward and Chantale Bourdages, and the exceptional period costumes of Ruth Morley.  Vanessa Garrabrant's impressive choreography brings a true professional quality to the show. 

The original Music Man opened on Broadway in 1957. It collected five Tony Awards that year, including Best Musical and ran for an astounding 1,375 performances. While this current production may not be able to match that historic run, it will certainly hold a place in BCP's 80-year history as one of the most ambitious and successful productions that ever went up on the Oradell stage.

Tickets for The Music Man and the rest of the 2012-13 season are available online at www.bcplayers.org. The box office is located at the Little Firehouse Theatre, 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell, NJ. Discounts are available for groups and students throughout the season, with a special Group Sales Hotline at 201-262-0515 monitored on a continual basis.

Read more: http://nj.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Reviews-BCPs-THE-MUSIC-MAN-Strikes-Up-the-Band-20120910


 


Janica Carpenter as Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn

Sarah McIlroy as Amaryllis, Elisabeth Erdmann as Zaneeta and Andrew Van Buskirk as Tommy

The cast of Bergen County Players' production of THE MUSIC MAN

John Ade as Harold Hill and Katie Weigl as Marian Paroo

John Ade as Harold Hill and (center) Janica Carpenter as Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn

Katie Weigl as Marian Paroo and Paula O'Brien as Mrs. Paroo

Janica Carpenter as Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn and Rob Kopil as Mayor Shinn

Nina Lionetti as Ethel Toffelmier and Jimmy Vinetti as Marcellus Washburn

Andrew Bacalakis, Michael Puglia, John Weidemann and Larry Marino

John Ade as Harold Hill and Katie Weigl as Marian Paroo

John Ade as Harold Hill and the Pick a Little Ladies

John Ade as Harold Hill and Jimmy Vinetti as Marcellus Washburn

Rob Kopil as Mayor Shinn, Janica Carpenter as Eulalie, Elisabeth Erdmann as Zaneeta and Emily Mills as Gracie

The cast of Bergen County Players' production of THE MUSIC MAN.

John Ade as Harold Hill and Janica Carpenter as Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn

John Ade as Harold Hill and Katie Weigl as Marian Paroo

The cast of Bergen County Players' production of THE MUSIC MAN.

John Ade as Harold Hill and Paula O'Brien as Mrs. Paroo

John Ade as Harold Hill

Justin Landsman as Winthrop and Paula O'Brien as Mrs. Paroo

John Ade as Harold Hill and Jimmy Vinetti as Marcellus Washburn

John Ade as Harold Hill and Jenna Miles Stewart as Alma Hix

Katie Weigl as Marian Paroo and Paula O'Brien as Mrs. Paroo

The cast of Bergen County Players' production of THE MUSIC MAN. PHOTO: Alan Zenreich

Katie Weigl as Marian, Justin Landsman as Winthrop and Paula O'Brien as Mrs. Paroo

Justin Landsman as Winthrop Paroo

The cast of Bergen County Players' production of THE MUSIC MAN

John Ade (center) as Harold Hill

John Ade (center) as Harold Hill

John Ade (center) as Harold Hill

John Ade (center) as Harold Hill
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