Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

STAGE

‘Cruising’ at Geffen: Actor and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard will give his first Los Angeles reading on June 1 at Westwood’s Geffen Playhouse. Called “Cruising Paradise With Sam Shepard,” the event will feature readings from his 1997 collection of short stories, “Cruising Paradise,” as well as from previous plays and other chronicles. Shepard, who has written more than 45 plays and appeared in 16 films, won a Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1979 for “Buried Child” and earned a best supporting actor Oscar nomination in 1984 for “The Right Stuff.” Tickets for the 9 p.m. reading are $15 each.

*

Celebrating the Tony Nominees: Rosie O’Donnell, who hosts the Tony Awards on June 7, will hold a two-week “Countdown to the Tonys” on her daytime TV talk show featuring performances from all of this year’s Tony-nominated musicals and musical revivals. Starting on Monday with Natasha Richardson of “Cabaret,” the Tony-related programming will also include production numbers from “Side Show” (on Tuesday), “1776” (Wednesday), “Ragtime” (Thursday), “The Scarlet Pimpernel” (June 1), “The Lion King” (June 2) and “The Sound of Music” (June 4). Additional guests include former National Endowment for the Arts chief Jane Alexander--nominated for “Honour”--on May 29, and Betty Buckley--nominated for “Triumph of Love”--on June 3. The series concludes June 5 with guest Carol Channing looking back at past Broadway performances.

TV & MOVIES

Reeve Says No to Politics: Actor-turned-director Christopher Reeve on Thursday turned down requests from the Democratic Party that he take on a new career--in politics. “I am flattered by people’s interest but running for office is not something I am considering at this time,” Reeve said in a statement. Democratic leaders in New York had tried to enlist Reeve to run against Republican Rep. Sue Kelly in Reeve’s home district in Westchester County. “A lot of people in the county want him to run,” said Westchester County Democratic Chairman Dave Alpert. “He seems to be terrifically popular and very knowledgeable. He goes to Washington, he talks about health issues and the environment, and he’s a well-known person.” Reeve, who has urged politicians to devote money to spinal cord research since his paralyzing fall from a horse in 1995, turned down similar political recruitment offers two years ago.

*

Matt and Ben and Miramax: Miramax Films has signed a multi-year, first-look production deal with “Good Will Hunting” stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who won an Oscar for the movie’s screenplay. The pair will produce films for Miramax under the deal, which expands upon a previous agreement for them to write and star in two projects, including “Like a Rock,” which is currently in development.

POP/ROCK

Crowd Control: Several pop concerts, including Sonic Youth’s three-night stand next week, have been moved from Wilshire Boulevard’s El Rey Theatre because of a ruling by the L.A. fire marshal that greatly reduces the capacity of the Miracle Mile club. Sonic Youth’s Thursday-May 30 engagement has been relocated to UCLA’s Veterans Wadsworth Theater. Other moves: Tonight’s Charlie Hunter Trio show shifts to the Troubadour, Tortoise (June 2) goes to the Palace, Rocket From the Crypt (June 3) to the Hollywood Athletic Club and the Jesus and Mary Chain (June 16) moves to the Palace. Shows by Nick Lowe on June 10 and the Lounge Lizards on June 12 are expected to remain at the El Rey.

QUICK TAKES

Anjelica Huston will make her second foray into directing (following her critically praised Showtime TV movie “Bastard Out of Carolina”) with October Films’ “The Mammy,” in which Huston will star as a feisty widow raising her seven children. Filming is expected to begin in Ireland this summer. . . . The “Seinfeld” series finale last week lifted NBC’s “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” to its biggest weekly average (7.8 million viewers) since the week “Cheers” ended five years ago. . . . By rerunning the just-over-an-hour “Seinfeld” season finale at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, meanwhile, NBC delayed the rest of the night’s programming by nearly 10 minutes, meaning that some folks who taped later shows--including the season finale of “Law & Order” at 10 p.m.--probably missed the endings. . . . Singer James Taylor will launch his summer concert tour with “James Taylor Live,” a televised special from New York’s Beacon Theater, airing live on KCET-TV Channel 28 May 30 at 6 p.m.