NYC's Ma-Yi Theatre Ensemble will premiere a new adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children Off-Broadway. The production began previews on Aug. 6, and officially runs Aug. 15-Aug 29. Former artistic director of Syracuse Stage, Tazewell Thompson will direct.

Rodolfo Vera's adaptation is set in the Philippines, on the southern island of Mindanao at the cusp of Martial Law in 1972 -- setting Brecht's arguments against war in a Filipino context, to explore the Muslim/Christian conflict.

Ching Valdes Aran, 1997 OBIE winner for Ma-Yi's Flipzoids, stars in the production, alongside Arthur Acuna, Kim Awon, Rich Ceraullo, Ron Domingo, Josh Fox, Jojo Gonzalez, Tess Lina, Carl Palmer, Nicky Paraiso, Suzi Takahashi, Rodolfo Vera and Maurice Vill Lobos.

The Ma-Yi Theatre Ensemble was founded in 1989 to develop, produce, and present plays and performance works that explore and affect the Filipino experience.

For tickets ($15) or more information, call (212) 581-8896. -- By Sean McGrath