Bergen County Players to Present STEEL MAGNOLIAS

Bergen County Players (BCP) continues its 85th season with Steel Magnolias, written by Robert Harling and directed by Ellyn Essig. Steel Magnolias will run February 17th through March 10th with curtain at 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 pm on Sundays. All performances will take place at the Little Firehouse Theatre, 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell. Tickets may be purchased online at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200 or by visiting the box office during regular box office hours.

Steel Magnolias focuses on the camaraderie of six Southern women who talk, gossip, needle and harangue each other through the best of times and comfort and repair one another through the worst. The play is alternately hilarious and touching with six female characters that are delicate as magnolias yet as strong as steel.

When asked "Why Steel Magnolias?", Director Ellyn Essig responded, "I chose Steel Magnolias to celebrate how the power of love, friendship and humor can transform the joys and tragedies that inevitably befall all of us. In the current climate of derision and stress, Steel Magnolias shows us to be proud of whom we are, take care of our friends and everyone has an eccentric side. If Steel Magnolias didn't invent the saying "Live, Laugh and Love"...it should have".

A Life Member of BCP, Essig's previous directing credits here and elsewhere include " Getting Away With Murder", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Catch Me If You Can", "A Christmas Carol" and "Hair". She is the current BCP Decor Chair and has served as Set Decor designer for more than 20 BCP main stage productions, her efforts resulting in a
Perry Award for "Table Manners" (2005) and Perry Nominations for "Angel Street" (2008) and "Ruthless!" (2014).

The talented cast of Steel Magnolias includes Chloe Nevill of Ringwood (as Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie), Carol Fisher of Teaneck (as M'Lynn Eatenton), Cheryl Woertz of Alpine (as Ouiser Boudreaux), Sharon Podsada of Emerson (as Clairee Belcher), Janica Carpenter of Old Tappan (as Truvy Jones) and Elisabeth Erdmann of East Hanover (as Annelle Dupuy-Desoto).

The crew of Steel Magnolias includes: Ellyn Essig (Director), Rhea Smith (Producer), Michele Roth (Stage Manager), Matthew Blum (Ass't. to Director), Gerard Bourcier (Lighting Designer), Rob DeScherer (Sound Designer), Cliff Dreispan (Sound Operation), Randi Kestin (Lighting Operation), Jennifer Cottone (Publicity), Katie Lupfer (Costumes), Lynne Lupfer (Décor), Michael Smith (Set Design & Construction/ Photography), Bill Wetzel (Workday Photos), Rhea Smith (Program Notes/Bios), Lawrence Laterza (Props & Crew), Gloria Bumbaco (Props & Crew), Dan Loverro (Crew), James Lugo (Member-at-large), Mariann Felice (Hair & Wigs) and Earle Ziff (Voice Overs).

TICKET AND SCHEDULE INFORMATION
• All performances for Steel Magnolias take place at The Little Firehouse Theatre at 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell, home to the Bergen County Players since 1949. Performances run February 17 - March 10, 2018 with show times on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm.
• Tickets for Steel Magnolias are $21 for Friday/Saturday performances and $17 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.
• BCP's popular Questions & Artists talkback session will be held following the performance on Friday, February 23, 2018.
• Those interested in Group Sales of 20 or more tickets can email groups@bcplayers.org or call the main number and press #6.
• Row K, Seats #1 and #2 are held to accommodate people with disabilities. They can be purchased by calling the box office at 201-261-4200. These seats will be released for public sale two weeks prior to performance.
• Advance discount tickets for students age 25 and under with proper ID are available for $14 by phone or walk-up only, and student rush seats can be purchased for $5 (cash only) starting 30 minutes before curtain at every performance, pending seat availability. There is a limit of one rush ticket per student.
• Parking is free at the Park Avenue municipal lot, across the street, one-half block north of the theater.

Calendar Listing: STEEL MAGNOLIAS OPENS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17 THROUGH SATURDAY, MARCH 10, PERFORMANCES: Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 2 pm; LITTLE FIREHOUSE THEATRE 298 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell, NJ. Free parking at the lot off Park Avenue one-half block north of theater. Tickets range from $17 - $21. For tickets, please call (201) 261-4200 or buy online at www.bcplayers.org. Student and group discounts are available.

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.

Photo Caption: (l-r) Cheryl Woertz, Sharon Podsada, Chloe Nevill, Carol Fisher, Elisabeth Erdmann and Janica Carpenter appear in the Bergen County Players production of STEEL MAGNOLIAS at the Little Firehouse Theatre, 298 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell, from February 17 thru March 10. Performance times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm,
and Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets may be purchased online at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200 or by visiting the box office during regular box office hours. Photo by Michael Smith

Further information can be found at www.bcplayers.org.

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