TheatreWorks artistic director Robert Kelley directs the Ludwig adaptation of the Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur play. Performances began Jan. 14 and will continue through Feb. 8 at the California venue.

The TheatreWorks cast includes Dan Hiatt as Oscar Jaffe, Rebecca Dines as Lily Garland, Gerald Hiken as Matthew Clark, Suzanne Grodner as Ida Webb, Bob Greene as Owen O'Malley, Geno Carvalho as George Smith, Edward Sarafian as Conductor, Jackson Davis as Dr. Grover Lockwood, Ayla Yarkut as Anita Highland and Michael Gene Sullivan.

Twentieth Century, according to press notes, "tells the tale of Oscar Jaffe, a Broadway impresario whose star once shown brightly, but has endured several flops in a row. Desperate to reclaim his throne as the king of the stage, Jaffe cooks up a scheme to get his former lover and current film starlet, Lily Garland, to agree to star in his next production. Aboard the famous Twentieth Century locomotive, Jaffe tries to use his charm, wits, glib tongue, and ingenuity to cajole Garland into agreeing to return to him. Caught up in the chaos are Jaffe's assistants, droll Ida Webb and brutish Owen O'Malley, as well as several train employees and passengers, as the story builds to a crescendo with a very satisfying climax."

The design team includes Andrea Bechert (scenic design), Fumiko Bielefeldt (costume design), Steven B. Mannshardt (lighting design), Cliff Caruthers (sound design) and Richard Lane (fight director).

For tickets phone (650) 903-6000 or visit theatreworks.org. TheatreWorks' Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts is located at 500 Castro Street (at Mercy) in Mountain View, CA.