Marion Art Center opens 2026 season with '39 Steps'

MARION — A small cast gets big laughs at the Marion Art Center’s first show of the 2026 season.

The eight-person rendition of “39 Steps” finished its opening weekend Sunday, March 8.

The show is an adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s film of the same name, and follows a man accused of murder as he tried to clear his name. It’s a comedic farce of the period’s spy thrillers, and many of the laughs come from most of the small cast playing multiple characters — sometimes at the same time.

Director John Heavey said the show’s strength comes from the interactions between leading man Jacob Matthew and the ensemble, and their ability to play off of each other’s performances. 

“There's an implicit trust in each other, and that really comes through in this production,” Heavey said. They had so much fun with it, because they've been part of the process, inventing and collaborating.”

Matthew, a Mattapoisett resident who plays the fugitive Richard Hannay, said some of the play’s fun comes from improvised moments. 

Because it’s a comedy, he said mistakes can often be played for laughs and seem intentional.

"It's finding those moments where it could be appropriate, where the show is designed to feel a bit haywire, and then snap back into the beautifully written dialog,” Matthew said.

The MAC’s small auditorium, with seats so close to the stage, also makes it easier for the actors to interact with viewers. At several points in the show, characters address — and even walk through — the crowd.

Kerri Zhou, of Marion, said the cast feeds off the audience’s energy and appreciates a responsive one.

“There's only 50 seats in here, and you can literally see everyone's face,” Zhou said. “When we hear them laughing at the bits that we worked so hard on, we're like, ‘Oh, this is a good audience.’ It just revs us up.”

She auditioned for the role of Pamela Edwards, one of Hannay’s love interests, “on a whim” after a 30-year break from acting. This was her first time on the stage since college.

Zhou said she appreciated the mix of experience the cast brought, with some like her performing for the first time in a long time and others seasoned professionals. 

One of these long time performers, Mattapoisett resident Maura Van Voris, has been performing in Marion since childhood.

She plays a dual role in the show, both as murdered spy Annabella Schmidt and the professor, her handler.

She said she’s the third generation of her family to be involved at the MAC, with a mother and grandmother who performed there in the past.

She also worked with Heavey as a student at Tabor Academy. Von Voris praised the director and cast, and said a lot of collaboration and hard work went into the production.

“I love working here,” Von Voris said. “Even though I have a fancy degree, I'd rather work here than in any professional theater, because the people that you find here are giving and kind.”

“39 Steps” will continue March 13-15 and 20-22. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m.