The Unabomber, a woman in a supermarket having a life-changing experience and a lost handyman looking for a state of grace in the state of Oregon are among the characters set to populate the Magic Theatre in 2002-02. Three world premieres, Ted Kaczynski Killed People With Bombs, Body Familiar and 8 Bob Off, will play the San Francisco venue along with the West Coast premiere of Rebecca Gilman's Blue Surge (April 4-27, 2003).

Michelle Carter, who comically examined the former First Lady and Woody Allen's current wife in Hillary and Soon-Yi Shop for Ties, looks at Harvard graduate-turned-domestic-terrorist Ted Kaczynski, who became a recluse and then the infamous Unabomber. Carter combined actual bits of Kaczynski's manifesto plus her own fictional scenes and original songs. Ted Kaczynski premieres Oct. 11-Nov. 3.

San Francisco choreographer Joe Goode will use both actors and dancers to expose the inner turmoil in ordinary situations in Body Familiar. Goode, who heads his own dance troupe, is also a writer and director and often combines spoken text with his dance pieces. Body Familiar plays Jan. 3-Feb. 2, 2003.

Bob Plum, protagonist of Gary Leon Hill's 8 Bob Off, has a difficult life — his son lives in Washington, DC, his girlfriend lives in Fresno and his car is stuck in Nebraska, while he works under his aunt in Oregon. He's renovating on a run-down rental property for her, but it's this mundane work which may finally simplify his existance. 8 Bob Off plays Feb. 7-March 2, 2003.

Two other world premieres are being groomed for the final two slots on the Magic roster. The possibilies include Charles Mee's Requiem for the Dead, Neena Beeber's Zachariah Mosley's Neon Blues and Stephen Belber's Drifting Elegant. Season subscriptions are $85-$185. The Magic Theatre is located in Building D at the Fort Mason Center on Marina Boulevard. For reservations, (415) 441-8822. The Magic Theatre is on line at http://www.magictheatre.org.

—By Christine Ehren