"Amish Project," Shepard play in St. Petersburg

   This is your last weekend to see "When the World Was Green (A Chef's Fable) at American Stage. The play, by Sam Shepard and Joseph Chaikin, has been getting absolutely phenomenal reviews.

Katherine Michelle Tanner

   It's among Shepard's lesser-known and lesser-produced plays. It's a two-hander about a jailed killer who's a former chef and a young woman who's interviewing him about his crime and his life in food.
   Remaining shows are at 8  p.m. April 18 and 19, 3 p.m. April 20 and 5 p.m. April 21.
   It's running in repertory with "The Amish Project," a devastating but inspiring fictional work based on the 2006 massacre of Amish school children. Katherine Michelle Tanner plays all seven roles, including two of the young victims, the killer, his wife and some of the non-Amish people from the area.
   It's a short play, only 70 minutes, but its emotional impact stays with you for a very long time. In fact, you may never forget Jessica Dickey's script and Tanner's performance.
   Todd Olson, the producing artistic director for American Stage, directed both shows.
   "The Amish Project" runs through May 12.
   Tickets are $39 for weekday evenings and weekend matinees, $49 for Friday and Saturday evenings. Evening shows are at 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. There's a "twilight show" at 5 p.m. April 21.
   American Stage is at 163 3rd St. North, St. Petersburg. (727) 823-7529 or www.americanstage.org.