COURTNEY LOVE, OTHERS TARGET PROJECTS Three up-and-coming actresses are circling substantial next projects. Courtney Love, who transformed herself from grunge goddess to serious actress with "The People vs. Larry Flynt", is zeroing in on the ensemble drama "200 Cigarettes", about a group of friends headed for a party in the East Village on New Year's Eve 1981. The film, with an under-$10 million budget, will be financed and produced by Lakeshore Entertainment along with Mike Newell's Dogstar and MTV. The script, by Shana Larsen, has been a fave of young actors, and marks the directing debut of casting director Risa Bramon Garcia. Love will likely be part of an ensemble that will include Ben Affleck, along with his brother Casey, Christina Ricci and Gaby Hoffman, who are all discussing roles. A hip soundtrack is expected as well. Gwyneth Paltrow, meanwhile, is in talks to join Joe Fiennes -- unlike brother Ralph, his name's pronounced the way it's spelled - in "Shakespeare in Love", a comedy about Shakespeare's lust while writing "Romeo and Juliet". John Madden (Mrs. Brown) is directing for Miramax, which'll put the film in production if they land Paltrow. At Universal, they're talking with Heather Graham (Boogie Nights) to take the female lead alongside Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy in Bofinger. - Michael Fleming, Reuters, January 18, 1998 - - - - - - - - - - - - -