The surreal world of the American freak show comes to life in Alagazam, a play by Adam Smith and filmdom's Tim Robbins, set for premiere at Robbin's Actors' Gang Theatre Oct. 11-Dec. 21. Brent Hinkley (Underneath the Lintel) directs.

Set in the 1940's, Alagazam is a vaudevillian-style tale of the various denizens of a traveling medicine show, characters like the Bearded Lady, the Rooster Man, the Pinheads and the Woman in Perpetual Labor. Alagazam is a radically revised version of Alagazam, After the Dog Wars, which was workshopped with John Cusack's Chicago theatre company, New Criminals, in 1989.

Smith and Robbins also co-wrote the plays Violence and Carnage. Robbins' film credits include "Cradle Will Rock," "Dead Man Walking," "The Shawshank Redemption," "Bull Durham" and "The Player."

The cast of Alagazam, all members of The Actor's Gang, are Ned Bellamy, Angela Berliner, Bill Cusack, Cameron Dye, Ronit Feinglass, V.J. Foster, Gary Kelly, Corey Lovett, Sandro Mastrobuono, Caleb Moody, Steve Porter, Nancy Stone, Yasuko Takhara, P. Adam Walsh, Lolly Ward and Josh Zeller.

Tickets are $12. The Actors' Gang is located at 6209 Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood. For reservations, call (323) 465 0566. – By Christine Ehren