The world's most revered author will be subjected to an outrageous celebrity roast in Coastal Carolina University Theater's production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), scheduled for Friday, Sept. 29 and Saturday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m.; and on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 3 p.m. at Coastal's Wheelwright Auditorium. Tickets are $10; $5 for students under age 18.

The plot takes the form of a comic romp through Shakespeare's 37 histories, comedies and tragedies, performed in less than two hours by three actors, all Coastal students. The production gives emphasis to two of the better known plays, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, with snippets from all the other plays thrown in, including a brief rap version of Othello.

"This show is lots of fun for the performers and the audience members, who get to participate as well," says Robin Edwards Russell, director of the production and assistant professor of theater at Coastal.

The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) was created in 1987 by three California college students, Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, who called themselves the Reduced Shakespeare Company. The play has since been performed all over the world and has been praised for its uproarious, Monty Python-style humor.

The Coastal Carolina University Theater production of The Complete Works stars Coastal dramatic arts majors Jason Adams, Michael Levesque and Steven Thompson.

Coastal's production will compete in the upcoming Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KC/ACTF) regional competition, which will be held at the University of South Carolina at Aiken in November.< p> For more information, contact the Wheelwright Box Office at 349- 2502.