Katherine McGrath, a veteran of 40 productions at San Diego's Globe Theatres, tackles the Divine Sarah in Memoir, John Murrell's portrait of legendary French actress Sarah Bernhardt, March 24-May 5 on the Globe's Cassius Carter Centre Stage. Tony winner Joseph Hardy (Child's Play, Play It Again Sam, Romantic Comedy and Gigi) directs.

The greatest, and certainly most famous, actress of her generation, Bernhardt inspired theatre-goers and artists alike. She earned her reputation in the works of Victor Hugo, Rostand, Sarduo and Dumas the Younger, and had the part of Salome written for her by Oscar Wilde. Unfortunately, her personal life was much less triumphant - she was shipped off to a convent for her education and was all but prostituted to older men by her mother, her beloved sister died young and she was unhappy in her marriage. Canadian scribe Murrell is the author of New World, Haydn's Head, The Faraway Nearby and Power in the Blood.

McGrath's many credits at the Globe include Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Dancing at Lughnasa, Hamlet, Morning's at Seven, Shirley Valentine, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Elektra. She recently played Mrs. Paroo in Broadway's The Music Man.

Jonathan McMurtry plays Georges Pitou. He has played in 170 productions at the Globe, winning some 30 Drama-Logue Awards over the course of his career, as well as a Joe Callaway Award and an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award.

Robert Morgan will design both the costumes and the sets with lighting by Trevor Norton and sound by Karl Mansfield. Tickets are $35-$45. The Globe Theatres are located in Balboa Park. For reservations, call (619) 239 2255. The Globe Theatres are on the web at http://www.theglobetheatres.org.

— By Christine Ehren