SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical to be Presented At Bergen County Players

Bergen County Players will continue its 93rd season with a special holiday run of SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical, returning to the Little Firehouse Theatre nearly four decades after its original BCP production in 1986. With music by Neil Fishman, and book and lyrics by Harvey Edelman, the holiday family show runs December 6 through 21 and is directed by Bunny Mateosian. 

With musical direction by Steven Bell, and choreography by Diana Baer, SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical will be presented at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell, with performances on Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 PM and 3:30 PM. All tickets are $19 and can be purchased at www.bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200, or by visiting the box office at 298 Kinderkamack Road during regular hours. The 60-minute production is recommended for ages three and up and will have a cast meet-and-greet after every performance

The musical offers a playful, family-friendly twist on the classic Brothers Grimm tale, set in a Nice Little Kingdom where a boastful miller's daughter must spin straw into gold. When she is offered help by the magical creature Rumpelstiltskin, she finds herself in a world of enchantment, chaos, and a puzzling promise. It is a fairy tale that the whole family will enjoy!

SPIN was originally conceived by musical theater veterans Neil Fishman and Harvey Edelman for Bergen County Players in 1986. Fishman is a veteran composer, orchestrator, and producer. Collaborating with Mr. Edelman, he has written the music for many theatrical properties to delight adults and children of all ages. Edelman is an accomplished musical theater lyricist and book writer whose works have been staged nationwide, while also featured in the Macmillan Publishing Educational Series and Head Start program. In addition to his work as lyricist and producer, he has written the librettos for a number of the team's musicals, including Rumpelstiltskin, Songsleuth, and Puss in Boots.

Bunny Mateosian of Closter, a tireless Life Member of BCP for more than forty years, has directed numerous shows, including The Man Who Came to Dinner, Whodunnit?, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Story of Velveteen Rabbit, among others. She has costumed dozens of shows, including The Fantasticks, Ragtime: The Musical, A Christmas Carol: The Musical, Spamalot, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, A Few Good Men, and Into the Woods, to name a few. Our audiences have enjoyed her many performances, including the world premiere of Rupert Holmes' Thumbs! and her Perry Award-winning performance in The Beauty Queen of Leenane. Currently, Bunny is enjoying portraying Mother Goose in BCP's website series Bedtime Stories, where she introduces the narrators of books for children.

"I was fortunate to be at BCP in 1986 when the original story of Rumpelstiltskin was reimagined for us as a musical," says Mateosian. "Having costumed the show back then, I remember vividly Neil's wonderful music, Harvey's playful and touching lyrics and book, and their new plot. I couldn't stop giggling at the delightful non-traditional characters. I am thrilled to be able to bring this magical tale back to our stage for today's young audiences."

The talented cast of SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical includes a mix of familiar faces and newcomers to BCP. Carlos Palencia Junior of Fair Lawn will star as Rumpelstiltskin, with Danielle Nelken of Clifton as the miller's daughter, Jane. Peter Caust of Glen Rock will reprise his 1986 role as the boastful Miller. Additional cast members include Damon Vincenty of Westwood as the incompetent and bumbling King; Jennifer Cottone of Emerson and Katie Lupfer of Tenafly in the roles of the King's two sisters, Shirley and Adele; Eric Schrager of Park Ridge as the Tanner; Sharla Herbert of River Edge as the Cobbler; and Howard Kerner of Teaneck, as Melbrook, the senile jester.

The production team is comprised of Jim Lupfer (Producer), Michael Smith (Set Design/Construction), Terri Caust (Assistant to the Director), Catherine Cavallo (Prop Master), Aruwyn Connor (Props and Crew), Olga Garey (Costumes), Allan Seward (Lighting Design), Jack Linefsky (Lighting Operator), Debbie Zika (Member-at-Large), Barbara Mintz (Photography), Lauren Zenreich (Décor), Marci Weinstein (Bios & Program Notes), Kay Koch (Social Media), and Fred Wagner (Publicity).

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