A few months ago, the fate of English Alternative Theatre hung in the balance. Founder Paul Lim, an English professor at Kansas University, wasn’t sure he wanted to tackle another year.

But the crisis has been resolved, and the theater will mount another season of staged readings, student-written scripts and traditional plays.

“After 12 years of doing it single-handedly, I got tired of the prospect of going another year,” Lim explained. “There are so many problems involved when you don’t have the machinery behind you – like a scene shop, costume shop, rehearsal space, bodies willingly to help in all aspects of the production.”

The turning point came when the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H., opened its arms to the theater company.

“Things are beginning to look better,” Lim said. “It’s solved one of our problems, and we have a sympathetic supporter in Ann Evans (director of the arts center). Now we have sort of a home and that’s tremendous.”

The theater’s 2002-2003 season will open at 8 p.m. Sept. 2 with a staged reading of “Boy Gets Girl” by Rebecca Gilman. The play is about a man who stalks a woman and features KU students and faculty and Lawrence community members in the roles.

EAT will join with indie Card Table Theatre to present two one-act plays by KU students at 8 p.m. Oct. 18-19 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 20.

“18 Seconds,” a romantic comedy by David Huffman, is about how a young man deals with life after he dies for 18 seconds and then is revived.

“Fatherland,” by Adam Merker, is set in World War II Germany and follows three American soldiers who stumble upon a German soldier, who turns out to be a German-American.

EAT will offer staged readings of new 10-minute plays by KU students at 8 p.m. Feb. 22 and new one-act plays at its Final Four Competition at 8 p.m. March 28-30.

The season will wrap up with Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie.” The play centers on Tom, who makes a deal with his mother: If they can find a husband for his shy sister, Laura, then Tom can leave home. The effort has devastating results for both sister and brother.

“It won’t be the traditional ‘Glass Menagerie,'” Lim said. While the text and spirit of the classic will remain the same, he said, “We will make it different maybe through the interpretation of the characters or the set design.”

“The Glass Menagerie” will be at 8 p.m. April 16-18 and 2:30 p.m. April 10.