In their first annual "New Works Festival," Dallas' Kitchen Dog Theatre has been presenting the world premiere of Isaac by David Schulner. Chosen from more than 70 scripts, Isaac is a radical new retelling of the Biblical Abraham and Isaac story. KDT Artistic Director Dan Day directs the piece, which opened May 22 and ends June 13.

Along with Isaac, KDT has been presenting a "pay-what-you-can" series of staged readings, occurring Wednesdays and Sundays, throughout the run of the Fest. The last reading,Paul Walsh's new translation of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, goes up June 13.

Kitchen Dog's New Works Festival is an outgrowth of their membership in the National New Play Network (NNPN), an alliance of theaters dedicated to creation, production, and dissemination of new works. Other members include: The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, NY's The Drama Department, Atlanta's Actor's Express, and Mixed Blood Theater of Minneapolis.

For tickets or more information on any of the festival's events, call (214) 953-1055.

-- By Sean McGrath