The world premiere of Elroyce D. Jones' lyrical, bittersweet southern drama A Thimble of Smoke will continue through Dec. 19 at the 24th St. Theatre, directed by Gregg Daniel.

Jones, a contributing member of the Watts Writer's Workshop, has focused on a resolute washer woman in the Jim Crow south who parlays a ray of hope for her youngest child into a legacy for generations. Set in 1954, poverty made life simple and desperation lasted a lifetime for the people of "Mr. Owens' Circle," the backwater remnants of a former cotton mill relegated to segregated blacks. Yet, one hot summer day on a ramshackle porch, the siren song of a vegetable peddler lures neighbors to take momentary flight on the wings of simple dreams for "flower-bed living," a "green back dollar payin' job" and the extraordinary promise of Miss Thelma Pearl Sykes' youngest child.

Featured in the cast are Juanita Jennings, Ellis E. Williams, Roxanne Reese, Roscoe Freeman, Pamala Tyson, Thomas Maratell, Amber Green and Basil Wallace.

The 24th St. Theatre is located at 1117 West 24th St., near USC. For tickets and information call (213) 745-6516.

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent