Focusing on a battle between science and spiritual belief, Hansen's Cab, a new play by Mark R. Giesser, will open Tuesday, May 9th at Off Broadway's Jose Quintero Theatre, 534 W. 42nd Street. Directed by Mark R. Giesser, the production features a cast including Heather Randall, Melissa Hart, Michael Pemberton and Avrom Berel and is presented by Alces Productions. Preview performances begin Friday, April 28th (8PM).

Set in the American Southwest of 1958, Hansen's Cab charts the journey of Jennifer Talavera, a young woman diagnosed with Hansen's Disease - more commonly known as leprosy. During that time, American public health policy stated that victims of the disease were to be forcibly transported to and involuntarily detained at the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital in Carville, Louisiana. While stopped en route to the hospital, in an historic site in the Guadalupe Mountains of Texas, Jennifer escapes her guardians and meets a mixed-blood Apache archaeologist. The mystical combination of Apache healing rituals and history embroil the characters in a battle between science and spriritual belief.

Playwright Mark R. Giesser has also penned the plays The Night They Burned Washington, Pleadge of Allegiance and Code of the West.

The cast includes Heather Randall, last seen on Broadway in Inherit the Wind, Melissa Hart, who received a Tony nomination for Georgy, Michael Pemberton, most recently seen in Stephen Sondheim's Saturday Night, and Avrom Berel, who appeared in Off-Broadway's The Night They Burned Washington.

Hansen's Cab will feature set designs by Obie Winner, John C. Scheffler, costume designs by Melanie Ann Schmidt, lighting by Aaron Meadow, and choreography sequences by Sharon Halley.

Performances will be Tuesday through Saturday evening at 8 PM, Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 3 PM, and Sundays April 30th and May 7th at 7:30 PM and Sundays May 14th, 21st & 28th at 3 PM. Through May 28th, all tickets are $40.00. For information and tickets call (212) 244-7529.

Tidbits:

• The much anticipated Sweeney Todd concert at Avery Fisher Hall opens this Thusday. Is it opera, or is it a Broadway musical? Even the composer, Stephen Sondheim, debates it in today's N.Y. Times. I think I like Jonathan Tunick's description best...American musical drama. Whatever it is I'll be there on Saturday. Some tix are still available, but all the cheap seats have been long gone. Patti Lupone and George Hearn star.

• Nice to see a familiar face in the Times. Bob Stillman is shown in not one, but two photos. He's currently in Dirty Blonde at the Helen Hayes. Perhaps, you'll remember Bob for his great performance in The Last Session a few season's back.

• Blue Man Group, and Grease are currently on the Boards in Las Vegas. And Footloose is on its way to the Rio in May.

• When is the last time you saw reviews like The Music Man got? Except for you know who the raves have been piling in and the buzz on the block is move over Kiss Me, Kate!

• I didn't know this, but Riverdance is releasing a CD featuring music from the Broadway show. Universal is releasing it on the Decca label.

• Encore's Wonderful Town opens this Thursday at City Center. Donna Murphy stars, but I'd see it just to catch Laura Benanti.

• Previews begin on June 8 for Hamlet, starring Kelsey Grammer. 60 performances only. Theatre TBA. Tix available at Telecharge.

• Talkin' Broadway's Cabaret 1, at Don't Tell Mama, is completely sold out! Alix Korey and Tom Andersen will perform. Staff and chatteratie are decending upon the Great White Way over Tony weekend and we thought it would be a great way to have this type of get-together. We'll have a few surprises for those lucky enough to have gotten tickets to our first cabaret venture.