1. “33 Variations” (August.24- September 30)- the season kicks off with a compelling new play by one of the leading voices of the contemporary American theater- Moises Kaufman. In 1819, fledgling publisher Anton Diabelli commissioned 50 composers to write a variation on a waltz he had created Beethoven rejected the invitation, dismissing Diabelli’s theme.

2. “Well” (September 14- October 14)- Mother knows best in this hilarious and moving Tony award-winning comedy about childhood and family. As she talks about growing up in a household full of allergies and social activism, Lisa, the heroine, loses control of her own autobiography. Things spin into riotously comic territory as her mom continually interrupts the proceedings to set the record straight.

3. “The Women Of Brewster Place” (Oct. 19-Dec.9)-Based on Gloria’s best-selling novel, this soaring musical adaptation chronicles the dreams and realities of ten diverse African-American women who live in a decaying housing project on a dead-end street. This world premiere will be one of the most anticipated events of the D.C. theater season.

4. “Christmas Carol 1941" (Nov. 16-Dec.30)- This world premiere holiday event is about the Schroen family keeping the holiday spirit in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor in spite of shortages, a housing crunch. This fresh take on Dickens’ classic tale by James Magruder breathes new life into a beloved story featuring periods and traditional carols.

5. “Ella” (December 28-Feb. 24, 2008)- This swinging new musical making its regional premiere takes you inside the heart, and soul of the First Lady Of Song- Ella Fitzgerlald. While she is rehearsing for an important 1966 concert, Ella’s producer requests that she add “patter” about her life to the show. With this daunting task before her, Ella starts to revisit the people and events of her past.

6. “Death Of A Salesman” (March 14- May 18, 2008)- This Pulitzer-Prize winning masterpiece by Arthur Miller is about the iconic figure of the American stage, traveling salesman Willy Loman, chasing his elusive American dream that has put unrelenting pressure on his sons to achieve at all costs. Faced with the end of his career, he’s haunted by missed opportunities and a troubled past. As the truth unravels, his wife Linda struggles to help her increasingly desperate husband.

7. “A View From The Bridge” (March 21- May 18, 2008)- Like “Death Of A Salesman," this passionate drama about Italian-American immigrant life in the 1950s also examines the promise-and failure-of the American Dream.

8. “The Mystery Of Irma Veep” (May 2-June 8, 2008)- Charles Ludlam’s outrageous comedy is about Lady Enid, newly married to Lord Edgar, arriving at an estate under the spell of his deceased first wife and haunted by something prowling the moors. She quickly encounters an Egyptian princess, a werewolf and the mystery of Irma Veep, whose portrait hangs over the fireplace.

E-Mail your comments at dino.62@hotmail.com