Former Miss America Lee Meriwether will star in Doug Haverty's new play Come Baby, Cradle and All when it has its world premiere April 29 at Theatre West. Directed by John Gallogly, produced by Sara Shearer and Gallogly, the play has music by Eric Bikales and will run through May 21.

Meriwether plays an elementary school principal whose married daughter is pregnant for the third time, following two miscarriages. But amniocentesis reveals that the baby if carried to term will be born with Down's Syndrome. Should the young wife abort this fetus and try to get pregnant again? Or should she not abort and embrace motherhood with a developmentally disabled child? Both pro-choice and anti- abortion positions are argued in this controversial play.

Meriwether has had a long career on TV and in the theatre. She spent eight years on "Barnaby Jones" and two years on "All My Children." Her theatre credits include Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, Spoon River Anthology, Aesop in Central Park and Ladies of Hanover Towers. Others in the cast include Mindy Brandt, Julie Daniels, James Gastineau, Rebecca Lane, Arden Teresa Lewis and Kevin Symons.

Theatre West is located at 333 Cahuenga Blvd. For tickets and information call (323) 851-7977.

-- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent