MORNING REPORT - News from Oct. 12, 2000

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Michelangelo Discovered: A previously unknown Michelangelo drawing valued at more than $8 million has been found in a British manor. The three-quarter body view (from the knees up), pen-and-ink study of a mourning woman was discovered during a routine insurance evaluation at Castle Howard, a North Yorkshire home that was used for filming a TV adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel, “Brideshead Revisited.” Found pasted into an album, the drawing is thought to have been in the Howard family for 250 years. British museums will be offered the first chance to buy it, but if adequate funds cannot be raised, the drawing will be auctioned.

Ratings Scorecard: ABC’s “The Geena Davis Show” and “Gideon’s Crossing” both drew solid ratings in their premieres on Tuesday. Davis’ sitcom attracted an estimated 17.3 million viewers, only about 6% less than its lead-in, “Dharma & Greg,” while “Gideon”--the medical drama starring Andre Braugher--averaged 15.4 million viewers, not far behind the second-season premiere of CBS’ “Judging Amy.” Fox’s “Dark Angel” also held up well in its second week, with an estimated 13.4 million viewers.

Long Beach Fare: International City Theatre in Long Beach will cap its 2001 season with “Honk!,” a musical adaptation of “The Ugly Duckling” that beat “The Lion King” in the best musical competition at London’s Olivier Awards. The show will play Nov. 9-Dec. 9, 2001, following the Johnny Burke revue “Swinging on a Star” (Feb. 16-March 11); Arthur Miller’s “A View From the Bridge” (April 27-May 20); “Death Defying Acts,” an off-Broadway trilogy by David Mamet, Elaine May and Woody Allen (June 22-July 15); and “A Servant to Two Masters,” Lee Hall’s adaptation of the Goldoni classic (Sept. 7-30).

Latino Success Story: Nickelodeon has picked up 13 more episodes of its new series “The Brothers Garcia.” The show--the first English-language comedy with an all-Latino cast and creative team--has drawn strong ratings since its July premiere, a factor that the cable network said “proves . . . that kids’ dreams and concerns are universal and cross all cultural bounds.”

QUICK TAKES

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has appointed Edward Yim director of artistic planning, replacing Welz Kauffman, who left the post to head Chicago’s Ravinia Festival. Yim, a native Angeleno who has been artistic administrator at the Cleveland Orchestra, will be responsible for the artistic oversight and coordination of all Philharmonic programming, including the Hollywood Bowl summer series. . . . Soprano Deborah Voigt has canceled her recital that was scheduled for 8 p.m. tonight at Glendale’s Alex Theatre because she has laryngitis. . . . Linda Ellerbee hosts “Nick News Special Edition: Kids Pick the President,” featuring both candidates tackling kids’ questions on the issues, tonight at 8 on cable’s Nickelodeon. . . . Eddie McGee, the winner on CBS’ “Big Brother,” will guest on “Hollywood Squares” the week of Nov. 13. . . . The opening of La Jolla Playhouse’s new musical, “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” has been pushed back a week, to Oct. 22 instead of this Sunday. Meanwhile, the Wilshire Theatre engagement of the South African musical “Gumboots” will now open Nov. 15 instead of Nov. 22.