THEATER / SNEAK PEEK : CATCHING UP ON THE NEW VALLEY PLAYS.

Now that we're done singing Christmas carols and buying backscrubbers for another year, it's time to catch up with local theater. Several shows that have crept stealthily into the Valley, like Ol' Santa Claus on tiptoe, give signs of sticking around for a while.

At North Hollywood's Interact Theatre Company, John Rubinstein's production of ``Into the Woods'' has been extended through March 2. The Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical will take the holidays off, then reopen Jan. 3 at 11855 Hart St. for shows at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $22, $20 for students and seniors.

Elsewhere in our back yard, Hollywood's loss will be Studio City's gain. After closing a recent eight-week run at Hollywood's West Coast Ensemble, Lee Blessing's tongue-twisting ``Eleemosynary'' is transferring to the Ventura Court Theatre, 12417 Ventura Blvd. Referred to by Time magazine as the playwright's finest work, this seriocomic look at parent-child relations (through the eyes of a national spelling bee champ) will reopen Jan. 10 with a three-woman cast of Bobbi Holtzman, D.J. Harner and Meredith Bishop.

For tickets to both shows, call [phone].

Cherry pickin': Two and a half years ago, Cherry Jones was still so obscure that a New York Times critic could describe her as ``an actress not known to me.''

That was before Jones won a Tony Award for ``The Heiress,'' in a sterling performance she reprised last fall at the Mark Taper Forum. Now Jones' name-recognition has caught up with her critical reputation. Both may have something to do with the fact that Jones will be starring in Tina Howe's ``Pride's Crossing,'' when the show has its world premiere at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre.

Shepherded by smilin' Jack O'Brien, the Old Globe's artistic director, ``Pride's Crossing'' explores the trials and triumphs of a feisty 91-year-old woman who once swam the English Channel, as she flashes back through her life. It's scheduled to run Jan. 25 through March 2.

For tickets, call [phone].

Follow your nose: Somewhere in this world, there'll probably always be a production of ``Cyrano de Bergerac.'' And true lovers of theater, lovers of language and lovers of, well, lovers wouldn't want it any other way.

The newest arrival in these parts is the Knightsbridge Theatre production, playing through Feb. 16. Directed by Karesa McElheny, it's running at 8 p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. Sundays at 35 S. Raymond Ave., on the lower level of the Braley Building in Old Pasadena. Tickets are $15, $10 for students and seniors.

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Photo: James Greene, left, and John Rubinstein star in the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical ``Into the Woods,'' at the Interact Theatre Company.