Shakespeare Festival’s Artistic Director Quits : Arts: Thomas Bradac, who founded the Grove ensemble, cites ‘basic philosophical differences’ with the board. General Manager Toni Maggi and board member Jane Oglesby also resign.

Thomas F. Bradac, founder and artistic director of the 12-year-old Grove Shakespeare Festival, resigned unexpectedly Monday night, citing “basic philosophical differences” with the theater’s board of trustees.

The theater’s general manager and one of its 15 board members also resigned.

Bradac said he plans to form another Shakespearean theater somewhere in Orange County. Actor Daniel Cartmell, who has been working at the Grove for 11 years, predicted that “Tom will be followed by most everybody who knows him.”

Bradac, 43, is widely considered the driving artistic force behind the Grove, a $740,000-a-year, nonprofit operation that has been plagued by financial problems, especially in recent years. The theater generally is acknowledged as the second most significant troupe in Orange County, after South Coast Repertory.

Bradac’s resignation--which was accepted by less than a majority of the board members--is effective immediately. No replacement has been named. General manager Tony Maggi, who gave two weeks’ notice, could not be reached for comment. Board president Tom Moon attributed Maggi’s departure to pressing family obligations. Board member Jane Oglesby would not discuss her own resignation.

One source said the board had linked Bradac with the troupe’s continuing money troubles and that Bradac “had no choice. . . . It was resign or be fired.”

But Moon said that Bradac quit over “personal reasons” and that there had been no serious problems between the director and the trustees.

“I would not say officially that there was dissatisfaction” with Bradac’s performance, Moon said. “Some people didn’t like some of the plays (he selected), but I don’t think there’s a board in the county that doesn’t have” some disagreements between management and artistic personnel.

Bradac would only say: “I think we came to a mutual agreement that (resigning) was the best way to go.” He would not elaborate, except to add: “I wish nothing but the best for the artists and staff and hope they carry on with the theater’s mission. I’ve been there for 12 years and put a lot of my life and time into it.”

Moon said the board voted 6 to 3 Monday to accept Bradac’s resignation; six of the 15 board members were absent. Moon would not say who voted which way.

One source who requested anonymity said that officials were made aware a week ago that the theater is facing a $163,000 deficit, and that a few board members felt “the theater might have a better chance of getting money” without Bradac. The source did not explain why the board members felt that way.

Another source who also asked not to be identified said the board has been unable to raise any contributions since January and that Bradac had been made a scapegoat for “the fact that the theater is having financial difficulties--again.”

Moon, however, said the theater has received some contributed income this year--he would not say how much--and is not having immediate financial problems. The theater is “current on all its bills,” he added.

Managing director Barbara G. Hammerman added that 97% of 1991-92 season subscriptions have been sold, and that single ticket sales for the current, highly praised production of “The Merchant of Venice” are “excellent.” A box office worker said they have been selling 300 to 400 tickets a night to the 550-seat Festival Amphitheatre.

Moon acknowledged that Bradac’s resignation, particularly on the heels of the recent funding problems, “does not look good at all.” But, he stressed, “I honestly don’t think” it represents the theater’s death knell.

“I . . . met with staff (Tuesday) morning and assured them their jobs are not in jeopardy, and we are going to go ahead with our (six-play) season as outlined and anticipate no changes other than finding a new artistic director,” Moon said.

Internal troubles are nothing new to the Grove. Bradac had numerous administrative and artistic disagreements with Richard A. Stein, who was hired as managing director of the troupe in 1987. Stein assumed many of the administrative duties for which Bradac had been responsible. But Stein left the Grove in February of 1990 to become managing director of the Laguna Playhouse. Stein would not comment on Bradac’s resignation.

A search committee to seek Bradac’s replacement will be formed next week. In the meantime, Hammerman said, Jules Aaron, slated to direct the upcoming production of “Measure for Measure,” has agreed to stay on in an “advisory capacity” and will direct “The Taming of the Shrew,” which Bradac was slated to direct later in the season.

Though he did not elaborate on his plans to form another Shakespearean theater, Bradac said he would also like to direct free-lance projects and keep teaching at Chapman College, where he is an assistant professor of communications.

The Grove Shakespeare Festival grew out of a community theater group that Bradac formed when the city hired him to manage the 172-seat Gem Theater on Main Street. The Grove, which staged not just Shakespearean works but plays by writers such as Oscar Wilde and Arthur Miller, eventually began mounting productions in the nearby Festival Amphitheatre as well.

There was some longstanding friction, though, between local supporters of the Grove and those in the city who thought its productions were too highbrow for the “hard hat” community. In 1988, the City Council decided to start phasing out its fiscal support of the troupe, and since then, the Grove’s history has been marked by several rebounds from the apparent brink of financial ruin.