Chicago directorkind Mary Zimmerman continues making inroads into New York theatre. She helmed The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci Off Broadway and recently staged the NYSF's Central Park Measure for Measure. Now she'll open the season at OB's Second Stage Theatre with her adaptation of Ovid's myths, Metamorphoses, starting previews Sept. 19 and opening for a limited run Oct. 9.

According to spokespersons at the Richard Kornberg office, the cast includes Anjali Bhimani, Raymond Fox, Kyle Hall, Doug Hara, Felicity Jones, Chris Kipiniak, Louise Lamson, Erik Lochtefeld, Heidi Stillman, and Lisa Tejero.  The show won the 2000 L.A. Ovation Award for Best Play and has also been staged at Seattle Repertory (February 2000).

With a swimming pool as the performance's centerpiece, Metamorphoses stages the great transformation myths of Ovid with additional material compiled by Zimmerman from other sources, including the poet Rainer Maria Rilke. King Midas, Orpheus and Eurydice, and Cupid and Psyche all make appearances during the evening, wherein they change physically, emotionally and mentally. Zimmerman, a MacArthur Fellowship ("Genius Grant") recipient, is known for her innovative work with classical texts including Arabian Nights and The Odyssey, which she staged for Chicago's Goodman Theatre. Zimmerman is a Resident Manilow Director at the Goodman and an ensemble member of Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre Company, where Metamorphoses premiered in 1998.

Designing Metamorphoses are Daniel Ostling (set), Mara Blumenfeld (costumes), Andre Pluess & Ben Sussman (sound) and TJ Gerkens (lighting).

Theatregoers curious about the methods to Zimmerman's theatrical madness might want to attend an event Sept. 6 at Borders Books in Manhattan. Between 6-7 PM, the director will discuss her work on Metamorphoses. Borders is located at 461 Park Avenue at 57th Street.