BERGEN COUNTY PLAYERS OPENS 94th SEASON WITH AREA PREMIERE OF MEL BROOKS’ THE PRODUCERS

BERGEN COUNTY PLAYERS OPENS 94th SEASON WITH AREA PREMIERE OF MEL BROOKS’ THE PRODUCERS
Production Coincides with the Musical’s 25th Anniversary and Mel Brooks’ 100th Birthday

ORADELL, NJ, August 24, 2026 – Bergen County Players (BCP), named the #1 Theater Venue in Bergen County by (201) Magazine’s Best of Bergen poll, opens its 94th season with the area premiere of Mel Brooks’ The Producers. Running at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell from September 19 through October 10, 2026, this Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon marks two major milestones: the 25th anniversary of the show’s Broadway premiere and the worldwide celebration of comedy legend Mel Brooks’ 100th birthday.

Performances run Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 PM, with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 PM (note: Saturday, September 20 features an early 1:00 PM matinee). Tickets are available at www.bcplayers.org, by phone at 201-261-4200, or at the box office (298 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell).

Based on the classic 1967 film, The Producers follows down-on-his-luck Broadway producer Max Bialystock and his anxious accountant, Leo Bloom, as they scheme to get rich by staging the biggest flop in theatrical history. The hilarious book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, paired with Brooks’ original score, swept the 2001 Tony Awards with a record-breaking 12 wins, including Best Musical.

In its original review, The New York Times hailed the musical as “the real thing: a big Broadway book musical that is so ecstatically drunk on its powers to entertain that it leaves you delirious.” The Grammy and Tony Award-winning score features iconic showstoppers like “The King of Broadway,” “I Wanna Be a Producer,” “Along Came Bialy,” “That Face,” and “Springtime for Hitler.”

BCP’s production is directed by Alan Demovsky of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “Mel Brooks’ genius lies in taking outrageously bold satire and wrapping it in pure, classic Broadway showmanship,” says Demovsky. “Our goal is to deliver that exact high-energy, laugh-out-loud theatrical magic right here in Oradell. From the spectacular dance numbers to the larger-than-life characters, our cast and creative team have pulled out all the stops.”

Cast & Creative Team

The cast features Russ Crespolini (Randolph) as Max Bialystock, Jesse Kriesel (New City, NY) as Leo Bloom, Lisa Benke (Westfield) as Ulla, Larry Brustofski (Oakland) as Roger De Bris, Ian Kenny (Jersey City) as Franz Liebkind, and Joey Lozada (Hackensack) as Carmen Ghia.

The powerhouse ensemble includes Patrick Dwyer (Ridgewood), Beckham Kern (Wyckoff), Joseph Martinez (New York, NY), Ariel Sanchez-Bello (Teaneck), Rachel Silverstein (Carlstadt), Janica Carpenter (Old Tappan), Carlos Palencia Junior (Fair Lawn), Nicole Henry (Ridgewood), Melissa Giordano (Fort Lee), Kyle Rifkin (River Vale), Maria Possavino (Chestnut Ridge), and Allana Mariano (Ledgewood).

The production team includes Howell Mayer and Joellen Tierney (Producers), Michele Roth (Stage Manager), Kathleen Ruland and Geri Berhain (Assistant Directors), Leonardo Leuci (Musical Director), Nikki Alvarado (Choreographer), Gerard Bourcier (Set & Lighting Design), Jill Hendrickson (Lighting Board Operator), Will Kim (Sound Board Operator), Marci K. Weinstein (Set Décor & Program Notes), Derick Delosreyes (Sound Design), Thomas Carey Gselle, Bryan John Morris, and S.B. Kates (Microphones), Rich Ciero (Property Designer), Tina Marie Ferrara (Property Crew), Rebecca Kaufman (Costume Mistress), Olga Garey, Lynne Lupfer, and Bunny Mateosian (Costumes), Aura Caicedo, Rita DePinto, Maryana Ivlev, Jamie Lybeck, and Rosie Sapperstein (Dressers), Richard Field (Crew Chief), Peter Caust, Melvin Barreto, Lisa Dahlborg, Randi Kestin, Nathaniel Linefsky (Backstage Crew), David Luke and Andrew Whitney (Spotlight Operators), Katie Lupfer and Susan Kaufman (Hair/Wig Designers), Jamie Lybeck (Makeup), Richard Frant (Photographer), Kay Koch (Social Media), and Sharon Little and Jennifer Bancks (Members-at-Large).

Community Support

Continuing its commitment to local community support, BCP will donate a portion of all proceeds from the 2026–2027 season to The Food Brigade of Paramus, NJ, an organization providing fresh and packaged groceries to families experiencing food insecurity across Bergen County.

Ticket & Schedule Information

• Venue: The Little Firehouse Theatre, 298 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ.
• Showtimes: Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 PM; Saturdays & Sundays at 2:00 PM. (Special 1:00 PM matinee on Saturday, Sept. 20).
• Q&A Session: BCP’s popular Questions & Artists talkback with the cast and crew will take place immediately following the performance on Friday, September 25.
• Tickets & Discounts:
  • Standard tickets available online at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200, or at the box office.
  • Student Advance Discount: $19 for students 25 & under with valid ID (phone or walk-up only; limit 1 per ID).
  • Student Rush: $10 cash-only tickets available at the box office window 30 minutes prior to curtain (subject to availability; limit 1 per ID).
  • Group Sales: Call 201-261-4200 (Option 6) or email groups@bcplayers.org.
  • Accessible Seating: Mobility-accessible seating can be reserved by calling the box office directly.
• Parking: Free parking is available in the Park Avenue municipal lot (one-half block north of the theater), on Kinderkamack Road, and in municipal lots behind Town Hall and the Library on Church Street.

About Bergen County Players

Bergen County Players, Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer theater company dedicated to presenting high-quality theatrical productions to the community at affordable prices. Founded in 1932, BCP is one of America’s longest-running community theater organizations.

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