Bergen County Players Presents THE LARAMIE PROJECT, 5/19

On the heels of the U.S. Justice Department issuing its first indictment under the hate crimes protection law afforded by the Matthew Shepard Act, the Bergen County Players (BCP) will present a limited engagement of The Laramie Project, written by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project.

The Laramie Project will be directed by Alyson Cohn of Wyckoff. Cohn is both a seasoned performer and director. Her BCP directing credits include Glengarry Glen Ross; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; Angels in America: Millennium Approaches; Six Degrees of Separation; The Heidi Chronicles; Proposals; True West; Art; and Proof, which won the 2006 Perry Award for Best Production of a Play. 

A cast of eight actors portray more than sixty characters in The Laramie Project. The veteran cast includes Steve Bell of Teaneck, Amy Edelstein of New York City, Lena Grotticelli of Mahwah, Merielle Lupfer of Hillsdale, Chris Nelson of Westwood, Frank Osmers of Haworth, Sharon Podsada of Emerson, and Andrew Van Buskirk of Ridgewood.

The production team includes Producer Kathie Robitz (Westwood), Assistant to the Director Sara Vela (New City, NY), Stage Manager Michele Roth (New Milford), Set Design and Construction by Timothy Meola (Flanders), Lighting Design by Alan Seward (Bardonia, NY) and Timothy Meola (Flanders), Sound Design by Rob DeScherer (Woodcliff Lake), Costumes by Rosella DeVincenzo (Oradell) and Katie Lupfer (Tenafly), Properties and Sound Operation by Paul Reitnauer III (Demarest), Lighting Operation by John Kiely (Allendale), Photography by Alan Zenreich (Oradell), and Program Notes by Marci Weinstein (Teaneck).

Immediately following each performance of The Laramie Project there will be a special post-show Talkback session with the cast, crew and director, as well as with representatives of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community to answer questions raised by the play. The discussion will also address local bullying and hate crimes.

The show will take place May 19 and 20, 2012, Saturday at 2:00 pm and Sunday at 7:00 pm.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200 or at the box office, Bergen County Players, 298 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell NJ 07649.