The Poet's Garden, inspired by Madame Ginoux, the woman behind Vincent van Gogh's painting "L'Arlesienne," ends its world premiere run at Los Angeles' Matrix Theatre June 3. The three-person musical opened its debut April 19. Michael Michetti (Sweeny Todd with Amanda McBroom) directs.

Composer-lyricist John Allee and lyricist-librettist Gary Matanky, Richard Rodgers nominees for The Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear in 1994, crafted their musical around the life of the cafe proprietress Marie Ginoux, who inspired van Gogh's painting. Her routine life is disrupted by the arrival of the brilliant and sometimes insane artist who will paint her portrait. Their burgeoning friendship is altered, however, by the arrival of another artist, Paul Gauguin, who arrives to paint and live with van Gogh.

Fiama Fricano, who has appeared on Broadway and on tour in Sunset Boulevard, Ragtime and Beauty and the Beast, stars as Ginoux with Bjorn Johnson (Cyrano) as van Gogh and Steven Memel as Gauguin. Also in the cast are Michael DeVries (Grand Hotel, Secret Garden and King David) as Joseph-Michel Ginoux, Brad Blaisdell as Joseph Roulin and Dina Bennett as Augustine Roulin.

Designing Poet's Garden are Katherine Ferwerda (sets), Steven Young (lighting) and Doug Spesert (costumes). David Hollady is the musical director.

Tickets are $25. The Matrix Theatre is located at 7657 Melrose Avenue. For reservations, call (310) 289-2999. Poet's Garden is on the web at http://www.poetsgardenthemusical.com. — By Christine Ehren