Actor Larry Drake won two Emmy Awards as the mentally challenged office worker in "L.A. Law" before going on to take movie ("Darkman") and Southern California theatre roles (The Hostage, Greater Tuna). Oct. 30-Dec. 2, he'll play Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, in the world premiere of Lucinda Coxon's Nostalgia, playing on the South Coast Repertory Second Stage. Ten-time Drama Logue winner Juliette Carrillo (the world premiere of References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot) directs.

Nostalgia takes place in peaceful South Wales, where two brothers work their farm across the river from a woman who tills the land as well. The younger brother Tom falls in love with this mysterious outcast named Buddug, while his brother Will struggles to keep him on their side of the river. Into their lives comes Doyle, searching for a famous medium he hopes can connect him with his son, a victim of World War I.

Coxon is also the author of Waiting at the Water's Edge and Wishbones. Nostalgia was written on commission with SCR and was read at the company's 2001 Pacific Playwrights Festival.

Joining Drake in the cast are Michael James Reed (La Bete) as Will, Daniel Blinkoff as Tom and Susanna Schulman as Buddug.

The design team includes Myunghee Cho (sets), Alex Jaeger (costumes), John Martin (lighting) and Gina Lieschman (sound). Tickets are $19-$51. South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. For reservations, call (714) 708-5555. South Coast Repertory is on the web at http://www.scr.org.

— By Christine Ehren