The Public Theater production of Moliere's classic Tartuffe, which began its reign at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park Aug. 10, will end its scheduled run Sept. 5. Tartuffe, which opened to good-to middling reviews and stars Dylan Baker in the title role, is the latest in the Public's attempts to introduce non-Bard work at the Delacorte. In past years they have presented Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth and the musical, On the Town.

The Public's Delacorte season began in June with Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.

Tartuffe concerns a venal and libidinous religious hypocrite who holds a household under his thrall until being exposed for what he is. When first presented in 1664 France, the sharp satire created such a furor that the pious of Paris suppressed the play. It was not performed for another three years, and then in an altered version.

The company of the Moliere comedy includes Wendell Pierce as Cleante, J. Smith-Cameron as Elmire, Dana Ivey as Madame Pernelle, Charles Kimbrough as Orgon, and Mary Testa as Dorine. Mark Brokaw directs.

Ivey and Testa will be seen on Broadway this coming fall, in Noel Coward's Waiting in the Wings and Michael John LaChuisa's Marie Christine, respectively.