Rising Los Angeles playwright-screenwriter Rick Cleveland returns to his Chicago roots for the world premiere of his new comedy, Danny Bouncing, Jan. 22-Feb. 28, 1999 at the Victory Gardens Theatre.

Official opening on the VG's Burstein Stage is Feb. 1, 1999.

Cleveland, whose previous plays include Dogman's Last Stand, The Rhino's Policeman, Kids in the Dark and Home Grown, is emerging as a hot screenwriter. His "Jerry and Tom," starring Joe Mantegna and Ted Danson, is slated for a March release by Miramax and is getting good reviews and audience feedback in the film-festival circuit. He wrote for the ABC-TV series, "Maximum Bob," and is developing pilot projects for NBC and Warner Bros.

Victory Gardens artistic associate Curt Columbus will direct the dark comedy, about an L.A. playwright, Danny, recovering from a brush with testicular cancer. Juggling feelings for an ex girlfriend and complications presented by his out-of-work actor friends, who are threatening to break into Madonna's hot tub. Danny also has an offer to turn his one-man cancer play into a film.

Martin McClenden plays Danny, with David DeCastro, Amy Landaecker, Patrick Populorum, Sarah Underwood, Kim Wade and E. Milton Wheeler playing Danny's friends. Tickets are $25-$30. The Victory Gardens is at 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., in Chicago. Call (773) 871-3000 for tickets.

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Victory Gardens' 1998-99 season is its 25th devoted to new works. Also on the season are the world premiere of Kristine Thatcher's study of three middle-aged men, Among Friends (March 19-April 25), directed by VG artistic director Dennis Zacek; and Claudia Allen's new work, Winter, starring Julie Harris and Mike Nussbaum as two old friends (May 14-June 20).

-- By Kenneth Jones