Florida Stage in Palm Beach County has the world premiere of Deborah Zoe Laufer's comedy, The Last Schwartz, in its 2002-2003 season.

Louis Tyrrell is expected to direct the new work, slated for Oct. 25-Dec. 1.

"In the Schwartz household, family is everything, and everything is up for grabs," according to the season announcement. In the "poignant comedy, a traditional family gathering meant to express unity becomes a launching pad where truths are told, secrets are revealed, and each member of the Schwartz family blasts off to a universe of points and possibilities yet to discover."

Andrew J. Robinson will direct the American premiere of The Cavalcaders, Billy Roche's play about a three generations of barbershop singers who mend shoes by day and become singing legends in their native Ireland. Their lives, loves and pains are explored in this play with music. Performances are Jan. 31-March 9, 2003. The play premiered at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and later had a London production at the Tricycle Theatre.

Jason Robert Brown's short-lived 2002 Off-Broadway musical, The Last 5 Years, gets its Florida debut Dec. 13-Jan. 19, 2003. The show, with book, music and lyrics by the Tony Award-winning composer of Parade, follows a dissolving marriage from two points of view — his and hers. Tazewell Thompson's Constant Star, March 21-April 27, 2003, chronicles the life of Ida B. Wells. "a passionate, fiery champion of equality for women and black Americans." The play is "framed by a score of classic spirituals performed a cappella" and has been a hit at regional theatres around the country.

A work to be announced will play May 9-June 15, 2003.

Florida Stage is at Plaza del Mar, 262 South Ocean Boulevard, in Manalapan, FL. For ticket information, call at (561) 585 3433 or (800) 514-3837 or visit floridastage.org.

— By Kenneth Jones