{"id":344465,"date":"2023-09-17T08:36:11","date_gmt":"2023-09-17T12:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/?p=344465"},"modified":"2023-09-17T08:36:11","modified_gmt":"2023-09-17T12:36:11","slug":"clowns-steal-the-show-in-upstage-artists-the-39-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2023\/09\/17\/clowns-steal-the-show-in-upstage-artists-the-39-steps\/","title":{"rendered":"Clowns steal the show in UpStage Artists’ ‘The 39 Steps’"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are bored and need some excitement, Richard Hannay has your cure. Head out to one of the remaining UpStage Artists presentations of The 39 Steps<\/em><\/a>. The play is two hours of silly, slapstick humor disguised as a murder mystery and international spy thriller.<\/p>\n

Joey Rolandelli, Nancy Somers, Neil Swanson-Chrisman, and Colleen Isaiah are nearly flawless in 33 scenes, numerous set and costume changes \u2014 including some in front of the audience \u2014 78 sound cues and multiple light changes \u2014 including in one scene strobe lighting.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Neil Swanson-Chrisman (Clown), Colleen Isaiah (Clown), Joey Rollandelli (Richard Hanney), Nancy Somers (Pamela\/Annabella\/Margaret), Om Vardhan (Stage Hand), and Jill Robinson (Stage Hand) in \u2018The 39 Steps.\u2019 Photo by Rick Bergmann.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe biggest challenge in directing The 39 Steps<\/em> is how to keep the comedy light, yet so broad, while not losing the mystery at the center of the story to the comedy,\u201d Director Rick Bergmann said in his director\u2019s note. \u201cThere is an adage that if a director casts the right people, his job is done for him. I am very blessed to have cast the right people.\u201d<\/p>\n

The script was adapted by Patrick Barlow from the 1915 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film. One doesn\u2019t need to have seen the movie to appreciate the accomplishment of this show. Some moments are laugh-out-loud funny.<\/p>\n

One of the things that bore Hannay (Rolandelli) is the newspaper stories of \u201celections and wars and rumors of wars.\u201d He wants to escape, so Hannay goes to the Palladium. A Mati Hari\u2013type blonde bombshell (Somers) invites herself to his table during Mr. Memory\u2019s (Isaiah) act.<\/p>\n

Within a question or two, Annabella Schmidt (Somers) fires a pistol to scramble the room and asks Hannay to take her home with him. Somers plays three beautiful women who either use Hannay or fall for him. The play moved so fast that I couldn\u2019t keep up with his love problems. He is also attempting to avoid arrest and save the world.<\/p>\n

Rolandelli\u2019s character is introduced in an undersized vest and tweed jacket that begs \u201cgo ahead and laugh.\u201d As radio bulletins mention his \u201chandsome\u201d and later \u201crugged\u201d mustache, he often gleams. He understands not all the bobbies after him \u2014 or them in the second act as he is helplessly paired with Margaret \u2014 are from Scotland Yard.<\/p>\n

The \u201cclowns\u201d steal the show. Isaiah and Swanson-Chrisman are paired together in several roles and even share the role of Professor Jordan.<\/p>\n

Isaiah is a beautiful ball of energy bringing welcome excitement to community theater.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Joey Rolandelli, Colleen Isaiah, Neil Swanson-Chrisman, and Nancy Somers in \u2018The 39 Steps.\u2019 Photo by Rick Bergmann.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the evil professor, she shoots Hannay in the chest after moving from a wheelchair-bound Scot professor to a German-sounding disciple of a master race after a vain attempt to lure Hannay to the other side.<\/p>\n

A Scot sheriff, from southern Scotland, holds Hannay for Scotland Yard. However, when the copper (Swanson-Chrisman) tries to handcuff Hannay, a scuffle ensues while the sheriff is on the phone with her bestest buddy in the county \u2014 the evil professor \u2014 and Hannay escapes. The hero not only escapes, but he takes the window with him. Try following that.<\/p>\n

Later, Jordan (now Swanson-Chrisman) shoots Mr. Memory before he can answer a question about The 39 Steps. <\/em>The MC who introduced Mr. Memory (Swanson-Chrisman) carried his little buddy off stage, as he did when the shot rang out at the first performance.<\/p>\n

Isaiah and Swanson-Chrisman also play elderly Scottish innkeepers who give Hannay and a plus-one a room thinking they are husband and wife. They are handcuffed together and on the run from the police and \u201cthe police.\u201d When the innkeeper\u2019s wife leads the couple to the room or brings room service, she shuffles in with a smile and sighs. She shuffles out stopping for another smile and sigh before exiting.<\/p>\n

Isaiah and Swanson-Chrisman shift identities faster than a field of GOP presidential candidates and manage to embody several characters within a seconds-long fraction of a scene, exchanging headgear with stagehands. They walk a tightrope between play and zeal.<\/p>\n

Bergmann and Stage Manager Joanne Breen morph chairs, a coat hanger, and curtains into the interior of a speeding train, or a cluster of folding chairs and a small podium into a getaway car. By the play\u2019s end, you\u2019ll have nearly forgotten the show\u2019s set and spartan lighting by Harsha Vardhan. Bergmann handles the sound and includes some miscues for laughs.<\/p>\n

Running Time: Approximately two hours with a 15-minute intermission.<\/p>\n

The 39 Steps<\/em> <\/a><\/strong>plays September 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m., and September 17 and 24 at 2 p.m. presented by UpStage Artists performing at Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 11416 Cedar Lane, Beltsville, MD. Tickets ($10) are available online.<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The playbill for The 39 Steps<\/em> is online here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The 39 Steps\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

CAST
\nRichard Hanney: Joey Rolandelli; Anabella\/Pamela\/Margaret: Nancy Somers; Clown 1: Neil Swanson-Chrisman; Clown 2: Colleen Isaiah<\/p>\n

CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION
\nDirector: Rick Bergmann
\nAssistant Director: Melvin Smith
\nStage Manager: Joanne Breen
\nStagehand: Jill Robinson
\nStangehand: Om Vardhan
\nSet Design: Rick Bergmann and Joanne Breen
\nSound and Light Design: Rick Bergmann
\nSound Techician: Rick Bergmann
\nLight Techician: Harsha Vardhan
\nFight Choreography: John Cusumano<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The play is two hours of silly, slapstick humor disguised as a murder mystery and international spy thriller. By ANDY ARNOLD<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":344475,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-344465","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-community-theater"},"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nClowns steal the show in UpStage Artists' 'The 39 Steps' - 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