FANTASY DATE: In a perfect world, would...

FANTASY DATE: In a perfect world, would Tom Cruise be your date to the class reunion? Like to take Madonna to your cousin’s wedding to shock Aunt Maude? Then you want a date arranged through celebrity look-alike agencies in Northridge or Van Nuys, who rent “Mel Gibson” or “Liz Taylor” for $300 to $350 an hour. . . . Says an agency owner: “Impressing people is the main reason clients want to do this.” See Valley Life! Page 35

STUDENTS OF STYLE: The typical student uniform at Los Angeles-area colleges remains what it’s been for years--shorts, jeans, T-shirts and sneakers. But local campuses have definite style differences: Cal Arts in Valencia is funky; USC is dressier than UCLA, where the look is laid back. (E1)

CAREER MOVE: State Senate President David A. Roberti, the Van Nuys Democrat, is the first lawmaker facing a compulsory job change under the term limits that voters approved. So Roberti announced that he’s planning to run for state treasurer (B1). . . . Campaign themes: He’s a “new Democrat” who wants to shrink government, and his fight to break up the L. A. school district.

BOYS IN THE HOODS: Yearlong, the days pass in a centuries-old rhythm of work, silence and prayer at St. Andrew’s Abbey, the Benedictine monastery near Valyermo. But this weekend, bagpipes wail, crowds appear and booths offer everything from artwork to food at the monks’ annual fall festival. . . . Weary at heart? Starving for peace? They take in guests the rest of the year. See Valley Life! Page 10.

‘DANCING’ BACK: Three decades after its Broadway premiere, Edwin O’Connor’s comedy “I Was Dancing” gets a revival at the Richard Basehart Playhouse in Woodland Hills, with Orson Bean starring as a vaudeville trouper avoiding retirement in a nursing home. He and director David Doyle, veterans of the Broadway original, bring an affectionate nostalgia to their reunion. (F30)