When old Broadway stars fade away into obscurity, they hit the dinner theater circuit, playing enough performances of "The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd" to drive them straight to the Betty Ford Clinic. And since somebody's gotta replace 'em, we're not altogether surprised that more musical theater types are turning to fading pop stars as substitutes.

Which brings us to the case of Roger Daltrey, who, after his marquee role in the abysmal summerlong British Rock Symphony tour, has decided to sign on for the title role in a New York production of Scrooge. The play, which opens in November, will see Daltrey play a character in his own age range for the first time in decades.

Just a few blocks away from Daltrey's Broadway extravaganza, Paula Abdul will also be making her debut on the Great White Way, taking the lead role in a new staging of Neil Simon's Seventies classic Sweet Charity. It's undoubtedly a promotion for the ex-Laker Girl, who, last we looked, was leading aerobics classes as part of her contract with the folks who make Boost energy shakes.

DAVID SPRAGUE