Patrick Barlow's THE 39 STEPS Opens at Little Fish Theatre on Today

Little Fish Theatre is excited to announce The 39 Steps as the fifth production in their 2016 season. Adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan, The 39 Steps won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy and was a two-time 2008 Tony® Awards winner. Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, then add a dash of Monty Python and you have a thrilling piece of theater magic for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. This wild adventure, full of intrigue and humor allows LFT actors and designers to show what they can create from thin air, which is quintessentially what theater is all about.

The lead role of Richard Hannay, and the only cast member who plays only one role, will be played by LFT newcomer Nick Crandall* whose resume includes productions with ART at Harvard University. The three actors playing the over 30 roles in this film-come-to-life are all LFT Company Members: Bridget Garwood, frequent Shakespeare by the Sea and LFT actress, last seen in Henry IV, Part 1 will be taking on many of the female characters. StageSceneLA Award Winner (LFT's Panache and Tryst) Bill Wolski, last seen in Domestic Tranquility will be playing Clown #1. Greg Prusiewicz, another SBTS and Henry alum, will be playing Clown #2.

"I picked up the play not knowing what it was, but was instantly drawn to how ambitious and fun it is. Putting an entire film on stage with only four actors to play all the roles is no small task!," states Director and Company Member Cylan Brown, who directed for LFT's Pick of the Vine in 2015/16 and who has been seen numerous times in both SBTS and LFT productions. He adds "This show has everything that I love about acting. It requires the actors to be Olympians both creatively and physically. They will be making and switching between broad characters at lightning speed and creating unusual environments from almost nothing at all. LFT audiences will be thrilled by what the actors are able to achieve with nothing more than their imagination, a few costumes and minimal set pieces."

The 39 Steps will run April 28 through May 19: Thursdays, at 8:00pm; Sundays, May 1 and May 8 at 2:00pm; and Wednesdays,May 11 and May 18 at 8:00pm. The Sunday May 1 matinee is a special "Talkback" performance where the creative team will be available for a post-show discussion with the audience.

Founded in 2002, Little Fish Theatre presents classic and contemporary plays in an intimate setting on Centre Street in downtown San Pedro. Producing eleven plays each year in a one-room 65-seat venue, Little Fish delivers the quintessential close-up theatrical experience, where audience and performers share space and sight-lines, making for eruptive laughter, highly-charged action and palpable emotion.

*This production is presented under the auspices of the Actors' Equity Los Angeles Membership Company Rule.