Always good to be back on the stage here with Elkhart Civic Theater.

Thanks so much for joining us.

This is an exciting performance because it's kind of a spoof.

This is the 39 steps which is based on Alfred Hitchcock kind of style.

Is that right?

It's based on the Hitchcock movie the 39 steps.

Okay.

which is an adventure spy thriller movie.

lots of excitement, lots of characters.

but in the stage production of the 39 steps, the entire show is played by four actors.

Oh, wow.

Okay, so it's a super small cast.

Super small cast.

Okay.

We have a lead woman, a lead man, and then two, valiant clowns who play everybody else.

Is that one of you?

Are you one of the.

I am one of the clowns.

I am clown number two.

Okay.

I think a variety of characters, a variety of characters, a variety of accents.

Right?

Yeah.

Oh, is that one of your specialties?

Oh, it's not a specialty.

Okay.

Can you give us, like, one accent?

Which accent?

What?

Yeah.

Here we are now.

I love it.

I love it.

So tell us more about the storyline itself.

Sure.

Yeah.

So the story begins with Richard Hannay.

He's, a guy who has just moved back to London, and he goes to see a show in the theater and, things, happen, and, woman ends up dead in his apartment, and he ends up accused of murder.

And then.

Oh, and then the rest of the show happens.

So there is like a theater within the theater.

Is that what you're saying?

Yes.

Yes.

Okay.

I love stuff like that.

Yes.

You kind of get to see the backstage, right?

Absolutely.

You do?

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's fun.

Now how long have you been a part of Elkhart Civic Theater?

This is my first show.

For sure.

Welcome.

Oh my gosh, how exciting.

What have you thought of the process so far?

It's very good.

Yeah.

I was a little afraid, you know, I hadn't done anything for a while.

and just getting back into it.

So it's fun, you know, it's sense of community.

Yeah.

chance to perform, I used to do a lot.

And I went to California for 19 years.

Oh, wow.

But came back to take care of mom.

Awesome.

Well, we're glad to have you back.

And I know one of the things that we always talk about here is how community oriented Elkhart Civic Theater is.

And I'm glad that you're saying some of that, too.

And I always love because I always get to meet somebody new up on the stage, which is just fantastic.

So thanks for being a part of it.

Now, you said there's just a handful of people and part of this there are.

Yes.

Okay.

It's not a musical.

It is not a musical.

But it is very funny, very fast moving.

a lot of people doing a lot of things in certain ways.

It moves like a musical.

So yeah, it's very quick and very fluid and, and we're really grateful to be able to have people from all over the community, people who are, experienced here at Elkhart Civic and, and, some people who are new, who it's always great to bring new people in to, to the fold here and, and tw bring them into the ranks.

Right.

I love it now for anybody who is younger and doesn't really relate to Alfred Hitchcock.

Sure.

Talk a little bit about what that style means and what it looks like here on the stage.

Sure.

So, you know, even though it's a comedy and it moves really fast, it is still it's still a thriller and an adventure story.

And I think anybody who likes anything like, Indiana Jones or anything like that, they'll, they'll love this sort of comedic version of those sorts of tropes.

And then there's also romance and humor and, a lot of fun, a few sheep.

So it's a lot of fun.

Do you say sheep?

I did come up with the coolest things.

So with all of this, it's a great performance.

You guys are doing it for two weekends.

Is that right?

We are?

Yes.

When are your shows coming up?

Are, we open on May 17th.

Are Friday, Friday the 17th, I believe.

And, we'll run for that weekend and then through the Saturday of the following weekend.

Okay.

Which is Memorial Day weekend.

So that's a great way to start your holiday week.

Start your holiday weekend and then head to to grill out or whatever you're going to do, right?

I love it, but you know, you have to spend part of that here with Elkhart Civic Theater.

And I know you guys have been doing a lot of stuff already this year.

This has been a fantastic season for you.

This is your first time coming into it.

What are some of the things that you have heard from the audience members?

Oh, from audience members?

I mean, I think we've had a fantastic season this year.

We've had really fun shows all season long.

It's great to be able to close the season out with a show that I think folks are excited about as well a funny, good, upbeat show and then head into the summer and the start of the next season with Fiddler on the roof.

I love Fiddler, oh my gosh, that's exciting.

Are you going to be part of Fiddler?

I don't think so.

Oh, okay.

Some more new people.

You'll be in the audience, I'm sure.

And it is so important to support our arts.

And I will say for sure, you know, I've been in this community for 20 years almost now, and the fine arts is really just something that is so phenomenal.

We have so many great opportunities here all across Michiana and really right here at the Bristol Opera House.

This is one of the staples.

Really.

Yeah.

We're so grateful to be part of such a vibrant arts community in Elkhart County and Elkhart Civic.

We do feel like a central part of that, and it's very special to be to be that in Elkhart County it is.

And now you're here from California, but now you're here.

Well, I was born here.

Okay.

So you came back to your roots.

Tell us a little bit about what it's like to be back on the stage here.

Oh, it's a little strange.

It takes a little bit of getting used to, but it's wonderful.

it always helps when the audience comes in, you know, you you kind of test things by yourself.

And then, as you get closer to performance, it starts.

Well, no one's laughing anymore because you're so used to everything now.

And then you get people in the audience.

It's like, oh, they're laughing at that.

Oh that's good.

Yes.

That's one of the great things I love about live theater too, is, you know, the first opening night, something clicks for the audience and like, okay, that was a mistake, but we're going to leave that in the show.

Yeah, yeah, I've done a few of those already and.

Right.

Yeah.

Perfect.

So you have a just a small group of people here that are doing this performance.

I know you guys still need volunteers.

Oh, always.

And we only have four people on stage, but we have a whole lot more people involved with the production.

A lot of things happen offstage that are invisible, but we do.

We need volunteers who are interested in acting and being a part of our productions, but we also want people who don't want to be on stage, who want to be backstage, who want to usher and see a show for free, who want to be a part of our box office or anything for.

If there's something that you have an interest in, we probably have a need for it here.

So I know you happy with that construction.

Yeah, absolutely.

And so this is a fantastic set.

Thanks.

Do you want to talk about a little bit what went into creating this set.

So the 39 steps is a show that requires the longest list of props I've ever seen.

wait.

No, no coconuts this time, right?

That was what I did last time.

Okay.

Yeah.

All right, so it's the building.

This set and getting all of these pieces together has been, a long list of things, and and a lot, I think, for you guys backstage to maneuver and deal with it is organized chaos backstage.

I love the show.

Friends organized, right?

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

Is it?

Yes.

Well, it can be.

Everyone wants to come out and see this performance.

I know you guys have a lot of, fantastic performances coming up in the rest of the year, too.

But where can people get their tickets?

people can visit Elkhart Civic theater.org, or they can call our box office during the week, and they can get tickets there.

And we hope to see everybody out for the show.

Awesome.

So whether you come into the performance, if you want to help volunteer, all that information is available on their website.

But you want to make sure you start with one step to the theater, to the 39.

So that's that's right.