THE 39 STEPS to Open at Laguna Playhouse This Fall

Laguna Playhouse will present the award-winning comedy The 39 Steps, running October 27 through November 22, 2026 for select dates. Tickets are on sale now.

Adapted by Patrick Barlow from Alfred Hitchcock's classic film, The 39 Steps takes the intrigue and suspense of a spy thriller and turns it into a wildly inventive night of live theatre. When an ordinary man is suddenly swept into an international espionage plot, he finds himself racing across England and Scotland while trying to outrun danger, deception and mistaken identity.

At the heart of the production's theatrical ingenuity, four actors take on more than 100 characters, transforming from heroes and villains to spies, police officers and an ever-changing collection of characters through lightning-fast costume changes, physical comedy, clever props and imaginative staging.

“The 39 Steps is everything that makes live theatre so much fun…it's clever, fast, surprising and completely inventive,” said Adele Adkins, Managing Director of Laguna Playhouse. “Watching four incredibly talented actors create an entire world and more than 100 characters right in front of you is part of the magic. Whether you love Hitchcock, great comedy or simply want a wildly entertaining night at the theatre, this is a show that delivers.”

Directed by Hunter Foster, Laguna Playhouse's production stars Jon Root as Richard Hannay, Ashley Margaret Morton as Woman, Jennifer Cody as Clown #2 and Jeremy Webb as Clown #1, with Caitlin Gallogly, Johnny DiGiorgio and Emily Nash serving as understudies.

Jon Root brings an extensive stage and screen résumé to the role of Richard Hannay, with Broadway credits including the Tony Award-winning Avenue Q, as well as television appearances on Snowfall, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Truth Be Told, The Young and the Restless and The Orville. His voiceover work spans more than 200 commercials and major video game franchises including Final Fantasy, Call of Duty, Fallout and Grand Theft Auto V. 

Jeremy Webb, taking on the dizzying array of characters as Clown #1, has appeared on Broadway and on tour in Take Me Out, Burn This and Girl From the North Country, with additional credits at Lincoln Center Theater, Carnegie Hall, The Old Globe and Shakespeare Theatre Company. Jennifer Cody, as Clown #2, has appeared on Broadway in A Christmas Story, Shrek, The Pajama Game, Taboo, Urinetown, Seussical, Beauty and the Beast, Grease and Cats. Her extensive film, television and voice work includes Younger, New Amsterdam, Blue Bloods and American Dad, as well as her Annie Award-winning performance as Charlotte La Bouff in Disney's The Princess and the Frog. Ashley Margaret Morton returns to The 39 Steps for the third time, now making her Laguna Playhouse debut. Her credits include Into the Woods, Waitress, Legally Blonde, Clue and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Rounding out the company are understudies Caitlin Gallogly, known for her work in the film Wicked and for voicing characters on Futurama and South Park; Johnny DiGiorgio, recently seen in Southern California productions of Jersey Boys and whose television credits include Blindspot and Super Wings; and Emily Nash, whose credits include POTUS, Spring Awakening and television appearances on Netflix's Forever, Disney+'s Growing Up and Apple TV's Extrapolations.

Laguna Playhouse continues its 2026 season with The 39 Steps, bringing the award-winning comedy-thriller and its inventive take on Hitchcock's classic story to Laguna Beach audiences. The production is adapted by Patrick Barlow from the movie by Alfred Hitchcock and ITV Global Entertainment Limited, with an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon.