Sally Kirkland Will Headline Benefit for Grove

Sally Kirkland will headline a benefit for the Grove Shakespeare Festival on July 29. The program of Shakespearean readings and scenes will also feature Joan Van Ark of the TV series “Knots Landing,” Salome Jens, Roscoe Lee Brown, Wayne Alexander, Gregory Itzin, Karen Hensel, Harry Frazier, Elizabeth Normant and Diana Bellemy.

Kirkland was nominated for an Oscar for her role in the 1987 film “Anna.”

In addition to the program, to begin at 8 p.m. at the Festival Amphitheatre, the second annual “Midsummer Night’s Eve at the Grove” will include dinner and cocktails from 6 p.m. in the nearby Village Green Courtyard. Tickets to the dinner and show are $75 (down from last year’s $125 because, officials said, of the recession). Just the show: $25.

The financially strapped festival must raise $163,000 to complete its current season in the black. Last year’s benefit, which featured Kelly McGillis, raised about $20,000, according to festival president Tom Moon.

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