COSTA MESA, CA -- Last Chance to catch John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men at South Coast Rep. Ending its scheduled run April 4, it is the third production in the theatre's five year American Classics Series. The production, directed on the Mainstage by David Emmes, began previews Feb. 19 and opened Feb. 26.

Jefferson Breland, April Crowell, Jonathan Fuller, Steve Mattila, Abdul Salaam el Razzac, Doug Tompos and three SCR vets: Richard Doyle, Art Kopustik and David Whalen comprise of the cast.

Nearly 3000 Orange County students attended performances March 23-26. More than 100 teachers learned about the theatre's educational programs at a reception and preview performance of Mice and Men, Feb. 19.

In a related announcement, SCR said that its Repertory Youth Players will perform Steve DeNaut's Fairy Tale Reunion on April 17 & 18 at 2 and 4 PM on the SCR Second Stage as part of Orange County's 1999 Imagination Celebration. Fairy Tale Reunion is a new musical that combines the good-natured morality of Mother Goose with the wise- cracking humor of "The Dead End Kids."

The Youth Players will bring the musical to Kidseum at Bowers Museum in Santa Ana on May 1 at 1:30 PM and Barnes & Noble in Fashion Island May 8 at 1:30 PM. For Youth Conservatory info call (714) 708-5577. For Of Mice and Men information or tickets call (714) 708-5555.

Next up on the mainstage will be Alan Ayckbourn's trilogy-comedy, The Norman Conquests, April 9-May 16. Play Strindberg runs on the Second Stage through April 11.

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent