On Saturday October 12, 2002 the Hilberry will celebrate the Gala Opening of their season with the Fortieth Annual President's Preview. The event, to be emceed by Mort Crim, includes a ceremony honoring life-long supporter of the Arts, Sara Smith, a preview performance of selected scenes from The Good Doctor by Neil Simon and a dessert afterglow in the Dr. Henry and Yvonne Newnan Lobby of the Hilberry Theatre

Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid, Dr. Pamela Trotman Reid and The Understudies of Wayne State University Theatre will host President's Preview. The Understudies are a group of over 80 community leaders committed to supporting The Hilberry Theater Company. Throughout the years they have become a national model for arts support organizations in fundraising and community awareness. In 1999 they received the Governor's Service award for their efforts.

The Good Doctor, Neil Simons's tribute to Anton Chekhov is the opening show in the Hilberry's anniversary season. The Good Doctor is a montage of scenes derived from a collection of short stories written by Chekhov. The stories are "not from the Chekhov of The Sea Gull and The Three Sisters but the young man who wrote humorous articles for the newspaper to pay his way through medical school, said Simon. In the summer of 1972, Simon adapted the stories for the stage and his dramatization shows us how contemporary, and alarmingly funny, Chekhov is.

Tickets for the Fortzeth Annual Presidents Preview ceremony, performance and dessert afterglow reception are $50 and are available through the Hilberry box office. This time honored event takes place at 8:30 p.m. on October 12th at the Hilberry Theatre on the corner of Cass and Hancock. For tickets and further information, please call the Wayne State University Theatre box office at (313) 577- 2972.