STAGEUnfashionable ‘Shoes’: “The Red Shoes,” the new...

STAGE

Unfashionable ‘Shoes’: “The Red Shoes,” the new Broadway musical based on the 1948 movie about a ballerina and her two competing lovers, will close Sunday after just five performances. The $8-million production opened Thursday to harsh reviews. “Except for the toe shoes of the women in the corps de ballet, the show is pointless,” wrote David Richards of the New York Times, who also called it “confoundingly inert.” Theater critics for Newsday, the New York Daily News, the New York Post and Variety all pointed their thumbs down. The Washington Post sent dance critic Alan Kriegsman, who noted that while the movie “was doubtless the biggest ballet turn-on for a mass public in history,” the musical “may turn out to be just the opposite--a ballet turnoff of unprecedented magnitude. That is, if it lasts long enough to have any effect whatsoever.”

Directing ‘Twilight’: Emily Mann, who directed “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” in L.A. and New Jersey, will not direct Anna Deavere Smith’s solo piece about the L.A. riots when it opens in New York next spring. But the director for the New York Shakespeare Festival production--which may move to Broadway--hasn’t been named. Speculation is growing that it might be the festival’s director, George C. Wolfe, who earlier directed Smith in “Fires in the Mirror.”

RADIO

The Beat Joins In: Another Los Angeles station has jumped on the bandwagon and decided to drop offensive words from rap songs. KKBT-FM (The Beat, 92.3) has said it is dropping the pejorative words after having met with Stop the Violence Increase the Peace. The advocacy group made a similar request of KPWR-FM a few weeks ago and that station also has dropped the words. Other stations around the country--notably in Washington and New York--have enacted similar bans.

TELEVISION

Keeping an Eye on CBS: “Bob,” the CBS comedy series that fared poorly in its Friday night time slot, will be given a one-time trial as part of the network’s Monday night schedule on Dec. 27. The Bob Newhart sitcom, which is set at a greeting card company, will be shown at 9:30 p.m. in place of “Love & War.” . . . The network also confirmed that Cybill Shepherd will star in a new series from producer Jay Daniel (“Roseanne,” “Moonlighting”) for Carsey-Werner. The half-hour comedy is planned for the fall.

No Longer in the Dark: ABC has set an airdate for “Out of Darkness,” which marks the TV movie debut of singer Diana Ross. In the two-hour “ABC Theater” drama, which will be televised Jan. 16, Ross plays a mentally disturbed woman.

Twice the Talk: Tim Russert, the moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” will host a new talk show for cable channel CNBC starting Feb. 7. The half-hour program will feature a mix of interviews and comments from viewers. “Rivera Live,” an hourlong talkfest hosted by Geraldo Rivera, also premieres that night.

A Year to Forget: According to an NBC News poll, beleaguered pop star Michael Jackson had the worst year of all famous figures in 1993. The singer topped the list of names that included Sen. Bob Packwood, Woody Allen, John Bobbitt, Joey Buttafuoco and Heidi Fleiss. And when given a list of women with whom they would like to have lunch, the majority of respondents chose First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton over Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts, Janet Reno and NBC’s own Katie Couric.

VIDEO

A Carpet Ride to the Top: With sales of 21 million copies since Oct. 1, Disney’s animated musical comedy “Aladdin” has become the top-selling video of all time. That figure tops the 20 million sales of previous champ “Beauty and the Beast.” Meanwhile, “The Jungle Book” has become the top-selling video outside of North America, with shipments to date of 14 million units, according to figures announced by the company.

MOVIES

Bat Role: Makers of “Batman III” will hold an open casting call on Sunday for a male, age 14 to 20, to play the role of Robin in Warner Bros.’ upcoming feature film. Auditions are slated for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Warner Bros. Studios, 4210 Olive Ave., in Burbank. No previous acting experience is necessary, although knowledge of martial arts is a plus and candidates should bring a snapshot of themselves.

QUICK TAKES

Singer Neil Diamond, continuing at the Forum tonight, Sunday and Tuesday, is asking concert-goers to bring cans of food or other non-perishable food items. Food will be collected and distributed through USA Harvest to Southern California shelters and missions, a spokesman said. . . . Garry Shandling will host the 36th annual Grammy Awards from Radio City Music Hall, to be televised March 1 on CBS. It’s the fourth such assignment for the comedian. . . . Today’s Muhammad Ali Day in Pasadena. To mark the occasion, Ali and author Howard Bingham, who wrote “A Thirty Year Journey,” will take part in a book-signing event at the Black & Latino Multicultural Book Center on 23 N. Mentor Ave. at 1:30 p.m.