The 39 Steps: celebrates 500th performance

Broadway�s longest running comedy, The 39 Steps plays its 500th performance on Broadway on 19 May 2009.

The comedy had its Broadway premiere at the Roundabout's American Airline Theatre where it ran from the 4 Jan to 29 Mar 2008 for a limited engagement, before transferring to the Cort Theatre, where it played from 29 Apr 2008 to 4 Jan 2009, before finally moving to the Helen Hayes Theatre on 21 Jan 2009.

The Broadway premiere opened to mostly excellent reviews: "Entertaining comedy" (New York Theatre Guide); "Throwaway theater at its finest. And that�s no backhanded compliment."; (NY Times); "Pushed Hitchcock's brilliance into some riotous realm of satire, without losing its essentially Hitchcockian flavor" (NY Post); "A jaunty homage to Hitchcock, "The 39 Steps" is whirlwind funny business." (Star-Ledger); "An utterly pointless but physically and conceptually ingenious spoof " (NewsDay); "See the movie. And forget the show." (Journal News); "An entertaining diversion"; (Variety).

The 39 Steps is adapted by Patrick Barlow and directed by Maria Aitken. The production is based on an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon and on the book by John Buchan.

The 39 Steps: Seeking a frivolous night out at the theatre, Richard Hannay is lured into a world of intrigue by a mysterious woman claiming to be a spy. When she winds up dead in his flat, he flees London with the police hot on his trail. The �unstageable� thriller is staged, with four cast members playing a minimum of 150 roles.

The 39 Steps contains every single legendary scene from the award-winning movie � including the chase on the Flying Scotsman, the escape on the Forth Bridge, the first theatrical bi-plane crash ever staged and the sensational death-defying finale in the London Palladium, besides many other favourite cinematic moments, including the memorable and controversial �stockings and suspenders� scene!

The production currently stars Sean Mahon (Richard Hannay), Arnie Burton (Man #2), ***Francesca Faridany (Annabella Schmidt/Pamela/Margaret) and Jeffrey Kuhn (Man #1).
Jill Paice assumes the role of 'Annabella Schmidt/Pamela/Margaret' from 2 Jun 2009.

The creative team features Peter McKintosh (set and costumes), Kevin Adams (lighting) and Mic Poo (sound).

The 39 Steps has been a hit in London�s West End, where it continues its run at the Criterion Theatre.The production received its American debut at Boston�s Huntington Theatre Company.