The new musical covers 60 years of Picasso's life, from his early years in Spain to post-World War I Paris to his rise in the art world and tales of his love affairs. The U.S. premiere of the work will have an all-new staging not seen in its previous Monte Carlo and Paris engagements.

With English lyrics by Elaine Rowan, the show has music by Pascal Stive and original book and lyrics by Jean Michel Beriat and Raymond Jeannot.

The cast and creative team has not been announced.

Walnut Street Playhouse announced plans for its 2003-04 season March 3. The slate includes Annie (Nov. 4-Jan. 4, 2004), Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues (Jan. 19-Feb. 29, 2004) with Jesse Bernstein as Eugene, Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story (March 9-April 25, 2004) and Hello, Dolly! (May 11-July 4, 2004).

For information about the season or subscriptions, call (215) 574-3550 or visit wstonline.org. *

Walnut Street Theatre is one of the country's oldest theatres, and bills the upcoming season as its 195th. It also operates an intimate second stage.

The current attraction on the mainstage is a revival of Harley Granville-Barker's 1905 play, The Vosey Inheritance, the richly moral soap opera of family, finances and misplaced ethics. Paxton Whitehead stars. It opens March 19 after previews from March 11 and continue to April 27.