True West (The Open Door Theatre, Jan. 1-19 at The ArtsCenter, 300-G East Main St., Carrboro, NC) is another black comedy by ruggedly handsome actor/playwright Sam Shepard, a true American original and the author of Open Door’s inaugural production, A Lie of the Mind, in 1999. Open Door artistic director Michael Babbitt and Kevin Poole will play two bickering brothers — a nomadic small-time crook named Lee and a successful Hollywood screenwriter named Austin, respectively — who battle over a screenplay set in the West. Jeffrey Buschmann and Diane Gilboa will portray a producer named Sal and Lee and Austin’s Mom; and Benjamin Beecher will direct. For more information, visit http://www.theopendoor.net/season2002/truewest.shtml [inactive 8/03] or e-mail info@theopendoor.net. For tickets, call 919/929-2787.