Repertorio Espanol, the Obie Award-winning Spanish repertory theatre in Manhattan, will christen its winter-spring 2000 season with the U.S. premiere of the Cuban comedy Public Rooms, Inc. (Banos Publicos, S.A.) at the Gramercy Arts Theatre.

Part of Repertorio Espanol's CubaTeatro initiative of cultural exchange with Cuba, Public Rooms, Inc., is a new comedy by Cuban writer Esther Suarez. The play premiered in Cuba and the Repertorio staging will include original cast members.

Carlos Padron directs. Performances begin Feb. 18 and continue in revolving repertory through March 5.

The winter-spring season at the Gramercy (138 E. 27th St.) also includes the return of legendary flamenco dancer Pilar Rioja, Marquez's Chronicle of a Death Foretold, three Garcia Lorca dramas (Yerma, The House of Bernarda Alba and The Public), three productions that are par t of Repertorio's CubaTeatro cultural exchange with Cuba (Public Rooms, The Dance and She Looks White) and three productions which focus on the Hispanic-American experience (A House of Our Own, The Next Stop and Afro-Caribbean Tales).

Performances are in Spanish with simultaneous English translation. Also playing is a Spanish language adaptation of Willy Russell's popular one-woman comedy, Shirley Valentine, called Yo Amo A Shirley (or, I Love Shirley). Mario Morgan directs Colombian actress Fanny Mikey as Shirley (Jan. 13-23 only).

For more information, call (212) 889-2850, or visit the website at www.repertorio.org.

-- By Kenneth Jones