Hitchcock homage comedy opens Friday at the Welk

The suspenseful romantic comedy “The 39 Steps” will be opening at the Welk Resort Theater on Friday.

“The 39 Steps,” often described as a pastiche send-up of Alfred Hitchcock’s films, is “absolutely hilarious,” said Jamie Torcellini, the show’s director.

The show is being produced by Randall Hickman of Broadway Vista. It runs through Sunday, April 26 with performances at 1 p.m. Thursday, Saturdays and Sundays and 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Tickets for “The 39 Steps” are $35 and are available by calling the Welk Resort Theater box office at 888-802-7469 or online at www.welktheatersandiego.com.

The show features many references to Hitchcock’s famous films throughout the performance, including references to “Psycho,” “Strangers on a Train,” “North by Northwest” and “The Birds.” While Hitchcock fans will get an extra kick out of the references, Torcellini said that even those who aren’t that familiar with Hitchcock’s films will get many of the callbacks. “Everyone knows the theme (music) to ‘Psycho,’” he said.

“The 39 Steps” tells the story of Richard Hannay, a man who accidently stumbles into a spy and has to flee for his life, all the while trying to figure out the mysterious information he’s been given.

Based on the famous 1935 Alfred Hitchcock movie (which, in turn, was based on the 1915 novel by John Buchan), the show plays the spy plot’s twists and turns for laughs rather than thrills.

The production at the Welk is staying true to the original Broadway staging by having four actors play the multitude of roles in the show. Robert J. Townsend portrays Richard Hannay, the show’s hero who learns about an international espionage plot from a beautiful spy and is forced to flee for his life after the spy is killed in his apartment.

Portraying the spy, as well as his love interest and a third female role is Brenda Dodge. All remaining roles will be performed by Paul Morgavo and Louis Lotorto, credited as “Clown #1” and “Clown #2.”

“The cast is so excellent,” said Torcellini. “I’ve directed this show before and they are the best I’ve ever worked with. I’m so proud of these actors, they make me laugh in rehearsal all the time.”

Torcellini said the production at the Welk will also honor the original Broadway version with its staging, which will be minimal and use smaller set pieces to represent the show’s many locations, such as using steamer trunks to act as a train. “It’s not a big set,” said Torcellini. “Set pieces go on and off and turn into other sets. The actors will be moving many of the pieces themselves.”

Torcellini said that “The 39 Steps” is his favorite show that he’s seen on Broadway because of the staging and how stylized, interesting and clever the show is. “It’s so interesting how they can take four actors and a couple of props and can tell this story,” said Torcellini. “You don’t just fall in love with the characters. The staging is so much fun, with all the sounds, lights and the actors’ choreography. It’s one of the most clever stagings in a show I’ve ever seen.”