James Franco to direct off-broadway play

Los Angeles: James Franco, currently making his Broadway debut in `Of Mice and Men`, is all set to turn stage director with Robert Boswell`s `The Long Shrift`.According to reports, the drama concerns a man accused of rape as a teenager who is released from prison nine years later, when he finds his accuser suddenly back in his life.

According to Boswell`s website, the play will star Scott Haze, Ahna O`Reilly, Brian Lally, Allie Gallerani and Ally Sheedy. It is scheduled to run from July 13 through August 23. Haze has worked with Franco on a number of his screen-directing ventures including `Child of God`, `As I Lay Dying`, among others. Boswell is the author of seven novels, three story collections, two books of nonfiction and one previously produced play, `Tongues`. His most recent novel, Tumbledown, was published last summer by Graywolf Press. Franco appears opposite Chris O`Dowd, Leighton Meester, Jim Norton and Jim Parrack in the Broadway revival of John Steinbeck`s `Of Mice and Men`.