It's 1991. The Soviet Union is on the brink of collapsing, but in Cuba Communism is still a very real thing. So much so, that writing the words "change," "individual rights" and "a little more freedom" lands two sisters in prison. Now, on permanent house arrest, after serving their sentence, the Cuban siblings are interrogated by a handsome Lieutenant.

This is the story of Two Sisters and a Piano by Cuban-born Nilo Cruz, which plays at the Studio Theatre in Washington, DC, Nov. 1-Dec. 10. The official opening is Nov. 5. Serge Seiden directs the production which runs alongside the season opener Vigil which has been extended through Nov. 12.

The cast includes Greta Sánchez-Ramírez and Nancy Rodriguez as the title characters with Paul Morella and Lawrence Redmond filling out the remainder. Daniel Conway designs sets, while Joseph Appelt tackles lighting. Helen Q. Huang provides costumes, Gil Thompson designs sound, and Susan Senita Bradshaw handles properties.

For tickets to Two Sisters, call the Studio Theatre box office, 1333 P Street NW (at 14th) in Washington, DC, at (202) 332-3300 or visit their website at www.studiotheatre.org.

-- by Ernio Hernandez