CHICAGO -- Timing is everything. Just one week before the Bill and Monica show hit the headlines, Victory Gardens Theatre secured the rights to View of the Dome, a satirical take on the twisted morality of Washington, D.C., politics circa 1998.

Written by Theresa Rebeck (writer for the film Harriet The Spy, ABC's "NYPD Blue" and the play Loose Knit), the topical comedy opens Mar. 27 to spread the sordid tale of an idealistic campaign volunteer who suddenly becomes the focus of a national sex scandal. Any resemblance between the play and the ongoing White House embarrassment is entirely opportunistic.

Sandy Shinner directs this take-no-prisoners expose, which begins previews Mar. 20 and runs to Apr. 19.

Lisa Tejero stars in the comedy, alongside Dev Kennedy, Jason Lee, Jeff Parker, Rob Riley, Meg Thalken and Joe Van Slyke. Designing the show are Jeff Bauer (set), Claudia Boddy (costumes), Rita Pietrazsek (lighting), Andre Pluess & Ben Sussman (sound).

For information on View of the Dome at Victory Gardens, 2257 North Lincoln Ave., call (773) 549-5788. *

The season's fifth show will be Jeffrey Sweet's drama, Flyovers, starring stage and film actor William Petersen (May 15-June 28, opening May 21). Sweet's other works include The Value Of Names and American Enterprise.

In other recent Victory Gardens news, the search is on for a new managing director, since John Walker resigned, Oct. 24, 1997, to take a position with Warner Brothers. VG has formed transition committee to seek a new managing director. Meanwhile, general manager Elizabeth Auman and development director Marcelle McVay are handling Walker's duties. Under Walker's aegis, Victory Gardens added the Body Politic mainstage and studio theatres (1995) to become a four-theatre complex.

Founded in 1974, the not-for-profit Equity theatre has produced nearly 200 plays.

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In other Victory Gardens news, the company will bring back its annual "Chicago Stories" series, featuring short plays by notables who aren't playwrights by trade. This year's one-night-only event, May 1, will offer plays by art auctioneer Leslie Hindman, sports marketing consultant Stedman Graham, and TV star George Wendt ("Cheers").

In the previous seven seasons of "Stories," writers have included Roger Ebert, John Mahoney and former Chicago Bear Dan Jiggets. For tickets ($175) and information on the special benefit call (773) 549-5788.

-- By Lawrence Bommer
Chicago Correspondent
and David Lefkowitz