Laguna Playhouse Presents THE 39 STEPS, 9/29-10/21

Laguna Playhouse presents the second show of their 2012-2013 season, the Olivier and Tony Award-winning hilarious, action-packed comedy, THE 39 STEPS, adapted by Patrick Barlow (based on the Alfred Hitchcock film) and directed by Kevin Bigger. The cast of THE 39 STEPS will feature Dan Fenaughty, Larissa Klinger, Nicholas Wilder and Toby Shaw.

THE 39 STEPS will preview on Tuesday, September 25; Wednesday, September 26; Thursday, September 27 and Friday, September 28 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, September 29 at 7:30pm and run through Sunday, October 21, 2012 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Alfred Hitchcock's award-winning THE 39 STEPS is Broadway's longest-running comedy thriller. Performed by a cast of four, THE 39 STEPS follows a man with a boring life as he meets a woman with a thick accent who says she's a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon after, a mysterious organization called "The 39 Steps" is hot on the man's trail in a nationwide manhunt. Winner of two Tony and Drama Desk Awards and London’s Oliver Award for Best New Comedy, THE 39 STEPS is packed with laughs, thrills and over 150 unique characters!

Kevin Bigger (Director) worked as Assistant Director on The 39 Steps for over three years during its runs on Broadway, off-Broadway and at the Huntington Theatre in Boston. As a director: Manuscript (Center Stage New York), Interpreter of Maladies, The Problem and various workshops and readings. As an assistant: Quartermaine’s Terms (Williamstown) and The Visit. Kevin also writes plays and teaches yoga. Training: Boston University (BFA) and Double Edge Theatre.

Patrick Barlow (Adaptor) is probably best known in the UK for his hilarious two-man National Theatre of Brent, which has become a legend in British theatre, television and radio. Their comedy epics include Zulu, The Charles and Diana Story, Messiah and The Wonder of Sex. They have won two Sony Gold Awards, a Premier Ondas Award for Best European Comedy and the New York FestivAl Gold Award for Best Comedy. Other screenwriting includes The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, Christopher Columbus, Queen of the East, Van Gogh (prix Futura Berlin Film Festival), Revolution!! (Best Comedy Jerusalem Film Festival) and the BAFTA-winning Young Visiters starring Jim Broadbent. Publications include Shakespeare: The Truth! and The Complete History of the Whole World. Screen and theatre acting credits include Wind in the Willows, "Absolutely Fabulous", "Clatterford", Shakespeare in Love, Notting Hill, The Diary of Bridget Jones and Nanny MacPhee. The 39 Steps won Patrick an Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.

The cast of THE 39 STEPS will feature: Dan Fenaughty, Jackie Schram, Nicholas Pauling and Toby Shaw.

The design team for THE 39 STEPS will feature: Scenic and Costume design is by Peter McKintosh. The Lighting Design is by Jeremy Rolla. The Sound Design is by Mic Pool. The stage manager is Tareena D. Wimbish.

Performances will be Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays; Fridays at 8pm Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm; Sundays at 2pm. There will be additional performances on Sunday, October 7 at 7pm and Thursday, October 11 at 2pm.

Tickets range from $31 - $65 and can be purchased online at www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-ARTS (2787). Student, Senior, Children and group discounts are available by calling 949-497-2787 ext. 229. The box office is open Tuesdays – Sundays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (open until 8 pm on performance days).

Founded in 1920, The Laguna Playhouse is one of the oldest continuously-operating theatres on the West Coast. In 2011, The Laguna Playhouse was honored at the Laguna Spirit Awards and received The Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce Premiere Business of the Year award. More than 100,000 theatergoers annually attend performances at the Laguna Playhouse. Its continued artistic excellence, audience popularity and critical acclaim have helped make The Playhouse one of Southern California's most important nonprofit theatre companies. The Playhouse has produced national tours of The Belle of Amherst (with Julie Harris) and Copenhagen, and has presented many world, national and regional premieres.

Over the years, the Laguna Playhouse has garnered numerous awards from LA Drama Critics Circle, NAACP, Backstage, OC Weekly, and many more, and was named Best Arts Organization by ArtsOC. Notable performers that have performed at The Laguna Playhouse include Bette Davis, Harrison Ford, Charles Durning, Marlo Thomas, Roddy McDowell, Rita Rudner, Cloris Leachman, and Sally Struthers.

The Laguna Playhouse is noted for its Youth Theater Education and Outreach programs. In 1989, its Youth Theater was recognized as "Outstanding Children’s Theatre" by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. The theater’s touring production, TheatreReach, brings books to life on stage for elementary school children throughout southern California.