From Ridiculous Theatricals to Sacred Fools.

Charles Ludlam's comedy Caprice makes its West Coast deubt Oct. 18-Nov. 17 at the Sacred Fools Theatre in Hollywood. 2001 Ovation Award nominee John Altieri (Pathe-X, Alive a Little, Through the Window) directs and designs the production.

After living a life of perfect balance and meditation, a dying hermit finds himself faced with a choice — enter Nirvana or return to earth to enlighten others. The hermit takes the latter and wakes up as gay New York fashion designer Claude Caprice. In battle with his rival Twyla Adamant, he loses his lover and inspiration Adrian but may find the ultimate in clothing design. Ludlam wrote the comedies The Mystery of Irma Vep, Bluebeard and a drag version of Camille.

Caprice features David Bauman, Tom Chalmers, Daniel Escobar, Jay Harik, Allen Hendrick, Dean Jacobson, Lynda Lenet, Johanna McKay, Sondra Mayer, Tenny Priebe and Atim Udoffia.

Tickets are $15. For reservations, call (310) 281-8337. Sacred Fools Theatre is located at 660 N. Heliotrope Drive. The Sacred Fools are on the web at http://www.sacredfools.org. — By Christine Ehren