The cast and designers have been set for The Square, the second event in the Taper, Too series at The Actors' Gang in Los Angeles. The show will run for 21 performances only, June 29 through July 16. Presented by the Mark Taper Forum's Asian Theatre Workshop, conceived by Chay Yew and Lisa Peterson, and directed by Peterson, The Square combines short plays by 16 American playwrights, all set in and around a town square in Chinatown. A cast of 12 actors helps convey the history, relationships and politics between Asian and non-Asian Americans.Featured in The Square are Marcus Chong, Dennis Dun, Arye Gross, Emily Kuroda, Soon-Tek Oh, Saundra Quarterman, Elizabeth Ruscio, Barry Del Sherman, Elizabeth Sung, Jodi Thelen, Tamlyn Tomita and Greg Watanabe.

The 16 playwrights are Bridget Carpenter, Ping Chong, Constance Congdon, Kia Corthron, Maria Irene Fornes, Philip Kan Gotanda, Jessica Hagedorn, David Henry Hwang, Craig Lucas, Robert O'Hara, Han Ong, Jose Rivera, Diana Son, Alice Tuan, Mac Wellman and Yew.

Set design is by Rachel Hauck; costumes by Joyce Kim Lee; lighting by Geoff Korf; and sound design by Nathan Wang.

Also on tap at Taper, Too are six performances only of Weights, written and performed by Lynn Manning, directed by Robert Egan. The dates are Saturdays, July 8 & 15, and Sundays July 9 and 16 at 5.30 PM, and Mondays July 10 and 17 at 8 PM.

The Taper also announced that tickets have gone on sale for its mainstage production of the West Coast premiere of Lisa Loomer's Expecting Isabel, which opens Aug. 3 and runs through Aug. 27. Douglas C. Wagner directs the comedy, which won a best- play award from the American Theatre Critics Association and deals with a thirty-something couple trying desperately to conceive a child.The Actors's Gang is located at 6209 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. For Taper, Too and Taper Forum tickets and information, call (213) 628-2772 or visit www.TaperAhmanson.com.

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent