CHAPEL HILL -- The Deep Dish Theater Company continues its fifth season with "Marvin's Room," Scott McPherson's award-winning comedy about a family in crisis. Directed by Tony Lea, the play will run from Thursday, February 23, through Saturday, March 18.

Deep Dish is located in Chapel Hill's University Mall, located on Estes Drive and US 15-501. Thursday through Saturday performances begin at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. There will also be a special early show at 7:30 on Wednesday, March 15. For reservations and information, call 968-1515. Tickets for all performances are $15, $13 for seniors, and $10 for students. Thursday, March 2 is "Cheap Dish Night," when all tickets will be $6; no advance reservations will be taken for that performance.

Audience discussions will follow the Sunday performances on February 26 (featuring a conversation with the production's design team) and March 5. The Deep Dish Book Selection for this production is "The Year of Magical Thinking," by Joan Didion, and a discussion of the book, free and open to the public, will be led by David Carr and Evelyn Daniel prior to the performance on Thursday, March 16.

The only major play by Scott McPherson, who died of AIDS in 1992, "Marvin's Room" is the story of Bessie (Morrisa Nagel), who cares for her father and elderly aunt (Harvey Sage and Joyce Weiser). When she learns that she herself has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant, she turns to her estranged sister, Lee (MaryKate Cunningham) and Lee's teenaged sons (Lucas Campbell and Wesley Ellis), who've got plenty of issues of their own. Brad Schnurr, Christine Rogers, and David Klionsky complete the cast of this whimsical and uniquely theatrical play, which won The Outer Critic's Circle Award, The Drama Desk Award, The John Gassner Playwriting Award, and The Dramatist Guild Hall-Warriner Award.

Director Tony Lea has directed several memorable productions for the Deep Dish Theater, including "The Game of Love and Chance," "Holiday," and last season's "A Moon for the Misbegotten." The design team for "Marvin's Room" includes Kim DeCoste (sets), Sue Sweezy (costumes), Jim Zervas (lights), Deborah Coclanis and Danny Tauber (sound), and Devra Thomas (properties). Jennifer Bauer is the stage manager.

"Scott McPherson tells his story with ruthless honesty, full of powerful emotions yet not sentimental," says Lea. "It's a real challenge to make the play work as the playwright intended. While it's very funny, it's not, in the truest sense, a comedy. It's essential that the humor is rooted in the characters and not just the timing."

For more information on Deep Dish Theater Company, call 968-1515 or visit the Deep Dish website at www.deepdishtheater.org.