West Coast actress-writer Stacie Chaiken brings her warm, humorous solo show, Looking for Louie, about "a second-generation Russian Jewish American redhead" who goes in search of the mysterious great-grandfather, to New York City's Tenement Theatre in the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, Nov. 8-19. Marcy Arlin, artistic director of the Immigrants' Theatre Project (in New York) directs the show that was embraced in a separate West Coast staging at Pacific Resident Theatre.

"It's a real story about her looking for her great-grandfather who nobody in her family ever talked about," said Arlin, who is helping Chaiken adapt the show to the more intimate 45-seat setting at the Tenement Theatre. "Also woven into it is her own personal journey — she talks about her own life and the changes that she goes through."

Chaiken is a California actress. Music is by Ian Walker, dramaturgy is by Tania Myren, choreography is by Nan Friedman, lights and environment are by JR Krauza and assistant director is Thomas Abbey.

Immigrants' Theatre Project presents "plays by and about immigrants, mostly focusing on newer immigrants," Arlin told Playbill On-Line. The company just received a Kennedy Center Award for a work about an Indonesian Chinese family set San Francisco.

Looking for Louie plays a preview Nov. 8 and opens Nov. 9, continuing to Nov. 19, Wednesdays through Sundays. A $30-per-ticket benefit show is 7 PM Nov. 12.

The 45-seat Tenement Theatre is at 97 Orchard Street in Manhattan. For information and group rates, call (718) 237-4545 and for reservations, call (212) 431-0233 ext. 440. Visit the web site at www.lookingforlouie.com.

— By Kenneth Jones