Georg Büchner's Woyzeck, a 19th-century play with themes of anti-Semitism, physical abuse and oppression of the working class, is this year's Director's Showcase from the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Considered the first great drama to feature a member of the working class as the central character, Woyzeck focuses on a down-on-his-luck soldier reduced to performing menial jobs and taking part in medical experiments just to survive.

Director Randy Symank, an incoming master of fine arts candidate, said: "I'm an idealist. I don't just make theater to entertain, but to advocate for change."

Symank has set the production in contemporary San Francisco to highlight the play's clear social commentary and its relevance for modern audiences. "In the end, we've embraced both 19th- century and modern elements, including a live band," he said.

A preview performance is set for 8 p.m. March 8, with subsequent performances at 8 p.m. March 9 and 10, and 2 p.m. March 11, all in the Wyatt Pavilion Theatre. Tickets are available through the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts box office, (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787, and online, http://theatredance.ucdavis.edu.