TheatreWorks' staging of The Grapes of Wrath, written by Bay Area author John Steinbeck and adapted by Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, ends its run at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts Nov. 5. Performances began Oct. 11 with an opening Oct. 14. TheatreWorks artistic director Robert Kelley and Leslie Martinson co direct.

Steinbeck crafted this tale of the Joad family, a group of "Okies" running from the Great Depression and the dustbowl to longed-for work in California. This adaptation from Frank Galati and the Steppenwolf won the 1990 Tony Award for Best Play.

Linda Hoy stars as Ma Joad with Mark Phillips is her son, Tom. Hoy has played Ma Joad twice, one at San Jose University and once at the Sacramento Theatre Company. Phillips' credits include the Magic Theatre's productions of Kissing the Witch, True West and Stones in His Pockets (which was the U.S. premiere of the new London hit, expected on Broadway in the future).

Also in the cast are Tim Hendrixson (Jim Casey), Ron Evans, Bill Badger, David Babich, Gregory Bratman, Gene Carvalho, Don Hiatt, Jacqueline Hillsman, Thomas Lynam, Daraj Maxfield, Mark Messersmith and Paul Santiago. Tickets are $20-$38. The Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts is located on the corner of Castro and Mercy Streets in Mountain View. For tickets, call (650) 903-6000. TheatreWorks is on the web at http://www.theatreworks.org.

— By Christine Ehren