The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, which in 46 years has never staged anything by the Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist who's probably the most popular playwright alive, will break this peculiar record in September. The theater's 2012-13 season will open with "Brighton Beach Memoirs," a touching, semi-autobiographical comedy by Neil Simon. 

Steven Woolf, artistic director of the Rep, will direct the show, a Jewish family comedy that contains the seeds of Clifford Odets "Awake and Sing!" Woolf directed that play last year at the New Jewish Theatre; it's been nominated for the Kevin Kline award for outstanding production of a play.

"The humor in this play is terrific," Woolf said, "and there is real heart in it."

"Brighton Beach Memoirs" will run Sept. 5-Sept. 30. The Rep also announced two more Mainstage productions for the coming season, "Good People" and "Sense and Sensibility."

David Lindsay-Abaire's "Good People," the story of a woman who seeks out a successful friend from her youth when she's down on her luck, will play Jan. 2-27. Woolf describes the play, which was on Broadway this last year, as "funny and tough"; the leading lady, Frances McDormand, won a Tony for her performance. Seth Gordon, the Rep's associate artistic director, will direct.

Jon Jory, famed as the founder and longtime head of the influential Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, adapted Jane Austen's dazzling novel for the stage. Jory,  widely believed to be the the writer behind the Jane Martin pseudonym, now heads the performing arts department at  Santa Fe University of Art and Design. He will come to the Rep to direct the show himself. It will run Feb. 6-March 3.

Three more Mainstage titles will be announced later. The current Mainstage season continues with David Mamet's "Race" (Feb. 8-March 4) and Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors" (March 14-April 8). For more information, visit the website or call the box office (314-968-4925).