ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

THEATER

Vagina Monologues’ L.A. Berth: Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” will arrive at the Canon Theatre on Oct. 13, with Julie Kavner, Swoosie Kurtz and Rosie Perez. The cast will change every three weeks, as in the current hit run off-Broadway. Co-producer James Freydberg said a portion of each ticket sold will go to the V-Day Fund, which fights violence against women.

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Noise Within Returns to Glendale: The classical repertory company A Noise Within will return to its original home, a former Masonic Temple in Glendale, for the 2000-01 season instead of going forward with a costlier plan to perform in a temporary structure on a city-furnished parking lot a few blocks away. The season will open Nov. 18 with Thornton Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth,” followed by “A Christmas Carol” in December and, from March through May, a repertory season made up of “The Comedy of Errors,” “Hay Fever” and “Life Is a Dream.” Earlier this summer, the company left the Luckman Theater at Cal State L.A. after an unhappy one-year residency there.

TELEVISION

‘Millionaire’s’ College Search: ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” is searching for college students for three programs planned to air in the late fall. Auditions will be held in five cities, including Los Angeles (Sept. 30 at the Beverly Hilton). Applicants--who will take a written test plus be interviewed by the show’s producers--must be current undergraduate students, 18 or older and U.S. residents. Audition times will be at 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., with the first 125 students in line at each session (no lineups allowed until one hour before) admitted for the written test.

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Lack of Latino Progress: The National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts has released a study stating that Latino actors continue to be underrepresented in Hollywood and cast in stereotypical roles. The report--which revisits a July study by fellow nonprofit organization Children Now--found that of 1,477 prime-time network TV characters on the air last season, only 41--or 3%--were Latino. The study found most of those roles to be “sometimes subtle and sometimes blatant stereotypes.” The “Latinowood” study confirms similar findings of a 1999 Screen Actors Guild report and a 1997 Hispanic Caucus-sponsored congressional hearing. “From the Latino perspective, everything has remained flat over time,” said Felix Sanchez, president of the foundation. “We are still the singing and dancing minority. . . . That is the sum total of how our image is depicted to America’s consciousness.”

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Can You Say ‘Bada-Bing’ en Espan~ol?: HBO on Monday will launch HBO Latino, a Spanish-language premium channel featuring films and documentaries, original short-form programs and music videos. The new channel--which will also feature other HBO programming, major movies with a Spanish track and “World Championship Boxing” events with live Spanish commentary--will be available via cable and satellite in major cities such as Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, Houston and Miami.

EVENTS

Hulk-ing Up Christmas Parade: The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has signed a five-year deal with Stan Lee Media to bring the comic book creator’s superheroes (like Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk and the X-Men) to the Hollywood Christmas Parade, beginning with this year’s festivities on Nov. 26. Organizers hope Lee’s involvement--which includes international broadcast rights and exclusive merchandise licensing--will turn the parade from a “live local televised event into a global multimedia franchise [with] the brand value of Hollywood.”

QUICK TAKES

NBC has picked up “Survivor” producer Mark Burnett’s planned “Destination Mir” reality series for the 2001-02 season. The series, which is reportedly costing NBC almost $40 million, plans to follow a dozen American civilians undergoing Russian cosmonaut training near Moscow, with the winner to be sent into space for a visit on the Russian Mir space station. . . . Mitch Albom, the real-life Detroit Free Press sports columnist depicted in the Emmy-winning ABC movie version of his book, “Tuesdays With Morrie,” has been named an Olympics contributor to CBS’ “The Early Show.” His first report airs Monday. . . . Jack Fishman, executive director of Texas’ Amarillo Symphony, has been appointed executive director of the Long Beach Symphony, effective Oct. 16. In Amarillo, Fishman has been credited with prompting huge increases in the orchestra’s annual budget and individual donations, as well as selling out every subscription concert for the last four seasons. . . . Darryl Strawberry--the suspended New York Yankee who has battled cancer and drug abuse and was jailed Monday in Tampa, Fla., after hitting a street sign and a vehicle stopped at a red light--will be the 9 a.m. guest on KRLA-AM (1110) with host Jonathan Elias (the KCBS co-anchor is filling in for the vacationing Michael Jackson). . . . Joely Fisher (“Ellen”) has joined the cast of Fox’s upcoming John Goodman series, “Normal, Ohio,” playing Goodman’s sister. . . . Open auditions for the upcoming WB network reality series, “Popstars,” will be held at 7 a.m. Thursday at the downtown L.A. Hyatt Regency. Producers are seeking five women, 18 or older, who “can sing, dance and handle the pressures of instant celebrity.” . . . Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey has donated $100,000 to the Screen Actors Guild Foundation’s strike assistance relief fund, which aids union members hurt by the ongoing commercials strike.