'LYSISTRATA' FOR PEACE WORLDWIDE READINGS OF ARISTOPHANES' PLAY GIVE CLASSICAL TAKE ON OPPOSING WAR IN IRAQ.

Byline: Evan Henerson Theater Writer

Anyone whose family tree leads to the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes would do well to make himself known. Today figures to be a great day for collecting royalties.

Readings of ``Lysistrata,'' the bawdy anti-war comedy about a group of women who refuse to sleep with their husbands until they agree to end the Peloponnesian War, will take place in more than 791 cities in 46 countries Monday. ``The Lysistrata Project,'' created by a pair of New York actors, literally spans the globe - from star-studded readings in L.A. and New York to a pair of readings in Serbian Montenegro. The initiative protests a potential U.S.-led war on Iraq and raises money for relief efforts.

``We don't know anybody in Russia yet,'' said co-creator Kathryn Blume a few days before L-Day. ``That seems to be our biggest hole.''

Southern California, on the other hand, will have no shortage of ``Lysistrata'' readings or starry names to take on parts. Former National Endowment for the Arts chairwoman Jane Alexander joins the Zoo District and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at the Wilshire Ebell. In Venice, Michael Haney's reading at the Los Angeles Filmmakers Cooperative will feature Julie Christie, Christine Lahti, Eric Stoltz and Alfre Woodard. Charles Durning and Charlotte Rae are scheduled to appear at the Company Rep's reading at the American Renegade Theatre in NoHo.

The event has become so large that organizers admit they can no longer keep track of all the readings. The ``Lysistrata Project's'' Web site (www.lysistrataproject.com) lists 18 readings in the L.A. area alone, with e-mail links to the various organizers.

You'd rather do your own event? It's not too late. The Web site gives you instructions and even lets you download one of several versions of the script.

And while each reading is trying to raise funds for relief organizations like MoveOn.org and Operation USA, none of the ``Lysistrata'' participants are in competition, administrators and participants insist.

``This is the first time there has been an international movement working in unison,'' says Christie, who was visiting a friend in L.A. and joined the LAFCO reading at the urging of longtime friend Gioconda Belli. ``The feeling this gives you is that you're not just part of the action with your local colleagues. You're part of the action with colleagues all over the world.''

Theatergoers nationwide are generally familiar with ``Lysistrata.'' The play is a favorite in college literature courses and on university stages as much for its interpretive value as for its randy humor. Michael Haney, who is directing the LAFCO reading, acted in the play in college and recalls ``the sheer embarrassment at having to wear a phallus.''

``The play works much better in our society if you let things be suggested rather than shown,'' says Haney. ``The Greeks were really big about waving phalluses around, but you don't see that much anymore.''

``I love that the women who started this whole thing chose a comedy rather than choosing something to beat people over the head with,'' adds Hope Alexander, artistic director of the Company Rep. ``Choosing something that has humor and celebration in it is really important.''

In January, Blume and fellow New York actress Sharron Bower got together to do something to demonstrate their feelings about the brewing Iraq controversy. Blume, who had toyed with the idea of writing a screenplay of a contemporary ``Lysistrata,'' and Bower held a reading of the play to correspond with Theaters Against War's (THAW's) action day.

That first event accomplished, the two performers began to dream. If one reading could be successful, why not two? Why not 100? By the time today arrives, Blume hopes the number of readings will have climbed to 1,000.

``We created a Web site and e-mailed everybody we knew,'' says Blume. ``Then they e-mailed everybody they knew, and we knew from very early on that it was going to be big.''

A selection of today's ``Lysistrata Project'' readings

6:30 p.m.: Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 W. Eighth St., L.A. Tickets: $20, call [phone].

7 p.m.: Victory Theatre Center, 3326 W. Victory Blvd., Burbank. Tickets: $10, call [phone].

8 p.m.: Company Rep at American Renegade Theatre, 11136 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood. Tickets: $10 to $20 suggested donation, call [phone].

8 p.m.: Los Angeles Filmmakers Cooperative, 660 Venice Blvd., Venice, Tickets: $15. Call [phone].

Information: www.lysistrataproject.com.

CAPTION(S):

7 photos, box

Photo:

(1) ALEXANDER

(2) CHRISTIE

(3) LAHTI

(4) STOLTZ

(5) WOODARD

(6) DURNING

(7) RAE

Box:

A selection of today's ``Lysistrata Project'' readings (see text)