Alfred Hitchcock's 'The 39 Steps' Plays Hartford Stage Through 5/1

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have the hilarious Tony Award-winning hit Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps." In Patrick Barlow's stage adaptation of the film, from the novel by John Buchan, a beautiful spy leaks a deadly secret to a man she's just met. With that, our hero suddenly finds himself embroiled in a high-speed chase across England and Scotland, dodging police, charming ladies, and uncovering clues at every turn. Maxwell Williams (Dying City) directs a cast of four Hartford Stage favorites playing dozens of roles. The production runs at Hartford Stage through May 1.

The cast of The 39 Steps consists of four talented actors, all returning to Hartford Stage. Robert Eli (Richard Hannay) was seen at Hartford Stage in Michael Wilson's production of Macbeth (with Maxwell Williams and Noble Shropshire). He has appeared on Broadway in Tartuffe, and Off-Broadway in Saturn Returns, John Gabriel Borkman, and It's a Dry Heat. Eli also has numerous regional and TV credits.Steve French (Second Clown) is well known to Hartford Stage audiences from his roles in A Christmas Carol, A Moon for the Misbegotten, and Othello. Off-Broadway credits include In Transit and The Burnt Part Boys. Other local appearances include productions at Goodspeed and Long Wharf. French is a graduate of the Hartt School at the University of Hartford. Christina Pumariega (Annabella/Margaret/Pamela) was seen at Hartford Stage as Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She has appeared Off-Broadway in The Witch of Edmonton, Catch 22, Lotus Feet, All Eyes and Ears, and Don Juan Does New Jersey. She also has numerous regional credits. Noble Shropshire (First Clown) returns to Hartford Stage, having appeared in Noises Off, Our Town, Macbeth, and A Christmas Carol. He has appeared on Broadway in Not About Nightingales and Candida, as well as the national tour of The Drowsy Chaperone. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, he has extensive Off-Broadway credits and has been seen at countless regional theatres across the country.

Patrick Barlow (adaptor) created the National Theatre of Brent in 1980, in which he plays Artistic Director and Chief Executive Desmond Olivier Dingle. Their legendary two-man epics for the theatre include The Charge of the Light Brigade, Zulu!, The Black Hole of Calcutta, Wagner's Right Cycle, and Love upon the Throne: The Charles and Diana Story (Olivier Award nomination). The National Theatre of Brent now consists of Mr. Barlow, John Ramm, and Martin Duncan. Mr. Barlow also wrote the libretto for Judgment of Paris for the Covent Garden Venture and Requiem for a Relationship for the Gogmagog Theatre Company. His film and television writing credits include Messiah, Van Gogh, Revolution!! (Best Comedy Film, Jerusalem Film Festival), The Young Visiters starring Jim Broadbent and Hugh Laurie, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, and The Ghost of Faffner Hall. As an actor, Mr. Barlow's theatre credits include The Knack, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Loot, The Common Pursuit, Silly Cow, and Toad in Alan Bennett's The Wind in the Willows. He also appeared in the films Shakespeare in Love, Notting Hill, The Girl from Rio, Bridget Jones' Diary, and most recently Nanny McPhee. His television acting credits include Talk to Me, All Passion Spent, Aristophanes, Cow, French and Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Is it Legal?, Goodbye Mr. Steadman, Hans Christian Andersen, Murder in Suburbia, Shakespeare's Happy Endings, Marple, and Jam and Jerusalem. Mr. Barlow won an Olivier Award and a What's Onstage Award for Best New Comedy for his adaptation of The 39 Steps.

The 39 Steps is directed by Maxwell Williams, who currently serves as Hartford Stage's Resident Director. He previously directed Dying City at Hartford Stage. He has also directed readings for several Brand:NEW festivals at Hartford Stage and served as associate director for The Orphans' Home Cycle, Dividing the Estate, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore, Zerline's Tale, Summer and Smoke, 8 by Tenn, and A Christmas Carol. Most recently, Williams served as associate director to Michael Wilson on the Broadway production of Horton Foote's Dividing the Estate and the New York run of The Orphans' Home Cycle. His New York and regional directing credits include productions of An Actor Prepares (59E59 Theatres), Be Like Joe (Kraine Theater), Bushwhackin' (45th Street Theater), Right as Ron (Bank Street Theater), Medea in Jerusalem (Capital Repertory Theater); Biloxi Blues (Chance Theater), as well as work for Cleveland Play House, Pasadena Playhouse, Alley Theatre, and Paper Mill Playhouse. He is a graduate of Theatre Division of the Hartt School at the University of Hartford.

The 39 Steps features scenic design by David M. Barber (co-designer, with Jeff Cowie, The Orphans' Home Cycle) and costumes by Thomas Charles LeGalley (making his Hartford Stage debut); lighting by Traci Klainer Polimeni (Dying City); and sound design by Fitz Patton (Dying City, 8 by Tenn). Hair and wig design is by Leah J. Loukas in her Hartford Stage debut.

Production Sponsor for The 39 Steps is The Cheryl Chase and Stuart Bear Family Foundation. Producer is David & Janice Klein. Assisting Production Sponsor is Reid and Riege. Support for Hartford Stage productions is provided by The Greater Hartford Arts Council and The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.

Tickets for The 39 Steps are $23 to $69. A limited number of $10 "Ten Spot" tickets are also available for all performances, making Hartford Stage among the most affordable entertainment options in Connecticut. Discounts are available for groups of ten or more by calling 860-520-7244. What a Rush! half-price tickets to The 39 Steps may be purchased, subject to availability, beginning two hours before each performance in person at the box office only. Patrons must request What a Rush! tickets at the time of purchase to receive this discount. Tickets for children and students are $10 off the full price when purchased in advance. Students of Capital Community College may purchase one $10 ticket to The 39 Steps upon presentation of their student ID at the Hartford Stage box office. All discount programs are subject to availability and cannot combined with other offers. Hartford Stage has wheelchair accessible seating, assistive listening devices and other amenities. For more information, please call the Hartford Stage box office. Hartford Stage is located at 50 Church Street in downtown Hartford with parking located in the MAT Garage, directly adjacent to the theatre. The theatre is accessible from I-84 and I-91.

Key Dates and Information
Tickets for The 39 Steps are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 860-527-5151 or by visiting hartfordstage.org.
Low-priced preview performances begin March 31 and run through April 7.
Press opening for The 39 Steps is Wednesday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m.
The production runs through May 1. Evening performances are weeknights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday) at 7:30 p.m. and weekends (Friday and Saturday) at 8:00 p.m. Matinee performances are Sundays and selected Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. For a more specific schedule of performances, call the Hartford Stage box office at 860-527-5151 or visit hartfordstage.org.
The Lunchtime FreeView for The 39 Steps, a brief scene from the play followed by and informative and lively discussion with members of the cast and artistic staff, will be held at noon on Thursday, April 7.
The Pay What You Can Saturday matinee performance of The 39 Steps will be Saturday, April 9 at 2:00 p.m. Pay What You Can tickets are available two hours before the performance in person at the box office only.
Open Captioned performances of The 39 Steps will take place on Sunday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The Audio Described performance of The 39 Steps will be Sunday, April 23 at 2:00 p.m.

Don't Miss a Connecticut News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...