New translations and adaptations play a significant part in the upcoming Classic Stage Company season, which devotes itself to fresh looks at classic texts. The line-up includes a lurid French melodrama (the recent Therese Raquin, which opened the season), a zany Russian farce, a modern-day Greek tragedy, and an existential avant-garde landmark.

Next up for CSC is Christmas At The Ivanovs' runs through Jan. 4where "Tradition turns to wild hysteria (says the press release) as cooks, servants, judges, singing woodcutters, wild animals, a doctor and a poetry-reciting dog" spend a turn-of-the-century Christmas together.

This wild farce by Alexander Vvedensky [sic] will be staged by Karin Coonrod in conjunction with Arden Party, for which she serves as artistic director. Coonrod and Julia Listengarten have concocted a new English translation of the work. Writer/director Coonrod's most recent local staging was Henry VI at the NY Shakespeare Festival in 1996. (For an interview with Coonrod at the time, please see Playbill On-Line's feature story, "Karin Coonrod --from an Arden Party to a Shakespeare Festival")

Starring in Christmas At The Ivanovs' are Ledlie Borgerhoff, Mary Christopher, Paula Cole, DJ Mendel, Michael Escamilla, Thomas Jay Ryan and Steven Rattazzi. The show (not to be confused with Lincoln Center's staging of Chekhov's Ivanov) is designed by Penelope Wish (costumes), Sarah Edkins (sets), Kevin Adams (lighting), Tony Geballe (sound) and Joseph Brajcki (puppets).

Phaedra In Delirium (Jan. 20-Feb. 15, 1998; opens Jan. 28, 1998)
Set in contemporary times, this Susan Yankowitz drama serves as "a response" to plays by Euripides (Hipolytus) and Jean Racine (Phedre, 1677), in which Theseus' wife, Phaedra, falls in love with her stepson, Hippolytus. A co-production of The Women's Project & Productions, this world premiere will be directed by Alison Summers. Yankowitz is also the author of Under The Skin. Waiting For Godot (winter 1998)
Andrei Belgrader will stage Samuel Beckett's comedy/drama about two vagrants, Vladimir & Estragon, and the guy they're waiting, and waiting, and waiting for.

For tickets and information on CSC productions, call (212) 677-4210. Special programs include the education and outreach project, "Classic Contenders," and pay-what-you-can tickets made available to those under 18.

-- By David Lefkowitz