Sir Ernest Shackleton's harrowing tale of survival in 1914's Antarctica became a best seller ("The Endurance") and a 1999 exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. With its opening Nov. 14, Ice Island: The Wait for Shackleton will explore the true-life story in play form at the Melting Pot Theatre.

Marjorie Duffield's drama documents the existence of the 22 men who stayed behind when famed explorer Shackleton left his crew after their ship, Endurance, became trapped in sea ice off of Elephant Island. Shackleton spent five months camping on the ice before he was able sail, in an open boat, the 800 miles to South Georgia (in the former U.S.S.R.) where he organized a search party and rescued his men. While they waited for Stackleton to return, the men lived off seals and penguins and did all they could to relieve the boredom of three months of Antarctic darkness and their fears of abandonment.

Lori Steinberg (Oy!, The Portable Pioneer) directs. Christopher Burns, Bostin Christopher, Ramon de Ocampo, Michael Medeiros, Charles McIver, Lou Sumrall and Sam Wellington star.

Tickets are $35 and available by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200. The Melting Pot Theatre is located at 311 West 43rd Street.

-- By Christine Ehren