Jean Cocteau Repertory stalwarts Craig Smith, Elise Stone and Harris Berlinsky will all star in the company's upcoming staging of Chekhov's classic Uncle Vanya. Eve Adamson, the founder of Cocteau, will direct the run, set to begin Jan. 19, 2003, and run through March 2.

Uncle Vanya takes place on a quiet Russian estate where peace is broken when the head of the house, a fatuous and much vaunted professor, and his beautiful young wife, return to visit. During their stay, Vanya, who has devoted his life's labors to the career of the academic, realizes he has thrown his existence away on an ungrateful hack.

The play was seen on Broadway a couple seasons back with Derek Jacobi in the title role, Brian Murray as the professor, Laura Linney as Yelena, his wife, Roger Rees as Astrov, a local doctor in love with Yelena, and Amy Ryan, the professor's daughter, in love with Astrov.

Smith, who has been with the Rep for 30 years, will be the professor. Stone (Smith's real life wife) will play Yelena, and Berlinsky will play Astrov.

For ticket information, call (212) 677-0060. —By Robert Simonson