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

ART

Leadership Change: James L. Powell, 64, said Tuesday that he will step down as president and director of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County as soon as a successor is found. “The museum soon will embark on a long-term expansion project,” said Powell, who has led the museum since 1994. “This is the right time for the museum to begin the search for a leader to serve throughout that effort and for me to pass the torch in an orderly way.” Under Powell’s leadership, the museum’s attendance, now approaching 750,000 visitors annually, has almost doubled, while the institution’s operating funding has grown by 50%. A national search for Powell’s successor is planned.

TELEVISION

Dennehy Series: NBC has given a limited series order to “The Fighting Fitzgeralds,” a sitcom from brothers Edward and Brian Burns starring Brian Dennehy as the father of three grown sons. The program will make its debut March 6, airing Tuesday nights at 8, temporarily replacing “3rd Rock From the Sun.” Separately, having previously announced plans for 40-minute episodes of “Friends” to combat “Survivor” on Thursday nights, NBC will also try 40-minute installments of “Will & Grace” and “Just Shoot Me” on Feb. 22, the final Thursday within the February rating sweeps.

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Network Loyalty: Sarah Michelle Gellar has apparently told a Web site that she will leave “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” if the series moves from the WB to another network. E! Online said that Gellar told the site: “I will stay on ‘Buffy’ if, and only if ‘Buffy’ stays on the WB.” The WB has been negotiating to renew “Buffy” for another year, but 20th Century Fox, which produces the show, has intimated it could move the show to its Fox network if the WB doesn’t offer a fair price. Gellar’s publicist declined to comment Tuesday on the remarks attributed to the actress.

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Kids Choices: “Big Momma’s House,” “Charlie’s Angels” and “The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps” topped nominations for Nickelodeon’s 14th annual Kids’ Choice Awards on Tuesday, with three nods apiece. Rosie O’Donnell will return for a fifth year as host of the show, which airs April 21 on the cable network. O’Donnell, also a frequent Tony Awards host, said Tuesday that Kids’ Choice is “the only awards show I plan to host this year.”

POP/ROCK

The Boys are Back: Eager to reclaim their place atop the pile of boy bands, the Backstreet Boys opened their world tour in Sunrise, Fla., on Monday night with a show mixing harmony-driven pop and dance with playful asides that worked fans into a frenzy. The Boys--Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean and Kevin Richardson--delivered a 90-minute, 21-song set with a half-dozen costume changes in their first of 36 initial North American concerts. A second set of U.S. shows kick off in August. During their dance numbers, the group--backed by a six-piece band--performed some light choreography, but for the most part let a supporting crew of nine dancers show off their routines.

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High Rankings: The live entertainment trade publication Amusement Business has ranked Los Angeles’ Staples Center No. 2 and the Arrowhead Pond No. 8 among the top-grossing U.S. concert venues seating more than 15,000 in its current year-end issue. New York’s Madison Square Garden was No. 1. Other local venue rankings included the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (No. 8 for venues under 5,000 seats) and San Diego’s Cox Arena (No. 14 for venues seating 10,001 to 15,000).

THEATER

Less ‘Annie’: The Pantages Theatre engagement of the touring “Annie Get Your Gun” with Marilu Henner and Tom Wopat has been reduced from three weeks to only one week, Feb. 27-March 4. Broadway/LA subscribers and others with tickets for performances after the first week have been asked to exchange them for earlier dates. Representatives of the producers did not return calls Tuesday seeking a reason for the shortened run.

QUICK TAKES

‘Traffik,’ the 1989 British miniseries that provided the basis for the current drug wars movie “Traffic,” will be screened at Beverly Hills’ Museum of Television & Radio New York from Feb. 15 through April 29. . . . “Bedazzled,” “Cast Away,” “The Cell,” “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Shadow of the Vampire” are the five films under consideration for the Oscar for best achievement in makeup, the motion picture academy announced Tuesday. . . . Comedienne-actress Aisha Tyler will take over Friday as the regular host of E!’s “Talk Soup.” Tyler has been a frequent guest host on the cable series since Hal Sparks’ departure last year. . . . Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige have been added to Sunday’s Super Bowl half-time show. . . . Jim Moret, co-anchor of CNN’s “ShowBiz Today,” is leaving the network after the cancellation of the afternoon show. Moret was offered another position at the network but declined, according to a CNN executive. . . . Mia Farrow will do a live chat today at 1 p.m. at https://www.cnn.com/chat. The actress will discuss her work with UNICEF to eradicate polio.