Arnie Burton Departs 39 STEPS Off-Broadway Tonight After His 1000th Performance

Original Broadway and off-Broadway cast member Arnie Burton will depart the two-time Tony Award winning hilarious hit comedy 39 STEPS following his 1,000th performance as Man #2/Clown #2 tonight, September 28th. Having originated the role in the original Broadway production, Burton returned for the current engagement at the Union Square Theatre. Cameron Pow (The Lion King) will join the cast on Wednesday, September 30th, taking over for Burton.

Denoff commented "Arnie has been the anchor of this incredible company since his first performance in 2007. We are gratified that audiences have continued to delight in his talents, coming back to see the show again and again. We know audiences will want to see him as many times as possible before he leaves...I know I do. He departs with our love and best wishes, and hope he chooses to return some day for at least another 1000 performances. That said, we are thrilled to welcome Cameron and look forward his hilarious and enduring contribution to our amazing 'Cast of 4."

Preview performances began on Wednesday, April 1, 2015, and the show opened to rave reviews on Monday, April 13, 2015, where it received a Critic's Pick from both the New York Times and Time Out New York. Mezzanine seats and all seats at Wednesday Matinees are $39 with $20 tickets for students, teachers, veterans, armed forces, NYPD and FDNY available in person at the box office with ID the day of the show.

39 STEPS features original Broadway cast member Arnie Burton reprising his role of Clown #2, Billy Carter as Clown #1, recent Juilliard grad Brittany Vicars as Pamela/Annabella/Margaret, and Broadway vet Robert Petkoff as the dashing hero Richard Hannay.

Adapted by Tony nominated author Patrick Barlow from an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon, and based on the book by John Buchan and the classic 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film, 39 STEPS features Tony nominated direction by Maria Aitken, Tony winning lighting design by Kevin Adams, Tony winning sound design by Mic Pool, and Tony nominated scenic and costume design by Peter McKintosh.

39 STEPS is a comedic spoof of the classic 1935 film, with only 4 "insanely talented" actors portraying more than 150 characters, sometimes changing roles in the blink of an eye. The brilliantly madcap story follows our dashing hero Richard Hannay (Robert Petkoff) as he races to solve the mystery of The 39 Steps, all the while trying to clear his name. The show's uproarious fast-paced 100 minutes promises to leave you gasping for breath... in a good way! It's fun for everyone from 9 to 99.

Originally premiering in 2005 at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in England, 39 STEPS went on to wow London audiences in 2006 at the Tricycle Theatre before transferring to the West End's Criterion Theatre, where it recently ended its 9 year run on September 5, 2015. The production, and Patrick Barlow, went on to receive the 2007 Olivier Award for Best Comedy, and has since been seen across the globe, from Melbourne and Madrid to Tel Aviv, Seoul, Tokyo and Buenos Aires. In North America, it is one of the top ten licenses shows in regional theatres. Its original Tony Award-winning New York production ran 1,135 performances from 2008-2011.