For a gripping evening of theater as educational as it is inspirational, "Bill W. and Dr. Bob" at Heartland Theatre Company, can't be beat.

Audiences will leave the theatre with a sense of awe after learning how two former drunks sobered each other up and went on to create Alcoholics Anonymous.

The first act establishes how their respective lives have been destroyed by the bottle. Dr. Bob, exquisitely portrayed by Dave Lemmon, has been a rotten husband and father and has performed surgery while smashed.

David Krostal, as stockbroker Bill W., gives an equally stunning performance as a man who "had to be number one in everything," but destroys his marriage and his career because of his addiction.

Lori Cook Baird is heart-wrenching as Bill's long suffering wife, who struggles to keep their life from becoming a total shambles.

The parallel stories are told via short scenes with slick set changes. A special "shout-out" goes to the stage crew for gracefully changing the set no less than 22 times. Scenic designer Chris Gray establishes each of the many locations with an elegant simplicity.

The period music (1925-1955) utilized by sound designer Issac Mendel weaves a sense of time and tone stitching the many scenes together into a cohesive whole.

Illinois State University theater professor, Don LaCasse directs, and Heartland is fortunate to have him, as his expert hand is evident in every aspect of this smooth and powerful production.

In the second act, Dr. Bob and Bill W. make two stunning discoveries: that alcoholism is not a character weakness but a medical disease, and that the only way for a drunk to stay sober is to talk to other drunks.

They have to find a third hardcore drinker to see if their theories can successfully rehabilitate someone other than themselves, and they find a lawyer from Kentucky, superbly played by John Curcuru, who is the key to proving that they have painstakingly stumbled upon a miracle.

Call for your tickets today, as this is drama that serious theater lovers will be talking about for years to come.

Bill W. and Dr. Bob

Venue: Heartland Theatre Company, One Normal Plaza, Normal

Times and dates: 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and Sept. 18 through 21; 2 p.m. Sunday and Sept. 21

Cost: $6 to $12

Running time: 2 hr. 35 min., including 10-min. intermission