"The Master and Margarita," a biting satire on communism written in secrecy by Russian novelist and playwright Mikhail Bulgakov during the reign of Stalin in the Soviet Union, will be the first production of the year 2001 at the School of Drama.

The play, directed by third-year drama student Will Frears, will run Jan. 15-20 in the University Theatre, 222 York St. It has been adapted by Yuri Lyubimov and translated by Michael Henry Heim.

Set in the 1930s, "The Master and Margarita" is part farce and part fantasy. The play tells the story of a man named Woland and his entourage of a six-foot-tall talking cat, a disgraced choirmaster and two demons. During their stay in Moscow, they wreak havoc on locals and satisfy their own curiosity for a new political system referred to as "Communism." Unbeknown to the locals, Woland is actually the Devil. He and his entourage find the Soviet Union the ideal place to carry out their mayhem since the country promotes atheism and has all but eliminated organized religion.

In Moscow, Woland and his crew come to the aid of two Muscovites, the Master and Margarita. The Master has been placed in a mental institution after writing a controversial novel about Pontius Pilate set during the crucifixion of Christ. Margarita, the Master's loyal lover, is willing to sell her soul to be reunited with him. Woland agrees to help her free the Master, but first she must serve as the hostess for his grand ball.

"'The Master and Margarita' is funny and epic and presents an incredible love story," says Frears. "It never shies away from tackling a big issue, and it embraces its own importance, while at the same time is always in favor of a good laugh."

Now considered a Russian classic, "The Master and Margarita" was suppressed in the Soviet Union for 30 years. Bulgakov wrote his novel, which is based on Goethe's "Faust," in secrecy because the work could have resulted in his imprisonment or even execution. The novelist and playwright died in 1939 while working on the novel, which was not published until 1967 -- and even then only in a censored version. The novel has since become popular fare in theaters all over the world, most notably in Moscow, where it ran for 12 consecutive years.

Frears is in his final year of the Master of Fine Arts directing program at the School of Drama. At the Yale Cabaret, where he served as artistic director for the 1999-2000 season, he has directed "Three Suicidal Comedies by Chekhov," "Cabaret" and "Duck Soup." He received a Boris Sagal Directing Fellowship from The Williamstown Theatre Festival and has worked regionally at Steppenwolf Theatre, The Atlantic Studio and The Shawnee Theatre in Indiana.

Featured in the drama school's production of "The Master and Margarita" are Nicholas Pepper as the Master; Bess Wohl as Margarita; Remy Auberjonois as Pontius Pilate; Mark Mattek as Woland; Matthew Lane Schwartz as Jeshua; Patrick Huey as Korovyev; and Edward O'Blenis as Behemoth. The ensemble also includes David Blasher as Judas; Kate Bredeson as the Empress; Gregory Derelian as the Ratkiller; Kathryn Hahn as Varenukha; Derek Milman as Berlioz; David Muse as Dismas; Maria Oliveras as the Nurse; Pun Boonyarata-Pun as Bezdomny; Sara Schlinder as Hella; Williams Theodore Thompson as Azazello; and Jeanine Serralles as Natasha.

The artistic staff for the production includes scenic designer F. Thomas Kinney, costume designer Camille Benda, lighting designer Torkel Skjaerven, sound designer and composer Vincent Olivieri, dramaturg Ilana M. Brownstein and stage manager Rachana V. Singh.

Performance times are 7 p.m. on Monday, which is "Pay-What-You-Can Night" ($1 minimum); 8 p.m., Tuesday-Friday; and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday. Individual tickets range from $12 to $15. Discounts are available for students and senior citizens. For more information or to order tickets, call the Yale Repertory Theatre box office at (203) 432-1234; box office hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

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