PORTLAND— Mad Horse Theatre will open its 24th season with the comedy/drama “The Dresser,” by Oscar-winning playwright Ronald Harwood. Performances will be on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, running Oct. 8 – 25.

As bombs fall on a city in northern England in 1942, a traveling Shakespearean company attempts to present Shakespeare’s “King Lear.” But the company’s actor/manager, Sir, can’t remember the play, let alone his character’s lines. His devoted dresser, Norman, takes on the task of dodging falling plaster and panicked actors to get his master to the stage, and into the safety of the footlights.
A portrayal of the devastation of dementia to both its sufferers and the caregivers who stand and serve, “The Dresser” is also a hilarious, poignant love letter to the proud tradition of the theater and to the old adage: “The show must go on.”

Admission is $18 in advance, $20 at the door. Seniors and students get a $2 discount. With limited seating in the Studio Theater, reservations are recommended. The Studio Theater is at Portland Stage Company, 25A Forest Ave. For showtimes or more information, call 730-2389 or visit www.madhorse.com.