ORADELL, N.J.—Bergen County Players will raise the curtain on its 94th season with the area premiere of Mel Brooks’ “The Producers,” running Sept. 19 through Oct. 10 at the Little Firehouse Theatre.
The production arrives during a milestone year: 2026 marks both the 25th anniversary of the musical’s Broadway debut and the 100th anniversary of Brooks’ birth.
Based on Brooks’ classic 1967 film, “The Producers” follows struggling Broadway producer Max Bialystock and nervous accountant Leo Bloom as they devise a seemingly foolproof scheme to make money by staging the biggest flop in theatrical history. Their plan, naturally, does not unfold as expected.
With a book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan and music and lyrics by Brooks, the original Broadway production won a record-setting 12 Tony Awards in 2001, including Best Musical. Its best-known numbers include “The King of Broadway,” “I Wanna Be a Producer,” “That Face,” “Along Came Bialy” and “Springtime for Hitler.”
Alan Demovsky directs the Bergen County Players production, with Leonardo Leuci serving as musical director and Nikki Alvarado as choreographer.
“Mel Brooks’ genius lies in taking outrageously bold satire and wrapping it in pure, classic Broadway showmanship,” Demovsky said. “Our goal is to deliver that exact high-energy, laugh-out-loud theatrical magic right here in Oradell. From the spectacular dance numbers to the larger-than-life characters, our cast and creative team have pulled out all the stops.”
Russ Crespolini of Randolph stars as Max Bialystock, with Jesse Kriesel of New City, N.Y., as Leo Bloom. The principal cast also features Lisa Benke of Westfield as Ulla, Larry Brustofski of Oakland as Roger De Bris, Ian Kenny of Jersey City as Franz Liebkind and Joey Lozada of Hackensack as Carmen Ghia.
The ensemble includes Patrick Dwyer and Nicole Henry of Ridgewood; Beckham Kern of Wyckoff; Ariel Sanchez-Bello of Teaneck; Janica Carpenter of Old Tappan; Carlos Palencia Junior of Fair Lawn; Melissa Giordano of Fort Lee; Kyle Rifkin of River Vale; Rachel Silverstein of Carlstadt; Maria Possavino of Chestnut Ridge; Allana Mariano of Ledgewood; and Joseph Martinez of New York City.
Howell Mayer and Joellen Tierney are the producers. The creative team includes stage manager Michele Roth, assistant directors Kathleen Ruland and Geri Berhain, set and lighting designer Gerard Bourcier, sound designer Derick Delosreyes, costume mistress Rebecca Kaufman and property designer Rich Ciero.
Following the performance on Friday, Sept. 25, the theater will hold a “Questions & Artists” talkback with members of the cast and production team.
Bergen County Players will donate a portion of the proceeds from its 2026–27 season to the Food Brigade of Paramus, which provides fresh and packaged groceries to Bergen County families experiencing food insecurity.
Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with weekend matinees at 2 p.m. (Sunday, Sept. 20 has an early, 1 p.m., matinee.) Tickets are available at bcplayers.org, by calling 201-261-4200 or at the Little Firehouse Theatre box office, 298 Kinderkamack Road, Oradell.
Discounted advance tickets are available for students 25 and younger for $19 with valid identification. Student rush
tickets $10, cash only, beginning 30 minutes before curtain, subject to availability. Group sales, call 201-261-4200 and select option 6, or email groups@bcplayers.org. Patrons requiring accessible seating should contact the box office directly.
Free parking is available in the Park Avenue municipal lot, approximately one-half block north of the theater; along Kinderkamack Road; and in the municipal lots behind Oradell Borough Hall and the library on Church Street.
Founded in 1932, Bergen County Players is a nonprofit, volunteer theater company and one of the nation’s longest-running community theater organizations.