Theatre Horizon to Wrap Season with THE 39 STEPS, 5/15-6/8

Horizon closes its season with a bit of movie and theatre magic. The final show of the 2013-2014 season will be Patrick Barlow's comedic adaptation of The 39 Steps. This TONY and Drama Desk award winning play runs May 15-June 8. Opening night is Thursday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20-$35. Theatre Horizon is located at 401 DeKalb St. More information can be found at www.theatrehorizon.org or by calling 610.283.2230.

The New York Times called The 39 Steps, "THEATER AT ITS FINEST... Absurdly enjoyable! This gleefully theatrical riff on Hitchcock's film is fast and frothy, performed by a cast of four that seems like a cast of thousands." Patrick Barlow adapted this comedic take on the John Buchanan novel and Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name. The original story came from juicy spy novel by Buchanan, however in Barlow's adaptation the story takes a comic turn and is filled with lightning fast quick changes. Four actors play over 150 zany characters. This evening of theatre includes an on stage high speed chase on a speeding train, handcuffs, missing fingers, and good old fashioned romance.

Damon Bonetti, who is currently appearing in Walnut Street Theatre's Arsenic and Old Lace, plays the hero Richard Hannay. Geneviève Perrier is playing all of Hannay's love interests. She recently appeared in EgoPo Production's The Lady from the Sea and the Lantern Theater Company's A Child's Christmas in Wales. She also appeared in this role at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Steve Pacek and Adam Altman play Clown 1 and Clown 2. Their roles encompass all of the other characters in the play. Pacek recently appeared in Sideways Stories from Wayside School at the Arden Theatre Company and will return there this Spring to co-direct The Cat In The Hat. Altman is currently in the Philadelphia Artist Collective's Mary Stuart and will appear in Shakespeare in Clark Park's Henry IV.

Matt Pfeiffer, Associate Artistic Director of Theatre Exile, directs this piece. He recently directed the show at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Samina Vieh, who designed the set at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, returns to design the Theatre Horizon set. Anthony Giruzzi is the props designer. Janus Stefanowicz is creating the costumes, which will be many given the show's 150 characters and quick change scenarios. Christpher Colucci is designing the sound. Jessica Wallace is the Lighting Designer.

"It's a fascinating experience. It essentially takes a Hitchcock thriller and puts it on stage. It takes the best parts of a thriller/action movie and puts it in a theatrical language," said Pfeiffer. "It makes a case for actually being in the room with people executing the same action stunts you see in the movies. It is a real live theatrical roller coaster that is hilarious."

Theatre Horizon's 2013-2014 Season is sponsored by PNC Arts Alive.

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