The excitement, maneuvers and comedy of the Paul Newman/Robert Redford screen triumph have been brilliantly adapted for stage production by one of the finest professional playwrights writing today. This show takes place in Chicago many years ago in a world of small-time hustlers and their girls'their money nonexistent but their ingenuity abundant. Johnny Hooker (a small-time grifter played by Redford in the film) joins a friend in a successful con of a runner. Unfortunately for them, the runner works for a powerful, vindictive rackets boss, Doyle Lonnegan, who is infuriated and arranges the killing of Johnny's friend. Hoping to avenge this senseless murder, Johnny enlists the aid of the master con man Henry Gondorf (originally played by Newman). Together they decide to try the big con called The Wire. Structured in classic style, their first move is The Set Up. From there they proceed to The Tale. The tension mounts as they succeed and, with the powerful Lonnegan half-hooked, go on to The Shut Out. The excitement becomes explosive and a final scene, with switch upon switch upon switch, has your audience guessing and gasping as it builds to the final con movement, The Sting! Designed for a fast pace, the set and the props are minimal. This is a wonderfully theatrical and yet authentic exploration of a very special world. Area staging.