We are starting another week of rehearsals and Robert Woodcock (director) has had such a clear vision of The 39 Steps from the very beginning that it has really given all of us, as actors, much freedom to explore our characters within the parameters of the script.

This is one of those wonderful shows that you get to be really challenged as an actor because you get the opportunity to play so many different characters. In my case I am playing three women who all have very distinct personalities, not to mention accents (one German, one Scottish and the last British).

Erin (with Sweeney MacArthur) in a promotional shot for 7 Stories (2010)

Rehearsals have be an absolute joy since day one. Here we are well into the process and Sweeney, Scott and Mark are continuously making me laugh as their characters grow leaps and bounds every day. It was at the end of last week Geoff Nantes (sound designer) came in and added the sound cues to the show. Which, in this show in particular, have proven to be the icing on the cake. From telephone rings to train whistles the sound has really added so much detail to the scenes and will be such an asset this week as we start to do full runs of the show.

My favourite sound cue, although I am a little biased, will be my seven week old daughter's stage debut....so you will have to listen for it. This is my first show since she was born and I have to say that working with such a creative and inspiring group of people during the day and coming home to a beautiful little baby makes me feel like I have it all. I am very blessed indeed.

The 39 Steps runs Friday, July 8 to Saturday, July 30 in the Rose Theatre Studio Two. For more information and to order your tickets visit www.rosetheatre.ca or call 905-874-2800.

 Two plus weeks into rehearsals for the fabulous choice for this summer's Rose studio lineup, The 39 Steps. I honestly can't remember the last time I was involved in a project that was so intrinsically and delightfully creative in nature. So much of the way the piece is presented is left open to the ingenuity of not only the creative team and cast, but also the stage management crew, set builders, and props masters. Certainly the show presented at the Rose will be unlike any other production of The 39 Steps anywhere else. Each production, though sharing certain universal concepts, will have several completely unique moments and sequences, limited only by the imaginations of each unique collection of creative minds.

Scott performing with Jaden Carmichael in Scrooge! (2009)

Director Rob Woodcock had clearly put in countless hours of pre-work and research before the first day of rehearsals, as he had ready for us on day one not only a clear and firm vision of how we were going to stage the show effectively in the somewhat restrictive studio space, but many of the set pieces and props already built and available for we actors to use! Before the first week was finished we also had many of our costume pieces already on-site down at the rehearsal hall on Orenda Rd.

One of the challenges (and greatest delights) for me personally working on The 39 Steps, is the opportunity to play multiple characters. The show is based on the classic Hitchcock movie of course, and one of the stageplay's devices (and hopefully great sources of entertainment) is the fact that Mark is playing the main character of the film and the 3 remaining actors (Erin, Sweeney, and myself) play all the rest of the characters in the film!!!

It is a true test of my skills and repertoire as I am responsible for creating 14 clearly defined and unique characters. Many changes are in rapid-fire style (sometimes for comic effect) requiring a quick and seamless transition into a different costume, age, physicality, and accent in moments!

Thank goodness Sweeney (who is also a professional and well-reknowned accent coach) is around to help....

Look for another update from me soon....it's time for me to get back to committing my lines to memory :)

Scott C