Mark Rothman's two-character screwball comedy about love and show biz, Who Wants Fame, will have its world premiere May 27 at the Court Theatre, running through June 27.

Rothman (who also directs) was the co-creator-head writer-producer of such hit TV shows as "The Odd Couple," "Laverne & Shirley" and "Happy Days." His last Los Angeles play was the 1988 hit Excess Baggage, which the L.A. Times called "an audience pleaser...the dialogue caroms between pungency and frequent hilarity."

The male lead is played by the Tony-nominated Barry Gordon, who was Barry Rabinowitz on "Archie Bunker's Place" and the immediate past national president of the Screen Actors Guild. The female lead will be shared by Dawn Wells (who played Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island") and Susan Lanier (Bambi on "Welcome Back Kotter").

Rothman's comedy is described as giving "a whole new meaning to the benefits of apartment living when neighbors Earl Perkins, a pragmatic, successful TV morning show talent coordinator, enters into an unlikely romance with an impetuous and spontaneous free spirit, Patti Clark, a middle-aged actress who is trying to jumpstart her crummy acting career."

The Court Theatre is located at 722 N. La Cienaga Blvd. Call (310) 289-2999 for information. -- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent