The Public Theater has extended its production of Diana Son's new hit play Stop Kiss again, this time until Jan. 31, 1999. The production, directed by Jo Bonney, began performances Nov. 17, 1998 and opened Dec. 6. The cast, headed by Jessica Hecht and Sandra Oh, will stay through the extension.

"Right now, we have no plans to move it outside the Public Theater building," said spokesperson Carol Fineman (Jan. 5). Fineman said the theatre would closely monitor ticket sales over the next few weeks to decide whether the play had a future beyond January.

Stop Kiss tells of a woman (Hecht) whose life is turned upside down when she kisses another woman (Oh). Oh is best known for her role in the HBO series "Arli$$." Hecht's theatre credits include the role of Lala Levy in the Broadway production of The Last Night of Ballyhoo, and the recent Williamstown Theatre Festival production of Paul Rudnick's new work, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told.

Also in the cast of Stop Kiss are Kevin Carroll, Rick Holmes, Saundra McClain and Saul Stein.

Bonney has made a name directing one-man shows by Eric Bogosian (Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll, Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead ) and Danny Hoch (Some People, Jails, Hospitals & Hip-Hop ). She also mounted The Flatted Fifth for The New Group. Other works by Son include Boy, which was directed by Michael Greif at CA's La Jolla Playhouse. Son's comedy Fishes played at Off Off-Broadway's New Georges Theatre.

For information on Stop Kiss, call (212) 239-6200.

-- By Robert Simonson