Christopher Collet has grown up a little since playing naive young men on Broadway in Torch Song Trilogy and Spoils of War. Now he's trying his hand at directing with Buddy Movie, a new play by Admissions author Tony Vellela.

The plot has a True West spin: two college pals have been commissioned to write a screenplay, and as their deadline approaches, all kinds of barriers stand in the way of their continued partnership.

Author Vellela workshopped Admissions with director Austin Pendleton for several years, with an OOB production resulting at the Blue Heron Arts Center in March 1999. The show was briefly remounted for last year's New York International Fringe Festival and won both the Ensemble Award and Excellence in Playwriting Award. Other Vellela works include Labor Days and What We Don't Confess.

Starring in Buddy Movie are Mark Price (The Capeman and a standby in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown), Matt Crowley and Nicole Dooley.

Buddy Movie runs Aug. 17-27 at the Settlement House Theatre as part of the 2000 New York International Fringe Festival. Tickets are $12. Settlement House Theatre is located at 466 Grand Street (at Pitt St.). For Fringe Festival information call (212) 420 8877. -- By David Lefkowitz