The Off-Broadway cast of Naomi Iizuka's 36 Views — about the discovery of a priceless Japanese "pillow book" and its impact on the lives of art experts — largely mirrors that of the previous Berkeley Repertory Theatre production, and the troupe takes its places for the first Public Theater preview March 12.

Ebon Moss Bachrach, Elaine Tse, Liana Pai and Rebecca Wisocky repeat their performances under the direction of Mark Wing-Davey on the stage of the Newman Theatre. New to the play are Stephen Lang and Richard Clarke. They take on the parts played in California by Bill Camp and Peter Donat. (Larry Pine was originally announced for the Lang role in New York.)

36 Views, which is a co-production with Berkeley Rep (where the drama played in fall 2001, directed by Wing-Davey), opens March 27. The cast will talk about the play with the Public Theater's dramaturg, Rebecca Rugg, on March 26 at The Public, at 425 Lafayette in Manhattan.

In the drama, a mysterious one-of-a-kind Japanese pillow book is discovered, setting the field of Asian antiquity on its ear. Behind the scenes, art restorer Claire (Tse) and an antique dealer's assistant, John (Moss-Bachrach), become caught up in their own lies and deceptions as the alleged pillow book subtly reveals contradictions in their lives.

Iizuka is also the author of Polaroid Stories, Aloha, Say the Pretty Girls, War of the Worlds (with Anne Pigart) and The Language of Angels. Designers are Douglas Stein (set), Myung Hee Cho (costume), David Weiner (lighting), Matthew Spiro (sound) and Ruppert Bohle (projections). Obie Award-winning director Wing-Davey staged The Public's The Skriker, Troilus and Cressida and Silence, Cunning, Exile. He helmed the 36 Views workshop at the Sundance Festival.

Tickets are $45. For information, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.publictheater.org.

— By Kenneth Jones
and Robert Simonson