University of Lynchburg’s theatre department will present two shows during the upcoming Homecoming Weekend.
At 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Oct. 16-18, it will present “The 39 Steps” in Dillard Fine Arts Center’s Robert C. Hailey Theatre. The public is invited, admission is free, and no tickets are required.
“The 39 Steps” has been described as a “fast-paced, theatrical adaption” of a 1935 Alfred Hitchcock movie of the same name that “masterfully combines a gripping spy thriller and an uproarious comedy.”
The play is directed by Lynchburg theatre alumna Katie Gardner ’08, who directed “It’s a Wonderful Life” for Lynchburg in 2019. Gardner said she is “very honored” and “grateful for the opportunity to give back to the arts and honor the small, liberal arts college I attended.”
As a theatre performance major at Lynchburg, Gardner had major roles in several plays, including “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” and “Oklahoma!” She also had parts in “Antigone,” “Book of Days,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” and “Hello, Dolly!”
Since graduating from Lynchburg, she has directed for Little Town Players, Mill Mountain Theatre, and Hollins University. She’s worked with the Academy Center of the Arts’ Encore Youth Theatre and directed a series of one-act plays at Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg.
Gardner also has been involved in what she describes as a “ton of living history” at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia.
“One such occasion was for the 65th anniversary of D-Day,” she said. “I directed, costumed, and performed in an old-time radio show — singing, comedy sketches, and such from the period — that took place as part of the festivities for the anniversary.”
In addition to Gardner, the production team includes Kelly Nesser ’23, stage manager and scenic and light designer, and Regan Weeks ’26, costume designer.
The cast of “The 39 Steps” includes Michael Tock ’27 as Richard Hannay, Macy Hooper ’26 as Annabella Schmidt, Lorelei “Lo” Mayberry ’28 as Pamela Edwards, Kai Gutierrez-Wood ’28 as Clown #1, and Mytro Riley ’27 as Clown #2.
Tock’s previous acting credits at Lynchburg include The Cat in the Hat in “Seussical” and Pseudolus in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” He’s also a member of the University’s musical theater ensemble, Curtain Call, which will perform a concert in November.
“I’m so excited to be in this show,” he said in early September, shortly after auditions. “It’s truly an honor to be among such an incredible group of people. We’re only a few days into the process and already we’ve gotten a lot of the show blocked, and the skeleton of the set is almost done.
“The cast, crew, and everyone involved in this show have been phenomenal, and I’m so excited for audiences to see this incredible production.”
While Hooper performed in high school productions, “The 39 Steps” is her first at Lynchburg. “I’m extremely excited to perform, as I have missed it,” she said. “I love the whole cast and am proud to say that I’m in a college theater production.
“I’m most looking forward to seeing everyone in their costumes because I think it’s the final piece that adds a lot to the show. Rehearsals have been very fun and they are always the highlight of my week.”
On Friday, Oct. 17, the University’s dance troupe, Dance Works, will perform at Midnight Madness, an annual, late-night pep rally that kicks off the 2025-26 men’s and women’s basketball seasons.
The show begins at 10 p.m. in Turner Gymnasium. The public is invited, admission is free, and no tickets are required.
“Although these students come from diverse dance backgrounds, they move as a true ensemble when they perform,” Abby Owen, Dance Works director, said. “I’m confident this will be an incredible year for our Dance Works company, and I can’t wait for them to showcase their group synergy during their debut performance at the Midnight Madness event.”
