ORADELL, N.J. — Bergen County Players is pairing its fast-moving stage production of “The 39 Steps” with a special appearance by noted film historian and author Max Alvarez at the Little Firehouse Theatre.
Alvarez will join the community theater company for a post-show talkback following the Friday, May 15, 8 p.m. performance of the comedy thriller at the theater, 298 Kinderkamack Road.
The production, directed by Steve Bell of Hackensack, adapts John Buchan’s 1915 novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 spy film into a rapid-fire theatrical comedy featuring four actors portraying more than 150 characters.
According to Bergen County Players, the production opened to strong audience response, with theatergoers praising its inventive staging and comedic pace.
Alvarez, a film historian, author and lecturer, has worked with organizations including the American Film Institute, the Smithsonian Associates, the Library of Congress and the Museum of the Moving Image. He is the author of “The Crime Films of Anthony Mann” and has produced multimedia programs focused on film history and world cinema.
The May 15 discussion will explore the cinematic legacy and cultural influence of Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps” and the story’s transition from page to screen to stage.
Bergen County Players, a nonprofit community theater company founded in 1932, is performing “The 39 Steps” through May 31.
Tickets and information are available at bcplayers.org or by calling (201) 261-4200.