Facebook Twitter
298 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ 07649

201-261-4200

Bergen County Players, inc.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

«  »March 2024
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
252627282912
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
2425262728
29
30
31123456

NEWS/PRESS

SPEED-THE-PLOW PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Peter Caust, 201-615-0404
Publicity@bcplayers.org

DAVID MAMET'S DAZZLING SPEED-THE-PLOW TO KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR FOR
BERGEN COUNTY PLAYERS
 
Acclaimed Satire to Open on January 11th at Little Firehouse Theatre
 
Oradell, NJ, December 30, 2013 - "Write what you know", they say. One thing the great playwright David Mamet knows is the inside story of Hollywood movies. Bergen County Players continues its "From Page to Stage" season with Mamet's Speed-the-Plow, a no-holds-barred look at the cutthroat world of the Hollywood film industry, over four weekends beginning Saturday, January 11th and concluding Saturday, February 1st. Performed at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell, Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 pm and Sunday performances are at 2 pm. Tickets can be purchased online at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200 or by visiting the box office at 298 Kinderkamack Road during regular box office hours. Please note that this production contains mature language and themes. 
 
BCP's Speed-the-Plow stars Michael Scelzo of Oradell as Bobby Gould, a newly appointed studio "big shot". James Parent of Dumont is Charlie Fox, a long-time would-be producer looking for his first hit who brings Gould a "can't miss" buddy film with a big star attached. Gould loves the idea and the two lick their chops as they discuss the ton of money they'll make.  Enter Karen, Gould's temporary secretary, played here by Erin Cook of Bayonne. She tries to convince Gould instead to back an "artsy" book whose money-making potential is questionable.  A wild battle over which film will get made ensues.
 
By the time Speed-the-Plow premiered on Broadway at the Royale Theatre in a production by the Lincoln Center Theater on May 3, 1988, three Mamet screenplays had been produced as major motion pictures, including the classic Paul Newman film, "The Verdict". The show was nominated for Best Play of 1988 when the cast featured Joe Mantegna (Gould), Ron Silver (Fox) and Madonna (Karen). Silver won the Tony Award as the Best Actor in a Play. Successfully revived 20 years later with a cast of William H. Macy, Elisabeth Moss and Raul Esparza, Elyssa Good of USA Today said the show is "an electric night of theater…with unpredictable tensions between sex and power, ideas and ambitions, and gaining insight and getting ahead…".
 
It should come as no surprise that Mamet created a brutal satire. According to Peter Colletto, director of this new production, it exposes Hollywood's narrow-minded "greed is good" philosophy where the studios feed the public's appetite for mindless escapism - rather than producing meaningful films. 
 
In addition to director Peter Colletto, the production team for Speed-the-Plow includes Rhea Smith (Producer/Program Notes), Joanne Misha (Assistant to the Director), Michele Roth (Stage Manager), Michael Smith (Set Design/Construction and Photography), Rosella DeVincenzo (Set Décor), Robin Johnson (Scenic Painting), Ruth Morley (Costumes), Rob DeScherer (Sound Design), Dan Giordano (Lighting Design), Teri Noel (Lighting Operation), Cliff Dreispan  (Sound Operation), Alan Kellett and Annette Jacobs (Props), Andrea Pieper (Makeup) and Ed Gross (Publicity).
 
 
TICKET AND SCHEDULE INFORMATION
  • All performances for Speed-the-Plow 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 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm.
  • Tickets for Speed-the-Plow are $20 for all evening performances, $16 for Sunday matinees, 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.
  • Those interested in Group Sales of 20 or more tickets can call (201) 261-4200, x6.
  • As it has for the past few seasons, BCP will continue to offer a Questions & Artists (Q&A) discussion following select performances.
    The Speed-the-Plow Q&A will commence immediately following the January 17th, 2014 performance. Admission to the Q&A is included in the price of the ticket.
  • Discount tickets for students age 25 and under with proper ID are available for $14 by phone or walk-up only.
  • Parking is free at the Park Avenue municipal lot, across the street, one-half block north of the theater.

The Bergen County Players has grown tremendously from its roots as a small community theater when it was founded in 1932; today, nearly 300 volunteer members, working on and off stage, make possible the nine productions presented each season. The remaining season includes: Speed the Plow (January 11th – February 1st, 2014); Around the World in 80 Days (February 15th – March 8th, 2014); To Kill a Mockingbird (March 22nd – April 12th, 2014); and Ruthless! The Musical (May 3rd – June 1st, 2014). Second Stage productions include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (January 25th – 26th, 2014) and My Favorite Wife, A Players Radio Theatre Production (June 7th – 8th, 2014).  

###

Bergen County Players, Inc., is a non-equity, non-profit community theater company
dedicated to presenting quality productions for the enrichment of the community.

To schedule press interviews, photos, press comps or for additional
information, please contact Peter Caust at 201-615-0404 or by e-mail
at PUBLICITY@BCPLAYERS.ORG. Photos and press information also
available at bcplayers.org.
 
FOR FULL SIZE PRESS PHOTO IMAGES, PLEASE CLICK ON THUMBNAILS BELOW:
 (l-r) Michael Scelzo, Erin Cook, James Parent
 (l-r) Erin Cook, Michael Scelzo
 (l-r) James Parent, Michael Scelzo
 
 

« back