Swoosie Kurtz, Jenifer Lewis and Brooke Shields will take over the main roles in Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues, which is a box-office hit at the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills. The trio will perform the show Jan. 2-21, 2001, replacing Nora Dunn, Teri Garr and Sanaa Lathan. A new cast handles the acting chores every three weeks, with Joe Mantello directing.

Ensler has given voice to a chorus of lusty, outrageous, poignant and thoroughly human stories. Based on interviews with a diverse number of women, her play explores the humor, power, pain, mystery and wisdom hidden in the human body.

A generous portion of every full-price ticket plus a percentage of the production's profits will be donated to the V-Day Fund, which supports groups working to end violence against women. Proceeds will be divided between local, national and international organizations.

Kurtz, a two-time Tony Award-winner (for House of Blue Leaves and Fifth of July), appeared in The Vagina Monologues in New York. Lewis will perform her new one-woman show, Getting It Off My Chest in New York in February. Film/TV actress Shields made her Broadway debut as Rizzo in the recent revival of Grease.

Canon Theatre is located at 205 N. Canon Drive. For tickets and information call (31) 859- 2830 or visit www.vmlosangeles.com — By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent