Bergen County Players to Host Post-Show Talkback with Playwright Joe Gilford

Bergen County Players, one of America's longest-running little theater companies, will host a special post-show talkback with writer, director and producer, Joe Gilford, on Sunday, October 13th at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell. Joe will share stories about his late father, comic actor Jack Gilford, who originated the role of Hysterium in the 1962 Broadway production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, as well as discuss his own work as a playwright which includes his Drama Desk nominated play, Finks. Finks tells the story of Joe's parents' involvement in the House un-American activities committee when the Gilfords and Broadway legend Zero Mostel were implicated by choreographer Jerome Robbins.

A hit since its Broadway debut in 1962, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a fast-paced, witty, and irreverent comedy that won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Book. Its Golden-Era smash songs include "Comedy Tonight", "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" and "Lovely". The New York Times called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum "A glorious, old-fashioned farce...almost as timeless as comedy itself!"

Joe Gilford has spent his entire life in theater, film and the entertainment world, the son of actors Jack Gilford and Madeline Lee. He has been a filmmaker for 50 years, writes screenplays, TV scripts, stage plays and brings his knowledge of storytelling to students everywhere. He is the winner of a New York Emmy, has been nominated for the Drama Desk Award and built a reputation as a screenwriter and teacher for the past 30 years.

Raised in New York's Greenwich Village, Joe was captivated by the Underground Filmmakers of the 1960s as a teenager and started making his own 8mm films with his high school friends. He went on to earn his BFA at NYU's Institute of Film & TV where he wrote and directed Max, a short film starring his father, Jack Gilford, premiering at Radio City Music Hall in New York and playing dozens of film festivals and television all over the world. He put in a few years as a movie Production Assistant working on every type of film in New York.

Joe then spent a decade as a stage director in New York's off-off-Broadway theatre scene of the 1980s & '90s. He started writing his first plays which debuted at the famous West Bank Downstairs Theater Bar, where performers like Lewis Black and Tony Shaloub were starting their careers. He also began his work as a screenwriter.

Joe adapted his parents' experiences as blacklisted actors in the 1950s into his critically acclaimed 2013 stage play Finks. It was nominated for two Drama Desk Awards, Outstanding Play and Outstanding Leading Actress (Miriam Silverman) and Best New Play by the Off-Broadway Alliance. It had the honor of being videotaped for Lincoln Center's Theater on Film & Tape archive. Finks was also produced regionally, including TheaterWorks Silicon Valley and had its Los Angeles premiere at the Rogue Machine Theater Co. starring French Stewart. Finks is currently in development as a TV mini-series as well as a feature film.

Since 1999, Joe has taught screenwriting at NYU's Tisch Undergraduate Film & TV Program. He is a longtime visiting professor at Montclair State University's Film Program, and Hollins University's Graduate Screenwriting & Film Studies.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (his first Tony Award-winning musical) and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, Forum kicked off BCP's 92nd season. Tickets, all priced at $32, 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. The post-show talkback is included in the ticket price. The showtime on October 13th is 2PM.

Further information can be found at www.bcplayers.org

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