The 39 Steps: Sean Mahon to play'Richard Hannay' when show moves tothe Helen Hayes Theatre on 21 Jan

Alfred Hitchcock�s The 39 Steps starts its second year on Broadway in a new home and with a new Hannay.

Sean Mahon will join the Tony Award-winning quick-change comedy as 'Richard Hannay' on 21 Jan 2009, when the production moves to its new home, the Helen Hayes Theatre.

Mahon assumes the role from Sam Robards who will play his final performance as 'Richard Hannay' on 4 Jan at the Cort Theatre.

The The 39 Steps opens at its new home at the Helen Hayes Theatre on 21 Jan 2009, and not the 20 Jan as originally scheduled, and will play its final performance at the Cort Theatre on 4 Jan 2009, and not the 11 Jan as first scheduled.

This is the The 39 Steps second move. The comedy had its Broadway premiere at the Roundabout Theatre Company'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 on 29 Apr 2008 for an open-ended commercial run.

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 production currently features Sam Robards (Richard Hannay), Arnie Burton (Man #2), Francesca Faridany (Annabella Schmidt/Pamela/Margaret) and Jeffrey Kuhn (Man #1).

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

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 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.