Before he moved to Paris and became famous for writing the erotic "Tropic of Cancer," Henry Miller was a struggling artist, living in Brooklyn with his wife June and her female lover, Jeanne. This period in the writer's life, set in 1920's New York, is the subject of the new musical Henry Miller in Brooklyn, premiering at San Francisco's Potrero Hill Neighborhood House May 4-20.

Mel Clay wrote the book and lyrics to Henry Miller in Brooklyn with Mark Alburger providing the music. Alburger is an opera composer, whose works include Mice and Men and Antigone. Clay has adapted Camus' "The Stranger" and Selby, Jr.'s "Last Exit to Brooklyn" for San Francisco and New York stages.

Goat Hall Productions founding member Harriet March Page directs. Tisha C. Page is June with Rick Richetta as Henry Miller and Elaine Romanelli as the painter Jeanne.

Tickets are @20. The Portero Hill Neighborhood House is located at 953 DeHaro at Southern Heights. For reservations, call (415) 289-6877. Henry Miller in Brooklyn is on the web at http://www.goathall.org.

— By Christine Ehren