Among the four productions opening the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's 2007 season is retiring Artistic Director Libby Appel's favorite play among the works of her favorite playwright, "The Cherry Orchard" by Anton Chekhov.

The season opens Friday through Sunday, Feb. 23-25, in the OSF's Angus Bowmer and New theaters in Ashland.

Appel says she's "probably always known" she would adapt and direct the play in her final season at the artistic helm of the festival.

"It is an utter, complete masterpiece," she says.

Kicking off the weekend at 8 p.m. Friday in the Bowmer is William Shakespeare's "As You Like It," directed by guest artist J.R. Sullivan. Appel's new adaptation of "The Cherry Orchard" will open at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the Bowmer.

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At 8 p.m. Saturday, Tom Stoppard's farce "On the Razzle," directed by Laird Williamson, will open in the Bowmer. Completing the weekend's openings will be David Lindsay-Abaire's new drama "Rabbit Hole," opening at 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the New Theatre, directed by James Edmondson.

The OSF's season will include 774 performances of 11 productions on three stages and will run through Oct. 28.

Appel, who is retiring at the end of the season, calls the season's plays her parting gift. They represent masters of the world's drama as well as two newer voices in American theater, David Lindsay-Abaire and Lisa Loomer, plus the premiere of a musical written by members of the OSF company: the whimsical fable "Tracy's Tiger," based on a novella by William Saroyan.

"As You Like It" stars one of the most engaging heroines in world drama, Rosalind, who, disguised as a young man named Ganymede and seeking safety in the Forest of Arden, discovers love. The play is directed by Sullivan, who directed "Room Service" in 2005. The production is set in 1930s America.

The cast of 22 includes Miriam A. Laube as Rosalind, Danforth Comins as Orlando, Julie Oda as Celia, David Kelly as Touchstone, Jeff Cummings as Oliver, and Robert Sicular as Jaques.

Scenic design is by the OSF's William Bloodgood, costumes are by guest designer Joyce Kim Lee ("The Two Gentlemen of Verona," "Room Service"), lighting by OSF's Robert Peterson and music by guest artist John Tanner ("The Visit"). Lue Morgan Douthit is dramaturg.

"The Cherry Orchard" is being presented in a new adaptation by Appel from a literal translation by Alison Horsley.

"Alison would provide four or five words in parentheses," Appel says. "In a literal translation the translator is not attempting to render it into spoken English. It's awkward. That's the way I wanted it.

"I went off and developed pages and pages of questions on legal pad, then I had a jam session with Allison."

Appel says her love for Chekhov began decades ago, and it's a special joy to adapt and direct the playwright's final and "perfect" play for the first time at OSF.

Appel calls "The Cherry Orchard" a "poem of perfection" that portrays the evanescence of a way of life and the memories it evokes. She says the story of Lyubov Andreyevna and her family, who cling to their ancestral home and its cherry orchards in the face of certain loss, is humorously ironic.

That puts her squarely in the camp of those who argue that Konstantin Stanislavski's direction in the play's premiere at the Moscow Art Theatre was overly tragic and lugubrious. Stanislavski and Chekhov argued bitterly, with Chekhov insisting the play was a comedy. Many productions over the years have emphasized the downbeat.

Judith-Marie Bergan will play Lyubov, Richard Howard will play her brother, Gayev, and Armando Durán is Lopakhin, the family friend whose ancestors were serfs on the estate.

Appel says she never considered casting another actress in the lead role.

Scenic design is by guest artist Rachel Hauck ("Richard III"), costumes are by the OSF's Deborah M. Dryden, lighting by guest artist James F. Ingalls ("UP"). Composer is Todd Barton. Horsley is also the dramaturg.

"On the Razzle" is the story of Weinberl, a clerk in Zangler's provincial provisions shop, who itches for a day filled with high jinks and beautiful women. When Zangler is off to Vienna, Weinberl and the shop's apprentice, Christopher, see an opportunity to go "on the razzle," which is loosely a spree or a toot. It's the story that inspired both "The Matchmaker" and "Hello, Dolly!" Laird Williamson, in his 13th season at OSF, will direct.

Tony DeBruno plays Zangler, Rex Young is Weinberl, and Tasso Feldman is Christopher.

Scenic design is by guest artist Michael Ganio, costumes are by Robert Blackman, lighting by Kendall Smith, sound design by Dennis M. Kambury. The composer is Larry Delinger. David Copelin is dramaturg.

"Rabbit Hole" is about Becca and Howie, who have suffered the loss of a son and are slowly moving away from each other, unable to talk about their grief and guilt. Becca's boisterous sister, her meddling mother, a barking dog and a house filled with painful memories further aggravate the situation.

OSF veteran Bill Geisslinger plays Howie, Robin Goodrin Nordli is Becca, Dee Maaske is her mother, Nat.

Director Edmondson directed Lindsay-Abaire's "Fuddy Meers" in 2001. Costumes are designed by Deborah Trout, scenic design is by the OSF's Richard Hay, lighting is by Darren McCroom ("Intimate Apparel") and music by Irwin Appel.