Jeff Steitzer, former artistic director of Seattle's A Contemporary Theatre, is a busy man these days -- and he's wearing two very wide-brimmed hats.

As an actor, he's in rehearsal for Seattle Repertory Theatre's Private Eyes, which opens Feb. 4.

As a director, he's readying his own new adaptation of Moliere's The Miser, which opens Jan. 22 at The Village Theatre in Issaquah, WA.

Steitzer, a veteran of the Empty Space Theatre's summer park shows of the '70s, has modeled The Miser on the over-the-top style of those shows.

"It's a very, very free adaptation of The Miser, done in a spirit Moliere himself might recognize," Steitzer explained. "We want to get plenty of laughs and to take no ideological prisoners." The broad story outline, about the miserly Harpagon, his two lovesick children, and one very brazen and determined matchmaker, remains unaltered.

The cast includes John Deveney, Keith Dahlgren, Pat Sibley, George Mount and John Kaufmann.

Sets are by Craig Wollam, costumes are by Carolyn Keim, lighting is by Jay Strevy, sound is by Don Littrett, and original music is by David Austin.

The Miser runs Jan. 22- March 1 at the Village's Francis J. Gaudette Theatre, 303 Front St. N., Issaquah, WA.

For tickets, priced at $24-$28, call (425) 392-2202 or (206) 292-ARTS.

-- By David-Edward HughesSeattle Correspondent