The 23rd Annual Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, KY will feature full-length works by five playwrights, in repertory Feb. 23 March 28, 1999, including plays by Anne Bogart and the Saratoga International Theatre Institute, Arthur Kopit, Naomi Iizuka, Frank Manley & Vincent Murphy and David Rambo.

The titles and subject matter will be announced Dec. 20 by Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Tony Award-winning regional theatre that produces the festival. Bogart's experimental movement-and-text work has been seen previously at Humana, and Kopit's Hollywood satire, Bone-the-Fish had its debut there (later being renamed Road to Nirvana).

The annual 10-minute play slate will have a theme this year: "Life Under 30," focusing on works by "writers under 30, about life under 30, performed by actors under 30." The short works, a favorite for festivalgoers every year, will be by Robb Badlam, Courtney Baron, Brooke Berman, Jerome Hairston, Julia Jordan, Matt Pelfrey, Caroline Williams and Sheri Wilner.

Plays are held on ATL's three stages: The intimate three-quarter Victor Jory, the quasi-proscenium Pamela Brown and the arena-style Bingham Theatre.

Works that began in the festival and went on to popular Broadway, film or regional success include The Gin Game, Agnes of God, Crimes of the Heart, Keely and Du, A Piece of My Heart, Talking With, Jack and Jill, Beast on the Moon, Below the Belt and others. The festival is sponsored by the Humana Foundation, an arm of the Humana health care organization.

For information, call ATL's box office at (502) 584-1205.

-- By Kenneth Jones