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

NATIONAL NEWS

Bush Taps Humanities Chairman

President Bush has nominated Indiana University art historian Bruce Cole to replace William R. Ferris as head of the National Endowment for the Humanities for a four-year term. Cole, a professor of fine arts and comparative literature, was first appointed to the endowment’s national council in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush; at that time, Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, was chairwoman of the endowment. In a statement, Lynne Cheney called Cole, whose appointment must still be confirmed by the Senate, “a highly respected scholar who knows how to speak and write about the humanities in ways we can all appreciate.”

TELEVISION

Getting Out of His ‘Blue’ Mood

Rick Schroder has confirmed long-standing speculation that he will leave ABC’s “NYPD Blue,” issuing a statement saying he wants to spend more time with his family. The actor, who spent nearly three seasons on the show, and his wife are expecting a fourth child this summer. Regulars Kim Delaney and James McDaniel left the program earlier this year, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar (whose credits include “Saved by the Bell”) will join the show in the fall as a new detective. The season ended in a cliffhanger in which Schroder’s character was missing after a stripper he’d been dating was found dead at his apartment.

Critics Name Their Favorites

The Television Critics Assn. has nominated two first-year series--CBS’ “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and the WB’s “Gilmore Girls”--in its best drama category, along with the WB’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” HBO’s “The Sopranos” and NBC’s “The West Wing.” The critics’ comedy picks are the new series “Ed” (NBC) and “The Job” (ABC), plus CBS’ “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Fox’s “Malcolm in the Middle” and HBO’s “Sex and the City.” Winners will be named July 21.

Dueling ‘Frontiers’ for ABC, CNN

Turns out synergy isn’t everything in the media world, as rivals CNN and ABC News launch a dueling series of reports in the coming week, both produced in conjunction with Time magazine, on the economic and social issues surrounding the U.S.-Mexican border. ABC’s “The New Frontier” runs Sunday through Wednesday, with reports on “This Week,” “World News Tonight” and “Nightline”; Peter Jennings will anchor the evening news from the border city of Laredo, Texas, on Monday. CNN’s “The New Frontier/La Nueva Frontera” runs Monday through Friday with reports throughout the day; its own border-city report, on Eagle Pass, Texas, also runs Monday. CNN is a natural partner for Time since both are owned by AOL/Time Warner; ABC is part of rival Disney. ABC got in on the act, however, when correspondent John Quinones heard about the Time special report and suggested teaming up.

Calling All ‘Popstars’ Wannabes

The WB will hold open auditions for potential cast members for the second season of “Popstars,” which in its first incarnation launched the top-selling girl pop group Eden’s Crush. The L.A. audition will be on June 15 at Beverly Hills’ Le Meridien Hotel. Producers are seeking both men and women, ages 18 to 25. More information is available at https://www.thewb.com.

THEATER

Singin’ Cunningham, Swivelin’ Fonz

“Happy Days” creator Garry Marshall and the Falcon Theatre in Burbank, which he founded, are developing a musical version of his hit TV sitcom in association with Paramount Pictures. Marshall is tentatively slated to adapt and direct the musical. Preliminary workshops of the musical (closed to the public) are scheduled for Falcon development during the 2001-2002 season. An earlier stage version of “Happy Days” by a different creative team played in England and Australia several years ago.

East West Players Season Set

East West Players’ 2001-2002 season will include Chay Yew’s “Red” (Oct. 3-28), set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution; Philip Kan Gotanda’s “Sisters Matsumoto” (Jan. 23-Feb. 17), a post-internment camp tale; the premiere of Derek Nguyen’s “Monster” (April 17-May 12), the group’s first mainstage production by a Vietnamese American; and the Kander and Ebb revue “The World Goes Round” (June 5-30, 2002).

POP / ROCK

A Less Than Full Mac Attack

Singer Stevie Nicks says that there will be a new Fleetwood Mac studio album--with or without keyboardist-singer Christine McVie, who has been the project’s lone holdout. “We’ve given Christine three years, and she doesn’t want to do it,” Nicks told USA Today, adding that Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Lindsey Buckingham are all eager to reunite in the studio. “Without her influence, it goes back to me and Lindsey singing, which is how we started. It puts the focus back on guitars, so we can have more touches of the blues and ZZ Top-type rock we love. It’s going to be fun and absolutely different.” Nicks, who goes on tour in July to promote her solo album “Trouble in Shangri-La,” did not say, however, when the Mac-minus-one project might get underway.

QUICK TAKES

Actor Michael J. Fox and wife Tracy Pollan are expecting their fourth child. They already have a 12-year-old son and 6-year-old twin daughters. . . . Cassie and Ord, two characters from the animated PBS children’s series “Dragon’s Tales,” will be at Storyopolis (116 N. Robertson Blvd.) today at 4:30 p.m. to meet and greet children. The characters’ creator will also be on hand, as will actress Gabrielle Carteris, who will read “Dragon Tales” stories. . . . Fine Line Features’ film version of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” will open the annual Outfest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on July 12 at the Orpheum Theatre in Hollywood. The festival’s closing-night film will be Lions Gate’s “All Over the Guy,” screening July 23 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in Beverly Hills. . . . The WB Network has picked up two new comedies as midseason replacement series: “Cedric the Coach,” starring Cedric “The Entertainer” (“The Steve Harvey Show”) and “The (Mis)Adventures of Fiona Plum,” about a pampered witch who becomes a nanny. . . . L.A. muralist Judy Baca (“The Great Wall”) will receive the Liberty Hill Foundation’s Creative Vision Award on June 10 for her work promoting “a vision of L.A. as a place of vibrant diversity and beauty.” . . . Actress Kathy Najimy will host the Hollywood Bowl’s “Sing-Along ‘Sound of Music,’ ” a one-night sing-along version of the beloved film, on June 30. Attendees are encouraged to dress in costume.