LOS ANGELES -- Asylum, Kara Hartzler's story about a young American woman who travels far from home to offer paralegal assistance to people overseas seeking political asylum in the United States, will open Feb. 20 at 2100 Square Feet.

Asylum draws on Hartzler's own experiences as a paralegal and as a student in the Middle East. The protagonist's clients hail from Nigeria, Indian, Cuba, Guatemala and Honduras, among other places. Each one has his own needs and his own tale to tell.

Asylum was written and first produced in 1997 at the Long Beach Studio Theatre. It has been re-written since then and will be freshly mounted by director Diane Castle. Jamie Farmer Ebersole portrays the protagonist, Leah. Others in the multi-ethnic cast include Mueen J. Ahmad, Eduardo Garcia, Monica Hidrovo, Elizabeth Liang, Richard Retes and Sammy Wayner IV.

Asylum runs through March 28 at 5615 San Vicente Blvd. Call (323) 936-6818 or visit www.2100squarefeet.com.

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent