Due to prior commitments, Patti LuPone will be out of The Old Neighborhood Jan. 6 through the matinee on Jan. 14. The Evita diva will be back in the David Mamet drama the evening of the 14th. Currently in previews, Neighborhood opens at the Booth Nov. 19.

Linda Blair's stint as Rizzo in Grease! will last through Jan. '98. Exorcist fans hungering for an on-stage exorcism should travel downtown to the Public Theater, where they can see Ron Leibman rid Marin Hinkle of an evil spirit in Tony Kushner's adaptation of S. Ansky's A Dybbuk.

An update to a previous item: Bebe Neuwirth's vacation from Chicago will now be Jan. 11-25, one week later than previously announced.

As already reported in PBOL, Michael Emerson will take a hiatus from the Off-Broadway company of Gross Indecency to open the San Francisco production of Moises Kaufman's play, which begins performances Nov. 21. Emerson's celebrated performance as Oscar Wilde helped to propel the Tectonic Theatre Project production to universal acclaim and sizzling business; the show is now in its sixth month at the Minetta Lane Theatre. Subbing for Emerson is Edward Hibbert, who garnered widespread attention in Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey, which also played the Minetta Lane.

Byron Utley has returned to the chorus of Rent. Meanwhile, Timothy Britten Parker, currently on leave from the smash Jonathan Larson musical, will be seen Off-Broadway in Jeanne Dorsey's comedy, Stepping Out with Mr. Markham. The New Georges production runs Dec. 6-21 at 46 Walker Street Theater.