The Theatre Festival in Black & White is settling in and growing. In its fourth year, it has attracted more established playwrights, including Rob Zellers (co-author of "The Chief"), David Turkel ("Holler," "Wild Signs") and the festival's artistic director, Mark Clayton Southers, represented by his first one-act play.

	Theater Festival in Black & White Where: Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, Jackman Building, 542 Penn Ave., Cultural District. When: Sat. through Nov. 5 (see schedule below). Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door; 412-288-0358.

The acting and directing crew is also growing, adding Don Marshall, Jeffrey Carpenter (Bricolage Theatre), Lissa Brennan (Dog & Pony Show) and Nancy Mimless to a group that already includes Wali Jamal, Mame Williams and many others.

New this year is the use of eight student stage-managers from Cultural District neighbor, CAPA. And the festival has an expanded list of funders: Mellon, Pittsburgh Foundation, Heinz Small Arts Initiative, Multicultural Arts Initiative, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

What has definitely not changed is the festival's format, which suggests its purpose. By design, half the 10 plays are by white authors, half by black, and every white playwright is paired with a black director and vice versa. As this suggests, bridging the racial gap is a chief goal.

All 10 plays are premieres. Southers is high on many of them. Astrid Cook, for example, wrote "A Summer's Tale" especially for her daughter, Nadia, and Carter Redwood, although, since Nadia is in "Oedipus" at the Public Theater, there has been some fancy footwork in scheduling run times.

Program A

7 p.m. Oct. 21, 27-29 and Nov. 2; 3 p.m. Oct. 22 and Nov. 4-5.

Brendon Bates, "Assassination" (directed by Wali Jamal); Astrid Cook, "A Summer's Tale" (Shanae Sharon); Christina Maria Acosta, "Around Midnight" (Dan Kirk); Wali Jamal, "Holding Cell" (Mark Whitehead); Rob Zellers, "The Kitchen" (Jeannine Foster-McKelvia).

Program B

3 p.m. Oct. 21 and 28-29; 7 p.m. Oct. 22, 26 and Nov. 3-5.

David Turkel, "F.O.R.D." (Mark Southers); Brenton Mock, "Ridin' Dirty" (Dan Kirk); Dan Kirk, "Gossip" (Ron Black); Nialah "Blu" Lewis, "For the Love of ... Friends" (Stephanie Figar); Mark Southers, "Exile of King Herald" (Ginger Lawrence).