LOS ANGELES -- The Alliance Repertory Company of Burbank will present a Mirage, -- that is, a one-act festival opening July 24. The three plays, two of them world premieres, explore the conflict between reality and illusion. In Heavy Petting, by Kiff Scholl, Gracie's husband, Max, is having an affair with another man, so Gracie starts her own affair with the sensual Kitty. An unusual woman lives in a dilapidated trailer on the edge of town and ignores her landlord's attempts to evict her, in Stain by Clara York and Shannon Presby. Finally, Southern Belle by Christopher Durang, is a parody of The Glass Menagerie, in which the fading Southern belle, Amanda, tries to prepare her hypochondriacal son, Lawrence, for "the feminine caller."

The show will run 8 PM Friday and Saturday and 6:30 PM Sunday, through Aug. 30. Tickets are $15, with discounts for seniors and students. Half-price previews are 8 PM July 22 and July 23. For reservations, call (213) 660-8587. The theatre is at 3204 Magnolia Blvd., Burbank.

-- By Michael Farkash
Southern California Correspondent