La Venganza de Don Mendo (Don Mendo's Revenge), the box-office hit of Spanish public theater, has changed its leading actor. The change is reportedly due to problems between Raul Sender, the former lead actor, and Gustavo Perez Puig, director of Madrid's Teatro Espanyol, where the play has been running for the last eight months.

Juan Carlos Naya has been the new Don Mendo since Feb. 2. He will have to alternate between Mendo and his other job in the children's play El Guerrero del Antifaz (The Warrior of the Mask), which also runs at Teatro Espanyol.

Don Mendo's Revenge has been playing to sold out houses since it first opened. Naturally the question now is, will the production be able to maintain its stupendous attendance record in spite of the cast change? As of this moment, ticket reservations can me made through April.

La Venganza de Don Mendo runs at the Teatro Espanol. 25, Pricnipe Street. Madrid. Subway Station: Sevilla. Tue., Wed, Thu., and Sun. at 7:00 P.M. Fri. and Sat. at 7:00 and 10:30 P.M. Tickets in Caja de Cataluna and +34 02 38 33 33.

--By Carlos Lorenzo
Spain Correspondent