Auditions for The 39 Steps

THE STORY

Based on the famous Alfred Hitchcock movie, the play calls for the entire 1935 adventure film to be performed with a cast of only four. One actor plays the hero, Richard Hannay, an actress plays the three women with whom he has romantic entanglements, and two other actors play every other character in the show: heroes, villains, men, women, children, and even the occasional inanimate object.

In The 39 Steps, a man with a boring life meets a woman with a thick accent who says she’s a spy. When he takes her home, she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called “The 39 Steps” is hot on the man’s trail in a nationwide manhunt that climaxes in a death-defying finale. A riotous blend of virtuoso performances and wildly inventive stagecraft, The 39 Steps amounts to an unforgettable evening of pure pleasure!

AUDITION PROCESS

Auditions will consist of cold reads and some basic movement exercises. Please bring a hardcopy resume.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

Richard Hannay
20’s - 50’s. Male presenting. Any race or ethnicity. 1930s leading man type. Suave, dashing and debonair. Intelligent and resourceful. Actor must be able to maintain an upper-class British accent and be an adept physical comic with the stamina to be present for the entire play.

Annabella/Pamela/Margaret
20’s - 50’s. Female presenting. Any race or ethnicity. Primarily the classic 1930s British ingenue, but also plays a Russian woman and a Scottish farmer. Must be able to perform all of the applicable accents. Must be an adept physical comic and create all three VERY different characters.

Clown #1 & Clown #2
Age 18+. Any gender, race, or ethnicity. The two clowns portray over 150 roles over the course of the play and are essentially EVERYONE that the two leads are not. They must be physically agile and have a great deal of stamina, in addition to having a slew of accents (especially European) and voices at their disposal. Exemplary comedic timing is ESSENTIAL! Must be able to lift certain set pieces and move skillfully throughout the stage and between roles.

LEGAL STUFF

By Arrangement with Fiery Angel Limited
THE 39 STEPS
Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From the novel by John Buchan
From the movie by Alfred Hitchcock
Licensed by ITV Global Entertainment Limited
And an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon

“The 39 Steps” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com