Previews for the season openers began March 17 and the work opens March 23 for a run through April 16.

The gritty storytelling drama earned a Tony Award nomination for its Broadway debut last season. Set in an unnamed totalitarian state, The Pillowman follows the story of a writer named Katurian Katurian who is brought in by the police for questioning when plotlines of his stories — which involve disturbingly gruesome tales — begin to resemble real-life murders.

The cast features Denis Arndt, Ian Bell, Corina Boettger, Julie Briskman, Joshua Froebe, Matthew Floyd Miller, Shawn Telford and R. Hamilton Wright.

The design team includes Matthew Smucker (scenic), Marcia Dixcy Jory (costume), Mary Louise Geiger (lighting) and Dominic Cody Kramers (sound). Adam Stern provides original compositions. Geoffrey Alm serves as fight director and Jeffrey K. Hanson is the stage manager.

The new 2006 season at ACT continues with Christopher Durang's Miss Witherspoon (April 28-May 28), Alice Childress' Wine in the Wilderness (June 9-July 9), the world premiere of Mitzi's Abortion by Elizabeth Heffron (July 21-Aug. 20), Caryl Churchill's A Number (Sept. 1-Oct. 1), Steve Martin's The Underpants (Oct. 13-Nov. 12), Dublin's Gate Theater staging of Waiting for Godot (Nov. 8-12) and the 31st annual production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. For subscriptions or tickets to the season at ACT, 700 Union Street in Seattle, WA, call (206) 292-7676 or visit www.acttheatre.org.