After playing a limited engagement earlier this year (Jan. 4-21), Theodora Skipitares returned to New York City's La MaMa E.T.C. with her Optic Fever (The Age of the Eye). The production will end its one-week run June 17 at La MaMa's Annex Theatre. Performances began June 13.

Conceived, designed, written and directed by Skipitares, Fever explores the world of such Renaissance artists as Leonardo Da Vinci and the lesser-known Paolo Uccello. The play contains an ensemble of puppets that range from tiny to life-sized as they probe the principles of perspective, engineering and geometry.

The science of art has been the focus of all of Skipitares' earlier works as well. Those include Micropolis, Defenders of the Code, The Radiant City, Underground and more recently The Harlot's Progress which won her an American Theatre Wing special design award.

Fever contains a musical score composed by David First. The production also features additional texts by David Adjmi, lighting design by Pat Dignan and video design by Kay Hines. Narration is handled by Michael Moran and the puppeteers include Sarah Provost, Preston Foerder, Alissa Mello and Chris Maresca. All of the artists from the January run return for this engagement.

To catch the Fever at La MaMa's Annex Theater, 74A East Fourth Street, call (212) 475-7710. For more information, visit www.lamama.org. — by Ernio Hernandez