An ordinary man convicted of murder in the first degree stomps through the misty Scottish moors in the midnight hour. Having not slept in days, his only motivation is his knowledge that he has the power to stop an organization of German spies from potentially destroying England.
The theatre department is currently presenting “The 39 Steps” in Happy State Bank Studio Theatre. Showings began last Thursday and will continue through Friday Sept. 13. The production’s final performances will be Saturday Sept. 13 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be on sale in the Fine Arts Complex Box Office from 2:30 to 5 p.m.  Monday – Friday. Sophomore Theatre Performance major Brandon Dawson stars as the lead role Richard Hannay.
“The show is going very well,” Dawson said. “We’ve had great crowds so far that have been very responsive to the humor, and that serves as a great fuel for us actors on stage.”
“The 39 Steps” is an adaptation from the 1905 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock.
“‘The 39 Steps’ is about an average, everyday man who is pulled into some outrageous circumstances with global consequences,” Dawson said. “It’s all about Richard Hannay trying to uncover a secret plot, clear his name, and find excitement and love in the process.”
Junior Theatre Design and Technologies major Oodie Nykol Taliaferro is the stage manager of this production.
“This play is just a great piece of theatre,” Taliaferro said. “All of the acting is really great, and the set design and tech work that went into it is really worth a watch, especially knowing that maybe 12 people put this show together.”
The play’s adaptation only calls for four cast members to play the alternating parts of the entire cast. The theater department stuck to this adaptation while allowing other actors to get more stage time.
“We kind of broke it down a little bit to get a couple more people on stage while making it easier on everyone,” Taliaferro said. “We ended up with six cast members while each of the clowns plays about 15 to 20 characters.”
Dawson said the show is very unique in its writing, with intentional technical mess-ups, two actors playing many different parts and several other aspects.
“There are so many twists and turns in the story that it’s impossible not to be surprised and entertained,” Dawson said. “I encourage everyone to strap in for a wild ride with our amazing cast and crew and I promise they’ll enjoy the experience. The suspenseful, love-filled story will keep people on the edge of their seats the entire time.”
For special effects, the production is using a fog machine, a dry ice machine and many light and sound cues, as well as a screen used for a silhouette scene.
“A lot of the end of the first act is done with a screen that is attached to two ladders with a backlight,” Taliaferro said. “There is a scene where our lead, Richard Hannay, is running across the Scottish moors and you see his silhouette being chased by all these policemen, and then he is chased by airplanes and pilots in those planes.”
Dawson said he enjoys the cast and the relationships he shares between characters.
“The journey I get to take every night in this story is unimaginably fun,” Dawson said. “This all-star cast that we’ve put together is supremely talented in entertaining the audience every single night.”