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Brecht's 'Galileo' at Yale Rep portrays the scientist's gifts and weaknesses

Four centuries ago this year, the Italian scholar Galileo climbed to the top of the Tower of Pisa and dropped two objects of different weights to prove that Aristotle was wrong in claiming that the velocity of an object's fall was proportional to its weight. He went on to create his own theories about the movement of the tides, the motion of pendulums and the path of projectiles. He built his own telescope and was the first to observe four of Jupiter's moons and to study the phases of Venus. Based on his observations, he concluded that Copernicus was right and his contemporaries were wrong: that it was the earth that revolved around the sun, rather than the other way around. For expressing this belief, Galileo was censured by the Catholic Church. Despite his arguments for freedom of inquiry, the scientist was condemned to life imprisonment -- a sentence that was eventually commuted to house arrest -- and publication of his works was banned in Italy, although they continued to influence scholars throughout Europe.

Bertolt Brecht's "Galileo," a play that adds a modern dimension to this larger-than-life historic figure, will be presented Oct. 22-Nov. 14 as the second offering of the Yale Repertory Theatre's 1998-99 season. The play, which was translated by Charles Laughton, will be directed by Evan Yionoulis, the newly appointed chair of the School of Drama's graduate acting program and a resident director at the Rep.

The Yale Rep is presenting "Galileo" in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the playwright's birth. The work, which has been described as "unquestionably Brecht's masterpiece," presents a portrait of the title character that shows both his gifts and his weaknesses. For instance, when facing the Inquisition, Galileo recants his claim that the earth is not the center of the universe, not only to save his life but to preserve his comfortable way of living. Although silenced by the Catholic Church, he continues to work in secret, retaining his faith in human reason.

The role of Galileo will be played by Byron Jennings, who previously appeared at the Yale Rep as Count Almaviva in the 1994 production of Eric Overmyer's "Figaro/Figaro" and in the title role of the 1992 production of "Edward II" by Christopher Marlowe. Jennings' New York theater credits include "Dealer's Choice" at Manhattan Theatre Club, "The Waiting Room" at Vineyard Theatre and "A Month in the Country" at Roundabout Theatre Company.

The cast also includes Jason Butler Harner, John Wylie, Michael Winther, Edmond Genest, Paul Vincent Black, Helmar Augustus Cooper, Tim Donoghue, Chris Gampel, Nicole Halmos, Stan Lachow, Lael Logan, Aleta Mitchell, Lee Sellars and Evan Thompson. Also appearing are Sidné Anderson, Kaitlyn Ashley, Gideon Banner, Samuel F.W. Clark, Chris Henry Coffey, Eleanor Kathryn Conger-Milnes, Van Farrier and Douglas Isiah Lyons.

"Galileo" features original music by Thomas Cabaniss. Costumes for the production were designed by Paul Spadone, sets by Adam Stockhausen and lighting by Jennifer Tipton.

Performance times for "Galileo" are 7 p.m. on Mondays and 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, with 2 p.m. matinees on Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, 11 and 14. Tickets are $26-$33, with discounts available for students, senior citizens and groups of 10 or more. Subscription packages are also on sale. For more information, call the Yale Repertory Theatre box office at 432-1234, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. until showtime on performance days. The Yale Repertory Theatre is located at the corner of Chapel and York streets.