Bootless Stageworks to Bring Hilarious Twist on Hitchcock to the Wilmington Stage

A full bagpipe band, two pilots, a waterfall, and the milkman. These are just a few of the more than 150 characters that will take the stage in Bootless Stageworks' upcoming production of The 39 Steps. But in the spirit of Alfred Hitchcock, who directed the classic that inspired the show, there's a twist. The production features a cast of only four actors.

"I am probably going to spend a lot of time working on voices and posture and walks trying to make each character unique," says Shaun Yates or "Clown 1." Shaun - along with Michael Gamache will portray the majority of the shows large cast of characters.

"We're working on a few little things to make the audience part of the story," says Michael who will also co-direct the show with Shaun Yates and Bootless Executive and Artistic Director Rosanne DellAversano, "The script itself is quite meta, with tons of Hitchcockian references, so fans of his work should be pleased."

A two-time Tony winner, The 39 Steps, is a fast-paced whodunit with a splash of Monty Python-esque humor. Richard Hannay (Josh Innerst) has a boring life until he meets a woman (Sarah Joy Stone) with a thick accent who says she's a spy. He takes her home, and she is murdered. Soon, a mysterious organization called "The 39 Steps" is hot on Hannay's trail after they launch a nationwide manhunt.

While three cast members are Bootless veterans, Josh Innerst (Richard Hannay) will make his Bootless Stageworks debut when The 39 Steps opens this May. Although new to the company, Josh was no stranger to The 39 Steps before rehearsals began early this month.

"I had a chance to see it on the West End and I laughed so hard my sides were in agony," says Josh "Everyone likes a good spy thriller. Everyone likes a good laugh. Combine the two and boom, you have a helluva fun time."
The 39 Steps runs from May 9th through May 17th at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, 1301 N. Broom St., Wilmington, DE. Tickets available now. For more information, please visit www.bootless.org/the-39-steps.

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