Just steps away -- Pioneer Playhouse season opener, 'The 39 Steps,' fresh off Broadway for Kentucky debut

The pioneering spirit is alive and well at Pioneer Playhouse. This summer, the summerstock theater will host a never-before-seen-in-Kentucky play, “The 39 Steps,” which closed on Broadway just this year. “We are the first theater in Kentucky to get permission to produce it,” said Henson, artistic director for the outdoor theater. “That is a very big deal. We are truly bringing Broadway to the Bluegrass this year.”“The 39 Steps,” adapted by Patrick Barlow, is described by Henson as “Hitchcock meets hilarious.” A Tony and Drama Desk award-winning comedy, based on Alfred Hitchock’s famous film, it played on Broadway for three years and ended its New York run Jan. 16. It will star Eben French Mastin, Pat Hammond, Daniel Hall Kuhn, Chris Kateff, Synge Maher and many new faces. The play is directed by Robby Henson.Aside from being first to produce the play in Kentucky, Henson says the pioneering spirit theme rings through off the stage, as well. Henson, daughter of the theater’s founder, the late Eben Henson, is fighting successfully a three-year battle with stage-four breast cancer. Henson adds, “And my mother (Charlotte), who is 80, still sings and plays guitar for the supper guests.” The playhouse also battled it’s own fight with water the last few years — a flood left the theater under six feet of water for three days. Through all of the curve balls, the theater has continued to grow and expand. Some new offerings on site at Pioneer Village include ice cream desserts with homemade toppings in the Palace of Sweets. Henson said patrons will be able to “indulge sinfully” in the homemade toppings and sauces, made fresh daily, including seasonal berry toppings picked on the playhouse grounds. Another new addition is the Backstage Boutique, boasting locally-made fabric arts and crafts.  “The new boutique was the brainchild of Teresa Martin, who is a local fabric artist,” Henson said. “Her husband, Chuck, volunteered to fix up the shop, and together they are making it a charming boutique, offering exquisite one-of-a-kind clothing, jewelry and crafts. Not only by Teresa but other selected local artists.”The boutique is open 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, June 10 through Aug. 20.Henson said the playhouse’s pre-show menu has changed as well, and will serve lemon chicken or garlic roast beef on locally-made Briar Knob rye buns with au jus. The meal is served with “cheesy taters,” coleslaw and seasonal veggies.The playhouse also will hold an arts and crafts festival during its opening weekend, June 10-11, with 50 booths and food vendors. Henson said she feels this summer promises to be one of the strongest summers in Pioneer Playhouse’s history, with a lineup of shows that are “superstrong.”“A lot of people don’t know this, but my mother picks the plays. She has done an extraordinary job, selecting this summer’s lineup. She’s also still singing for the dinner guests. She’s 80-years-young, and still runs circles around all of us.“This summer is going to be very special. When my father, Eben Henson, passed away seven years ago, many wondered if the playhouse would fold,” Henson said. “But we are continuing on, in the true pioneer spirit. Nothing stops or deters Kentucky’s love of the arts. The community has rallied behind us; our programs and attendance are increasing every year.”