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

THEATER

Broadway Bonds to Bolster Box Office

Bernadette Peters, Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick and Valerie Harper were among the stars who gathered in a Manhattan studio Tuesday to record the tune “New York, New York”--a public-service announcement that is part of a campaign called “Let’s Go On With the Show.”

On Friday, several hundred actors, representing every Broadway show, are expected to show up in full costume in Times Square, where the video component will be shot. Though the target audience is the New York metropolitan area, a nationwide expansion of the campaign is under consideration.

The effort, launched by the League of American Theatres & Producers, aims to spur financial recovery for Broadway and ancillary businesses. Though box-office grosses were off 50% to 60% last week, business is slowly picking up. Revenues more than doubled from $3.5 million last week to $7.8 million this week. During the same stretch last year, however, theaters took in $10 million. “While we’re cautiously optimistic, we’re not out of the woods yet,” Patricia Armetta-Haubner, director of public relations for the league, said Tuesday.

MTV and Immortal Team Up for ‘Bare’

In the first theatrical co-production for both companies, MTV and Santa Monica-based Immortal Entertainment Group will mount the L.A.-bred musical “Bare” on Broadway. The play, which was launched at the 87-seat Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles last October, deals with students at a Catholic high school in New York.

No theater or date has been announced.

TELEVISION

TV Scorecard: ‘Jordan’ Up, ‘Ellen’ Down

The delayed television season officially kicked off on Monday as viewers flocked to CBS’ “Everybody Loves Raymond” but bailed out on “The Ellen Show” sitcom starring Ellen DeGeneres, which previewed after that established hit.

Based on preliminary Nielsen Media Research estimates, nearly 22 million people watched the season premiere of “Raymond,” but only about 13.9 million--a 37% drop--stuck around for “Ellen,” which moves to its regular time slot this Friday.

The news was better for “Crossing Jordan,” a new NBC drama starring “Law & Order” alumna Jill Hennessy. The show averaged about 15.3 million viewers, easily beating CBS’ “Family Law” and attracting NBC’s biggest audience for the premiere of a Monday-night series in six years.

Fox countered with “Who Wants to Be a Princess?,” a premise similar to its high-rated but critically drubbed “Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?” special. Viewers, however, stayed away this time, as “Princess” drew just 5.8 million viewers, far behind ABC, CBS and NBC.

Cinderella Sequel on Home Video Horizon

Half a century after the original, Disney is planning a sequel to its classic animated film “Cinderella.” But not for theaters: Like “Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure” and “Lion King II: Simba’s Pride,” it will go directly to the home video-DVD market.

“Cinderella II: Dreams Come True” will be released by Buena Vista Home Entertainment on Feb. 26, with the mice Jaq and Gus relating the story of what happened after Cinderella married the prince.

And coming out a few weeks after that: “The Hunchback of Notre Dame II,” with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Haley Joel Osment joining the voice cast along with Kevin Kline, Tom Hulce and Demi Moore from the 1996 Disney film.

Hatch Sentenced in Domestic Assault Case

Former “Survivor” winner Richard Hatch was sentenced to a year’s probation Monday for domestic assault. Hatch, 40, said he planned to appeal the ruling handed down by a Rhode Island district court judge.

The altercation with Glenn Boyanowski, Hatch contended, took place when his former boyfriend tried to push his way inside Hatch’s home. Having won $1 million on the unscripted CBS show, Hatch now makes his living as a host on a Boston radio station.

QUICK TAKES

Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Cosby will headline an Oct. 8 charity event at Carnegie Hall for the Twin Towers Fund and the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund.... KCET-TV will rerun an “American Masters” profile of Isaac Stern, who died Saturday, at 10 p.m. Thursday.... Lou Waters, a weekday anchor with CNN since its founding in 1980, has left to become managing editor for NewsProNet, which provides programming to local TV stations.... As expected, former KNBC-TV News Director Nancy Bauer Gonzales has been named vice president and news director of KCAL-TV, effective Oct. 1.... The Museum of Television & Radio in Beverly Hills has moved its annual gala to Nov. 1. The event, which will honor James Burrows and Martin Sheen, had been scheduled for Oct. 7, which is now the date for the prime-time Emmy Awards .... “A Servant to Two Masters” at the Center Theater in Long Beach has added a matinee performance this Saturday, with proceeds going to the American Red Cross.