Seattle Repertory Theatre will present the recent Broadway hit “The 39 Steps” for a limited engagement Sept. 25-Oct. 24 in the Bagley Wright Theatre. The play opens Seattle Rep’s 2009-10 season.
Four actors — aided by scores of costumes, a team of dressers, and a minimal set — play 150 characters and bring to life every death-defying scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s movie, the primary inspiration for the play.
“The 39 Steps” has been on Broadway for 20 months, earning two Tony Awards and rave reviews. It is currently the only non-musical to be running on Broadway. La Jolla Playhouse launched the national tour Aug. 11, and the production will move to Seattle Rep with the same cast.
The partnership with La Jolla is an example of one of the ways Seattle Rep is currently reaching out to fellow arts organizations across the country to support new projects and bring quality theatre to Seattle.
“Joining with our colleagues to produce work like this is really a win-win situation,” said Producing Artistic Director Jerry Manning. “Seattle audiences get the great benefit of this partnership, and we get to collaborate with a fantastic West Coast theatre on this incredibly fun show.”
The story is the classic tale of the man who knew too much, written as both a send-up and homage to Hitchcock’s thrillers. 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.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, with 2 p.m. matinees on most Saturday and Sundays. A captioned performance will be held Thursday, Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Post-play discussions will be held after the performances on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 11 at 2 p.m. There is an audio-described performance on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. and an American Sign Language (ASL)-interpreted performance on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are now on sale and range from $15-$59. Anyone 25 and under may purchase tickets for only $12 for any performance (with ID — call for details). Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more may be purchased by calling 206-443-2224. For ticket reservations, call the Seattle Repertory Theatre box office at 206-443-2222, or go online at www.seattlerep.org.
Seattle Repertory Theatre is located at Seattle Center at the corner of Second Ave. and Mercer St.
