Playwright W. David Hancock's acclaimed new work, The Race of the Ark Tattoo: A Play in a Flea Market, will end its two-month long run at the P.S. 122 gallery in Manhattan on Aug. 2. The show is co-presented by Hancock's usual sponsor, the Foundry Theatre.

Ark Tattoo takes place at a flea market where Mr. P. Foster sells artifacts of the deceased foster father, Mr. Homer Phinney, who used to hold a weekly flea market out of his garage in Cape Cod. The story is sparked by the random selection of items from the market. With each choice, Foster tells the story behind the object, recreated his life through the memories attached to Phinney's goods.

Hancock won an Obie Award for his previous play, Convention of Cartography. Hancock's other works include Deviant Craft, which was performed at the Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage. Melanie Joseph, the artistic director of the Foundry, directs the piece, which stars Matthew Maher as Foster.

Ark Tattoo plays Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM. For information, call (212) 477-5288.

-- By Robert Simonson