Arthur Schnitzler (1862-1931) was the premier chronicler of morals and manners in Vienna at the end of the Hapsburg Empire. The psychological depth of his characters and his ruthless examination of society made him not only Austria's most celebrated playwright, but one of the most important writers of his time.

Written between 1897-98, La Ronde was considered by its author to be too scandalous for publication. It was a word-of-mouth sensation based on a limited edition of 200 copies Schnitzler printed for friends in 1900. The 1903 trade edition was attacked as subversive and obscene, and the press refused to review it. The police curtailed a public reading in Vienna. The publication was confiscated and banned for nearly 20 years in Germany; the ban was only lifted following a court trial. An unauthorized production in Budapest was banned in 1912. The play's official premiere in Vienna in 1921 was accompanied by further protests and proto-Nazi reviews claiming the play was "Jewish filth."

The best-known version of this work, originally titled Reigen, is Max Ophuls 1950 film La Ronde. The play also inspired David Hare's 1998 play The Blue Room.

This is the first Bay Area production of Carl R. Mueller's new translation.