SEATTLE -- Though he's had shows done all over the country, prolific author Steven Dietz (Lonely Planet, God's Country) never had a play done at Seattle Rep -- odd, because he comes from Seattle.

Well, that situation will be rectified Feb. 4, when Dietz's 1996 comedy thriller, Private Eyes, opens there. The play premiered at Arizona Theatre Company where David Ira Goldstein -- who directs Private Eyes at Seattle Rep -- serves as artistic director.

Dietz's play looks at what happens when a husband finds out his actress wife and her director are having an affair -- or are they just rehearsing a scene from a play? And is the local waitress, in fact, a private investigator?

Starring in the show are Katie Forgette, Dan Hiatt, Jeff Steitzer, Nance Williamson and R. Hamilton Wright. Desiging the show are Scott Weldin (set), Rose Pederson (costumes), Rick Paulsen (lighting) and Steven M. Klein (sound). Private Eyes began previews Jan. 31 and runs to Feb. 28.

Other works by Dietz include Halcyon Days, Down The Names, Trust and Boomtown. His next work, tentatively titled Rocket Man, has been commissioned by Arizona Theatre Company and will be presented there in Spring 1998. *

At the mid-point of its 1997-1998 season, the first under artistic director Sharon Ott, Seattle Repertory Theatre has plenty to crow about.

At its mainstage Bagley Wright Theatre, Le Cirque Invisible with Jean Baptiste Thierree and Victoria Chaplain played to the theatre's highest paid capacity in the past ten seasons.

Meanwhile the company's smaller venue, the intimate Leo Kreielsheimer theatre had a real one two punch with Mary Zimmerman's The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci, playing to more than 15,000 people and breaking box office records, followed by Ott's smash staging of A Doll's House which played to 100.47 percent of capacity during its run.

One particularly successful innovation, and one which makes the Rep much more accessible to younger, non-subscriber audience members, has been a new budget priced ticket program. Patrons under age 25 are offered seats at $10 each, and thus far 5,200 young patrons have bought tickets.

Winner of the 1990 Tony for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Seattle Rep is now under the guidance of new artistic director Ott. Other plays in this season's line-up include:

Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband (Mar. 7-Apr. 12);
Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House (Dec. 6-Jan. 17);
Athol Fugard's Valley Song (Jan. 24-Mar. 14);
Anne Galjour's Alligator Tales (Mar. 21-May 2), a recent Manhattan Theatre Club Stage II offering.

For further information call (206) 443-2222.

-- By David-Edward Hughes
Seattle Correspondent and David Lefkowitz