San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre will premiere Tom Stoppard's 1995 play, Indian Ink, Feb. 18-March 21, 1999 on the Mainstage.

ACT artistic director Carey Perloff will direct the romantic comedy about Flora Crewe, a young English poet living in 1930's India, who has her portrait painted by a local artist, Nairad Das. Through her letters to her sister Nell, Flora illuminates the blossoming relationship between poet and painter. The play takes place partially in Flora's India and partially in Nell's 1980's England as she tries to recreate Flora's past for her would be biographer.

Set for the leads are Art Malik, who created the role of Das in the West End premiere at the Aldwych, Wendy Makkena (Side Man, "Sister Act") and ACT regular Jean Stapleton (TV's "All In The Family").

British playwright Stoppard is best known for his witty time-and-place bending comedies including Rosencratz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Travesties and Arcadia.

Tickets ($55-$11) are available by calling 415-749-2ACT or online at /www.act sfbay.org/bo/index.html. Post-Ink, the ACT season follows:
* Eugene O'Neill's drama Long Day's Journey Into Night (Apr. 1-May 2, 1999),
* The world premiere musical montage, with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Ain Gordon and David Gordon, The First Picture Show (May 6-June 6, 1999)
* Moliere's comedy of hypocrisy, Tartuffe (June 17-July 18, 1999).

-- By Christine Ehren