The Boys of Winter, a new comedy-drama about a high school hockey team, will have its world premiere July 21 at Theatre/Theater in Hollywood. Written by Dean B. Kaner, Eric Small and Jeffrey Vlaming, the play is directed by Small and is presented by Kaner/Small World in association with Crusader Entertainment. Two of the principals in the latter company are film producers Howard and Karen Baldwin.The Boys of Winter deals with the graduating members of the White Lake High hockey team. These teenaged athletes strive to make their small-town team the state champs -- and to make a lot of other dreams come true. The spectre of death is a peripheral presence, as it is 1966, and the Vietnam conflict and the draft hang over them.

Kaner has had several of his previous plays produced, including Hardball, which opened in Arizona recently. Small is a screenwriter as well as a director. Vlaming has written for the hit TV series "X-Files," "Northern Exposure" and "Weird Science."

The cast includes Adam Frost (a Nickeloden star for four season on "Hang Time"), Ange Billman, Jonathan Danker ("The Sopranos"), Brandon Tapp, Steve Howey, Amy Collett, Jason Adelman and Tom Brainard.

Theatre/Theater is located at 6425 Hollywood Blvd., 4th floor. For tickets and information call (310) 289- 2999.

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent