Harlan Ellison, acid-penned master of speculative fiction, will see several of his award-winning short stories adapted to the stage as Stalking the Nightmare, which opens March 9 at Off-Broadway's West End Theatre.Previews begin March 6.

Adapted and directed by Robert Armin, the show presents eight of Ellison's stories -- including "Shatterday," "Flop Sweat" and "Paladin of the Lost Hour" -- narrated by the recorded voice of Ellison himself.

Ellison wrote classic episodes of TV shows "Star Trek," "The Outer Limits" and "The Twilight Zone" and "The Outer Limits" and two of his stories formed the basis of the films The Terminator and A Boy and His Dog.

However, fans of science fiction know him best from his short story collections including "Shatterday," "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream," "Deathbird Stories," "Angry Candy," "Strange Wine." He's edited the "Dangerous Visions" short story collections, and written essays on TV, collected as "The Glass Teat."

His many awards include the 1995 Living Legend Award from the International Horror Critics, and four Most Outstanding Teleplay awards from the Writers Guild of America.

Stalking the Nightmare features Diane Bradley, Femi Emiola, Johnny Kitt, David Sitler, Ronald Venable and David Vogel.

Other Ellison stories dramatized in Stalking the Nightmare are "Tired Old Man," "Prince Myshkin, and Hold the Relish," "The New York Review of Bird" and "The Voice in the Garden."

For tickets or information: (212) 582-0241. You can also check out Armin's website at http://nydirector.com/Ellison/index.htm. The theatre is part of the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew on Manhattan's West 86th Street.

-- By Robert Viagas