Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS

By: Feb. 26, 2010
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Four of Portland's finest stage performers are storming the PCS Main  Stage in the show that the New York Times called an "absurdly enjoyable, gleefully theatrical riff" on Alfred  Hitchcock's classic film The 39 Steps .

The 39 Steps opens on Friday, February 26th and runs through March 21, 2010. Tickets start at $30.50, with student and under 30 discounts  available. Rush tickets for The 39 Steps are $20. Show times are 7:30 pm Tuesday through Saturday, with a  2:00 pm Sunday matinee and alternating Saturday 2:00 pm and Sunday 7:30 pm performances.

See the show calendar http://tickets.pcs.org/buytickets/calendar.asp for the complete performance schedule.

One of Hitchcock's earliest films, The 39 Steps sends an innocent man (Richard  Hannay) deep into a quintessentially Hitchcock-ian dream world of mistaken identities, spy vs. spy intrigue and danger around every turn. Soon Hannay is running for his life through trains, theater back alleys and farmers' fields...straight into the potentially deadly arms of the world's first Hitchcock Blonde. The stage production promises to give both the actors and the theater's fly gallery a workout, reproducing the movie word for word while racing a cast of 4 into and out of over 165 characters armed only with the props they can carry and the stuff they can make magically appear from the wings.

Although it is constructed to be enjoyable whether you've seen the original film or not, the production is packed with hidden jewels for the Hitchcock lover-from references to Psycho and Rear Window to elaborate riffs on Hitchcock's many recurring themes and plot devices.

The 39 Steps was adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan which became a movie by Alfred Hitchcock. The original concept was by Nobby Dimon and Simon Corble.

Adaptor Patrick Barlow is probably best known in the UK for his hilarious two- man National Theatre of Brent, which has become a legend in British theatre, television and radio. Their comedy epics include Zulu, The Charles and Diana Story, Messiah and The Wonder of Sex. They have won two Sony Gold Awards, a Premier Ondas Award for Best European Comedy and the New York FestivAl Gold Award for Best Comedy. Other screenwriting includes The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, Christopher Columbus, Queen of the East, Van Gogh (Prix Futura Berlin Film Festival), and Revolution!! (Best Comedy Jerusalem Film Festival) and the BAFTA-winning Young Visitors starring Jim Broadbent. Publications include Shakespeare: The Truth! and The Complete History of the Whole World. Screen and theatre acting credits include Wind in the Willows, "Absolutely Fabulous," "Clatterford," Shakespeare in Love, Notting Hill, The Diary of Bridget Jones and Nanny McPhee. The 39 Steps won Patrick an Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Princess Diana was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award.

The 39 Steps features the return of Nancy Keystone (Apollo, Antigone) as director, who will be applying her unique blend of highly physical and highly visual performance styles to bear on the task of translating a cinematic masterwork to the stage.

An all Portland cast of PCS favorites takes the stage, including Leif Norby as Richard Hannay, Christine Calfas as all the women, and Ebbe Roe Smith and Darius Pierce as, well, everyone else (sometimes all at the same time).

Bringing Hitchcock's world to the stage will be scenic and lighting designer Justin Townsend, costume designer Jeff Cone, sound designer Casi Pacilio and lighting designer Justin Townsend.

Additional support for this production has been provided by the Argyle Winery and Stems Floral. Media support has been provided by Kink.fm.

Portland Center Stage's 2009/10 season is funded in part by the Regional Arts & Culture Council and Work for Art; the Oregon Arts Commission; the Paul G.Allen Family Foundation; Joanne Lilley; Helen & Jerry Stern and Tim & Mary Boyle.

PORTLAND CENTER STAGE inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways. Established in 1988 as an off shoot of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, PCS became an independent theater in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director Chris Coleman since May 2000. The company presents a blend of classic, contemporary and original productions in a conscious effort to appeal to the eclectic palate of theatergoers in Portland. PCS also offers a variety of education and outreach programs for curious minds from six to 106, including discussions, classes, workshops and partnerships with organizations throughout the Portland metro area.

THE GERDING THEATER AT THE ARMORY houses a 599-seat Main Stage and the 200-seat black box
Ellyn Bye Studio. It was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The Gerding Theater at the Armory opened to the public on Oct. 1, 2006. The capital campaign to fund the renovation of this hub for community artistic activity continues.

Photos by Owen Carey

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS
Christine Calfas and Leif Norby

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS
Christine Calfas, Leif Norby, Ebbe Roe Smith and Darius Pierce

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS
Leif Norby

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS
Christine Calfas and Leif Norby

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS
Ebbe Roe Smith, Darius Pierce and Leif Norby

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS
Christine Calfas and Leif Norby

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS
Christine Calfas and Leif Norby

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS
Leif Norby

Photo Flash: Portland Center Stage Presents THE 39 STEPS



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