Meet the Cast of "The 39 Steps" - Derek Nieves

Meet Derek Nieves

Derek plays one of two "clown" characters in TLT's production of The 39 Steps (playing now through September 2). Don't let the word "clown" fool you, however - there's no face paint involved. In just under two hours Derek plays more than twenty different characters, changing between them sometimes with nothing more than the change of a hat or an accent. It's difficult sometimes for an actor to keep just one character straight, but Derek hopscotches between them like he was born to do this.

Meet the man behind all the hats:

How did you first get involved in theater?
I'd been doing school plays and performances since I was a child, but at age 15 I performed in a production of The Sound of Music, and from then on I was hooked.

What do you love most about acting?
I love the storytelling aspect of theater.  In this age of technology it is a truly human interaction.  

What drew you to The 39 Steps?
The 39 Steps is truly "in my wheelhouse" as far as the acting style and content is concerned.  I really cut my teeth on farcical, high speed, comedy and the roles I play in this production definitely fall into this category.

What has been the most challenging aspect of this show for you?
The most challenging aspect of this production for me has been the organizational side.  Unlike a typical production ( if there truly is such a thing), The 39 Steps is such a whirlwind of costumes, props, and characters that I have had to make a concerted effort to keep myself physically and mentally organized throughout this project.

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting?
Just remember that no one brings exactly what you bring to the table.  And while you may not be who a directing was envisioning for a particular role THIS time...doesn't mean you won't be perfect next time.  You can control your preparation, not someone else's opinion.

Derek was recently featured by the Tallahassee Democrat as part of their local artists section. Click here to read more!

Tickets are selling fast for The 39 Steps! Book yours today by calling 850-224-8474 or going to http://tallahasseelittletheatre.org/39Steps

Derek Nieves (left) chases Bob Myers over the top of the "train" in The 39 Steps.