Rep artistic director Michael Bush directs the staging, Sept. 6-Oct. 5 at the Booth Playhouse. This is billed as the official 20th anniversary production of the musical "about life and love by the roadside." The original writing team included Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Foley, Mark Hardwick, John Schimmel and Jim Wann.

The Rep's upcoming season includes old favorites, a new works festival, and a world premiere illusionist event called All of the People, All of the Time.

The new work by Patrick Cook, Darwin Ortiz and David Roth plays Nov. 15-Dec. 14 under the direction of Michael Bush. The family-friendly show is a "comical tale of childhood ambition that becomes reality for two of the world's most famous close-up magicians, Darwin Ortiz and David Roth." Two other actors join the illusionists in the autobiographical show. Patrick Cook is the respected musical theatre writer (Captains Courageous), but wears his playwriting hat here. Performances play Duke Power Theatre.

The season also includes Cheryl West's Jar the Floor, starring Suzzanne Douglas of TV's "The Parent Hood" (Oct. 18-Nov. 9 at the Booth); Fully Committed, Becky Mode's one-actor comedy (with Scott Helm) about a trendy restaurant (Dec. 3-7 and Dec. 16-18 at the Booth); Jaston Williams, Joe Spears, and Ed Howard's A Tuna Christmas (Nov. 29-30, Dec. 9-14 and Dec. 19-21 at the Booth); Hamlet, directed by Robert Moss (Feb. 7-29, 2004, at the Booth); In-the-Works, the Rep's annual new play festival, Spring 2004; Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park (April 17-May 9, 2004 at the Booth).

For more information about Charlotte Rep, visit www.charlotterep.org *

Last season Charlotte Rep hosted the pre-Broadway tryout of The Miracle Worker, with Hilary Swank. The Broadway producers decided not to bring the show in, but said they were still interested in a future production of it, with Swank.