The Captain's Tiger, Athol Fugard's autobiographical story of a young writer haunted by a cherished photograph of his mother as a young woman, makes another stop on its way to Off-Broadway's Manhattan Theatre Club. The show plays May 5-24 at New Jersey's McCarter Theatre, opening there May 8. Fugard stars in the play (as he did in Valley Song), which premiered in Pretoria, South Africa in fall 1997. Following the opening night, Fugard jotted a note to McCarter's artistic director Mann, who was also in attendance: "...a thrilling launch last night. Individual response after the show leaves me in no doubt we have on our hands a play that works."

This production of Tiger is actually an exchange between the McCarter and the Market Theatre of Johannesburg, South Africa. To that end, Having Our Say, a 1995 comedy/drama directed by artistic director Mann, will travel there in the near future.

Co-starring at McCarter are South African cast-members Owen Sejake and Jennifer Steyn, under the direction of both Fugard and Susan Hilferty. Hilferty also designed the sets and costumes for the staging. Lighting is by Dennis Parichy. Underscoring for the show is composed and arranged by Lulu van der Walt.

Other plays by Fugard include The Blood Knot, Boesman and Lena, The Road To Mecca, Master Harold...and the Boys and Valley Song, which had its U.S. premiere at the McCarter.

For information on The McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ, winner of the 1994 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, call (609) 683-8000.

-- By David Lefkowitz & Laura MacDonald