ENTERTAINMENT NEWS : Lots of Rock at Cruise Night : Glendale’s street party will feature Freddy Cannon, The Chantays and Capt. Cardiac & the Coronaries.

Freddy Cannon, a 1960s singing star, will headline Glendale’s second annual Cruise Night street party July 22. Cannon replaces The Crickets, Buddy Holly’s original band, which had to cancel because of a band member’s medical emergency.

Cannon, 54, who lives in Tarzana when he’s not on the road, became a national star with two records that each sold more than a million: “Tallahassie Lassie” in late 1959 and “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” in 1960. His other top-selling records include “Palisades Park,” “Abigail Beecher” and “Where the Action Is.” Rhino Records is scheduled to release a CD of Cannon’s greatest hits later this year.

Known for his high-energy vocal style, he performs between 125 and 150 concert dates a year. “I still have fun doing it,” he says. “When you see the people singing and dancing, it just keeps you going.”

Cannon holds the record for the most appearances on the old “American Bandstand” show. Continuing a career-long association with Dick Clark, Cannon often tours these days with Clark’s “Good Ol’ Rock ‘n’ Roll Show.”

Cruise Night also will feature the surf band, The Chantays (“Pipeline”), Capt. Cardiac & the Coronaries, The Roadhouse Rockers and Elvis impersonator Roger Redford. KRLA’s Huggy Boy will emcee the program.

In addition, the event will offer a classic car show featuring more than 250 pre-1972 roadsters and motorcycles.

Walter Moore of Roland & Associates, producers for the city of Glendale, says last year’s Cruise Night starring surf guitar king Dick Dale drew about 10,000 people, and he expects at least that many this year.

“This year we put together a free show that people would normally spend between $10 and $20 to see,” he says.

Cruise Night will be from 6 to 11 p.m. July 22 on North Brand Boulevard between Broadway and Lexington Drive. Admission is free. Call (818) 548-4844.

OKLAHOMA BENEFIT: Theatre East is staging “Curtain Up,” a variety show benefit for the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, tonight, Saturday and Sunday. All proceeds will go to the Murrah Crime Victims Compensation Fund.

Oklahoma native Rue McClanahan, best-known as Blanche on television’s “Golden Girls,” will host Saturday’s performance, and actor Bruno Kirby will host Friday’s and Sunday’s.

New York-born Kirby is best known for his featured roles in “City Slickers,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Good Morning, Vietnam,” “The Godfather, Part II” and “Spinal Tap.”

Kirby speaks with passion about the plight of the bombing victims, and says of Theatre East: “I think the world of the place; they do good work there.”

Kirby is a former member of the acting company, and his father, veteran actor Bruce Kirby, is still a member. “Theatre East was one of the first places I ever did any acting,” Bruno Kirby says.

Theatre East, 12655 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, presents “Curtain Up,” a variety show benefit for the Oklahoma City bombing victims, at 8 tonight, hosted by Bruno Kirby; 8 p.m. Saturday, hosted by Rue McClanahan; and 2 p.m. Sunday, hosted by Bruno Kirby. Tickets are $15, two for $25, and include dessert and beverage table. Call (213) 878-0382.

AW, YOU KIDS: Some of the San Fernando Valley’s younger performers are involved in some interesting productions this summer.

The Agoura High School music department is playing host to a group of 28 German student musicians and vocalists, ages 15 to 26. The students are staying for a week with families in Agoura and Westlake Village to get acquainted with American culture, as part of a jazz education program sponsored by the Jazz Arts Foundation.

The Germans’ visit will culminate in a joint concert with American jazz students from Agoura, Moorpark, Westlake, Eagle Rock, Roosevelt and Washington high schools, and the Hollywood High School of Performing Arts. The concert, at 7 tonight at Agoura High, also will feature Grammy-nominated recording artist O.C. Smith.

Next year, the Agoura High jazz students will travel to Ibbenburen, Germany, to perform. John Mosley, who chairs Agoura High’s music department, says, “It’s good for my kids to see that even though jazz is an American tradition, jazz is alive and well all over the world. It gives my students the opportunity to work with kids who speak a different language and to experience a different culture.”

Kid Power, a group of 35 singers and dancers between 7 and 21, will perform on the Florida-based Big Red Boat and at Disney World in Orlando from Aug. 20 to Sept. 1. Their repertoire includes original music along with songs from the 1940s through the ‘90s. Norine B. Xavier is artistic director of the group, which rehearses at West Coast Dance Theatre in Northridge.

In what may be your last chance to see them before they depart, Kid Power will perform in “Get Up & Dance” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at John Burroughs High School, 1920 Clark Ave., Burbank. Tickets are $12. Call (818) 885-5994.

The Children’s Theatre Network and the Valley College Department of Theatre Arts present “Peter Pan,” featuring more than 150 young performers from the Valley as well as visual flying illusions. “Peter Pan” will be at 8 tonight, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday in the Little Theatre at Valley College, 5800 Fulton Ave., Van Nuys. Tickets are $10 children, $12 general, except tonight’s opening, which will be $20 general, $10 children. Call (818) 892-2959.