Dan McKenzie recited one of his favorite Alfred Hitchcock quotes while explaining Engle Lane Theatre’s next show “The 39 Steps,” in which McKenzie is one of just four actors.
“There is something more important than logic: imagination,” he recited.
The audience will be asked to suspend disbelief in this recreation of Hitchcock’s 1935 spy thriller, featuring scenes of a plane crash, train chase and a man hanging from a bridge, among others.
“Growing up, I used to see this on PBS as a kid constantly,” said McKenzie, who portrays protagonist Richard Hannay. “Then I saw 15 or 16 years ago it was made into a play with four people, and I was like ‘how do they do that?’ It’s really clever.”
“The 39 Steps” will premiere 2 p.m. Sunday, June 11, at the William C. Schiffbauer Center for the Performing Arts, 1012 Columbus Road, Streator. Performances will continue 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 13, through Friday, June 16, then close with another 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, June 17.
The show, directed by Angie McKenzie, consists of Marlee Reel, as the lone female actor, playing three characters; Dalton Dean, as Clown No. 1 portraying 25 characters; and Isaac Alvarado, as Clown No. 2 portraying another 25 characters. Dan McKenzie is the lone actor who stays himself the entire show.
The action onstage emulates and spoofs Hitchcock’s “wrong man accused of murder” film but relies on theater magic with trunk loads of basic costuming and simple props, and a parade of hats in lieu of any real standing set pieces. Playwright Patrick Barlow brought forward the concept of the four-person cast to recreate the entire film on an almost bare stage.
Reel, of Long Point, plays a German femme fatale, a Scottish farm girl and a prim British woman, joking she never knew she could pull off three different accents in one show.
“I’m looking forward to making people laugh,” Reel said. “I love making people laugh. It’s my favorite thing to do in theater.”
Dean, of Streator, and Alvarado, of La Salle, are credited in the program simply as “clowns,” a tip of the cap to vaudeville.
“I absolutely love playing in shows like this with so many quick changes,” Dean said. “I’m so excited for people to see it. There’s minimal set. Isaac and I set most of the scenes ourselves.”
Alvarado said the audience, if it pays attention, will be let in on the joke.
“We’re overworked actors,” Alvarado said. “But once we let them in, there’s still some suspension of disbelief as the story unfolds.”
Dan McKenzie said his greatest challenge as the actor who remains himself among the chaos will be not to get caught up in watching the talented portrayals around him.
Director Angie McKenzie said she was impressed with the work that has gone into the performance from her four stars.
“Many actors shy away from accents, especially multiple accents, but this cast has definitely embraced them and from the very beginning has not only impressed the production team, but also had us leaving rehearsals speaking a bit of British mixed with a dash of German, peppered with a wee bit of Scottish and topped with a scoop of Cockney just for fun,” the director said.
Kim Freeman is the production’s assistant director, with Kenzie Bruce as stage manager and Madelyn Reum as student director. Backstage tech is Emma Reel, Nick Adams, Bella Dean, Elizabeth Reel, Maddie Wahl, Melody Reel and Colby Reel. Kelly Lefler is the show’s producer with light and sound design by Kim Freeman and Mark Fulkerson.
“It’s really fast paced and there’s a lot of craziness keeping up with the props,” said Bruce, who recently graduated Streator High School and is interested in a theater career. “There’s a lot of hands-on work, but it’s such a fun show.”
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger. They are available online at https://englelane.org or through the box office. The box office is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 815-672-3584. Engle Lane Theatre is located at 1012 Columbus Road, Streator.
“The takeaway with ‘The 39 Steps’ is lighthearted fun,” Angie McKenzie said. “An afternoon or evening full of laughter and silliness. Our patrons may leave feeling a bit tired after watching this cast switch characters at the drop of a hat … literally.”
