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  • 1.  The 39 Steps

    Posted 07-20-2017 16:48
    I am readying to direct The 39 Steps this fall. Our auditorium is going to be closed for renovations for the next year, so I thought this would be the perfect show to stage in our smaller Recital Hall, which seats about 200. Anyone direct this show before and have ideas for dividing up the 150-some parts to 20-25 students? Any thoughts, ideas, help in directing and producing is very appreciated. 


    --
    Darren McGarvey
    IB Coordinator
    937-499-1662
    English/Theater Teacher
    937-499-2460
    Kettering Fairmont High School
    darren.mcgarvey@ketteringschools.org


  • 2.  RE: The 39 Steps

    Posted 07-21-2017 08:04

    I did the show a few years ago with a cast of 10 (+1) - 3 things we did that may help: 


    1st - I made the character of Compere a show girl which gave me some really nice options for the scene when Mr Memory dies & creates another larger role for one of your girls, as a girl. 


    2nd - the train scenes work really well with additional passengers & officers, it was the only scene we did with all 10 cast members in it, although not all were named characters as I wanted to keep the bit with the salesmen/news boy/officer/conductor/old lady (w/ 3 actors) having them switching in front of the audience. 


    3rd - my +1 was a piano player who did all of the music live on an upright piano that sat against the stage. He also did several of the sound effects (train whistle, slap stick for gun shots, etc) & interacted with both the cast and the audience.


    Hope that helps




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: The 39 Steps

    Posted 07-21-2017 10:32
    I directed it a couple years ago with a cast of 19 and it worked out pretty well. The thing I found helpful was breaking up the hero’s role which helped distribute the lines and make them easier to memorize. We used costume suggestions like a lot of coats, hats and wigs to portray each character. Hannay had the same fedora hat and trench coat that the audience followed from actor to actor. I can send you my notes from the production including the spreadsheets I used to plan out the distribution of the parts. I tried hard to make it fair to each member of the company, but it was certainly not perfect. We produced it in our Studio Theater which seats about 180 so having a more intimate space is a good idea, I think.

    Thanks,

    Jim Peterson
    Director of Theatre and Film
    Carmel High School
    520 E. Main St.
    Carmel, IN 46032
    (317) 846-7721 x7087
    jpeterson@ccs.k12.in.us


    Original Message


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