DATE: Sunday, September 7, 1997             TAG: 9709050101

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: Mal Vincent

LENGTH: 63 lines

THEATER

THE STAGE IS SET FOR THE 1997-98 SEASON

``Appalachian Strings''

Virginia Stage Company, Sept. 21 - Oct. 12

This bluegrass musical, complete with sunshine and moonshine, opens a VSC season that emphasizes crowd-pleasers rather than daring. Also scheduled are the mystery-thriller ``Angel Street'' and the musical ``Dames at Sea.''

``State Fair''

Chrysler Hall, Sept. 30 - Oct. 5

It's the only musical score Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote expressly for the movies - and later, reset for the stage. The score includes ``It Might as Well Be Spring'' and ``It's a Grand Night for Singing.'' John Davidson will star.

``Angels in America, Part Two, Perestroika''

Old Dominion University Theater, Oct. 17 - Nov. 2

The epic of politics, sex, religion, the AIDS epidemic and gay rights continues as part two of the Pulitzer- and Tony Award-winning Tony Kushner script is unveiled. Part one was presented in 1996.

``Ghost in the Machine''

Generic Theater, Oct. 31 - Nov. 23

The Virginia premiere of this mystery kicks off the season for a theater that specializes in adventurous new scripts. The season also includes the American premiere of ``Passage,'' with Spanish playwright Fermin Cabal flying to Norfolk for the occasion.

``Annie''

Dominion Theater at Founders Inn, Nov. 14 - Feb. 15

She's back - still tiny, still wearing that red dress and still ready to give us a dose of eternal hope as she belts, one more time, ``Tomorrow.''

``Chrismas Carol/aNEWmusical''

Virginia Musical Theater, Dec. 12 - 21

Ebenezer Scrooge shows up every year to say ``Bah, humbug!'' only to be duly converted to holly and good cheer. Virginia Musical Theater (recently renamed from Commonwealth Musical Stage) refreshed this chestnut by creating a new musical score.

``M. Butterfly''

Little Theater of Virginia Beach, Jan. 23 - Feb. 14

The Tony Award-winning drama by David Henry Hwang is based on the true story of a French diplomat's long-lasting romance with a Chinese beauty whom he never suspected might be a he. It's a drama of romance and betrayal.

``Miss Saigon''

Chrysler Hall, March 4 - 22

The musical that continues its long run on Broadway is loosely based on ``Madame Butterfly.'' It's a love story between an American soldier and a Vietnamese girl, with a famous helicopter scene on stage as Saigon is evacuated.

``A Midsummer Night's Dream''

Chrysler Hall, May 1 and 3

The Virginia Symphony will join Virginia Stage Company for Shakespeare's most magical comedy, combined with Mendelssohn's score. It's the collaborative theatrical event of the season. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

THE MUSICAL ``MISS SAIGON''... KEYWORDS: ARTS CALENDAR

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