King Philip II of Spain tackles political situations abroad and personal trouble at home in the rarely-staged Friedrich Schiller play, Don Carlos, making its Washington DC premiere Jan. 16-March 11.

The Shakespeare Theatre presents the 1787 play, which concerns prince Don Carlos, who is in love with his stepmother, Elizabeth of Valois, during a time when Philip is struggling to maintain rule over the Spanish Netherlands.

Artistic director Michael Kahn directs Robert Sella (Broadway's Side Man) as Don Carlos, Enid Graham (Broadway's Honour) as Elizabeth and Ted van Griethuysen (the acclaimed DC actor) as Philip. The cast also includes Andrew Long as Marquis of Posa, Floyd King as Domingo, Edward Gero as Count of Lerma, Emery Battis as the Grand Inquisitor and Ralph Cosham, John Lescault, Elizabeth Long, Naomi Jacobson, Michelle Shupe and Gregory Wooddell.

Official opening is Jan. 21.

Famed designer Ming Cho Lee, who is recreating his Broadway mountainside setting of K2 for the December 2000 Arena Stage revival of that play, designs Don Carlos. Robert Perdziola is costume designer, Chris Parry is lighting designer. The translation is by Robert David MacDonald, who also translated Schiller's Mary Stuart for The Shakespeare Theatre's 1990 staging. Tickets are $14-$62. The Shakespeare Theatre is at 450 7th Street NW. For information, call (202) 547-1122.

—By Robert Simonson
Kenneth Jones