The 39 Steps

The Marion Art Center (the MAC) announces the opening of the MAC Theater’s production of The 39 Steps on March 6 at 7:30. The show was written by Patrick Barlow and John Buchan and is directed by John Heavey.

The show will run for 9 performances on March 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 in the MAC’s Anne Braitmayer Webb Theater. The curtain on Friday and Saturday shows is 7:30 pm and the Sunday matinees start at 2:00 pm.

The 39 Steps is a fast-paced, slapstick comedy thriller where an ordinary man, Richard Hannay, is framed for murder and must go on the run to stop a spy ring from stealing vital British military secrets. The humor derives from the entire story being performed by a small cast who play over 150 characters, often making rapid costume and character changes. One actor plays the hero, Richard Hannay; an actress plays the three women with whom he has romantic entanglements; other actors play every other character in the show, each occasionally playing multiple characters at once. Thus, Alfred Hitchcock film’s serious spy story is given a comedic, zany twist that will leave you breathless.

The show stars Samantha Asker, Marisa Biever, Cynthia Johnson, Jacob Matthew, Rick Sherburne, Donn Tyler, Maura Barry Van Voris, Jennie Williamson, and Kerri Zhou. The show is stage-managed by Marisa Biever and the Technical Director is Steve McManus.

Tickets are $23 for MAC members and $28 for nonmembers and can be purchased at marionartcenter.org/events.

As this is the first show in the MAC’s 2026 season, this is the only chance for theater patrons to acquire season tickets. Season Ticket holders save 10-15% and receive free tickets to the MAC Theater Playwrights Incubator production. Learn more at marionartcenter.org/season-tickets.