ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

TELEVISION

‘This Truly Amazing Roster’: Wolf Films/Studio USA announced Wednesday that Oscar-nominated film director Arthur Penn (“Bonnie and Clyde,” “The Miracle Worker”) will be New York executive producer of NBC’s “Law & Order” in the fall when the Emmy-winning drama series enters its 11th season. The studio also announced that film director Michael Ritchie (“Downhill Racer,” “The Candidate”) will be the New York-based executive producer for NBC’s “Deadline,” which will star Oliver Platt as a newspaper columnist with a yen for investigating crimes. Already on the Wolf Films payroll is Ted Kotcheff, a film and television director/producer (“The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz”), who returns for a second season as executive producer of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” Dick Wolf, creator and executive producer of all three series, referred to the trio as “this truly amazing roster of executive producers.”

LEGAL FILE

Not That Spielberg: A man accused of posing as the nephew of Steven Spielberg pleaded guilty in Fairfax, Va., on Wednesday to forgery. Prosecutors dropped other charges in exchange for the guilty plea and agreed not to oppose probation for Jonathan Taylor Spielberg. Sentencing was set for July 21. For more than a year, Spielberg, 27, duped classmates and school officials at Paul VI Catholic High School with his stories of “Uncle Steven.” School records listed his age as 16. Investigators said Spielberg was born Anoushirvan D. Fakhran in Iran but changed his name 2 1/2 years ago.

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Charges Dismissed: A New York judge has agreed to let Chrissy Hynde off the hook for destroying leather goods during an animal rights protest--as long as the 48-year-old rock singer and three other animal rights activists who were charged with her are not arrested again within the next six months.

MUSIC

Zachary Finalists: Ten finalists in the 28th Loren L. Zachary Society National Vocal Competition took home a total of $43,250 at the Wilshire-Ebell Theatre on Sunday. Top winner was Philadelphia soprano Jennifer Check, who collected $12,000. Soprano Jacqueline Venable of Elba, N.Y., won $9,000. Baritones Kyle Ketelson and Daesan No received $7,000 and $5,000, respectively. Tenor Bruce Sledge of Los Angeles grabbed fifth prize and $4,250, followed by tenor Todd Wilander, who won $2,000. Each of the remaining four finalists got $1,000.

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‘Do or Die’ Concert: Facing a self-imposed “do or die” deadline, the Santa Ana-based Aman International Music and Dance Troupe will hold a fund-raising concert July 1 to raise $100,000. The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation of Los Angeles has pledged $35,000 in matching funds, but the company must raise the remainder, according to Aman executive director Romalyn Tilghman. The company will fold if they miss the mark on this fund-raiser. Formed in Los Angeles in 1964, Aman moved to Santa Ana in 1998 and is Southern California’s oldest major professional folk dance troupe. The concert, to take place at the Aman Studios, will feature Greek folk dancer Athan Carras. (714) 836-8006.