During his hiatus from TV filming, Kartheiser's San Jose debut will be as Sebastian, "a brilliant young novelist, coping with great personal loss in the aftermath of 9/11," according to the resident California company. "He goes into seclusion in his Manhattan apartment, refusing to write again. A mysterious and beautiful stranger intrudes, telling incredible stories of her own. Is she yet another fan of his work, or is she something else entirely?"

The Death of the Novel will be directed by San Jose Rep artistic director Rick Lombardo for an Aug. 30-Sept. 23 run. It's billed as being about "finding the tenacity to thrive in a dangerous, unpredictable world, and to create again." The playwright penned the screenplay to "Swing Kids."

Additional details will be announced later this summer.

Kartheiser appeared as a teen in the film "Untamed Heart" opposite Christian Slater and Marisa Tomei. He played roles in the independent films "Another Day in Paradise," "Alpha Dog," "Crime and Punishment in Suburbia" and "Dandelion," and starred on the WB series "Angel." Off-Broadway, he appeared in "Slag Heap" at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Most recently, he starred in the feature film "In Time," directed by Andrew Niccol. The 2012 season finale of "Mad Men" airs June 10 on AMC.

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The San Jose Rep 2012-13 season also includes Freud's Last Session, A Christmas Carol, Next Fall, the musicals Next to Normal and A Minister's Wife (a West Coast premiere) and a title to be announced. Visit sjrep.com.