Bergen County Players to Present SPEED-THE-PLOW, 1/11-2/1

"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).

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.

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