DANA POINT : Vandals Strike Set; Drama Group Moves

Vandals attacked the portable set of the South Orange County Community Theater in Bluff Park on Wednesday night or early Thursday, tearing up the wooden platforms and smashing the handmade stage, police reported.

“They were hit pretty hard,” Sheriff’s Lt. Dan Martini said. “It appeared to be wanton vandalism. Whoever it was knocked over portions of the stage and really ripped some things up.”

Martini said the community theater has been hit by vandalism during the last several weeks, but the latest episode was the worst.

“They have experienced some problems before from what appears to be kids. At first we thought they might be just taking part of the railings for firewood on the beach, but we discovered they were probably using the material for skateboard ramps or something like that,” Martini said. “The theater has now moved, and we will step up our surveillance.”

B. J. Scott, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit theater group, said her company has been “devastated” by the vandalism but will not be deterred by the damage. The set consists of 11 platforms, all handmade by Carl Munoz of Saddleback College.

“Last night was the fourth time we have been hit, and the worst one,” Scott said. “We’ve had to back up and take a look around. We decided we can’t do this anymore, and we have moved to a new park.”

Instead of Bluff Park, which is above Salt Creek Beach, the company will move its performances scheduled for this weekend to Lantern Bay Park, the hilltop park next to the Dana Point Resort.

The community theater company is performing Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” at 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Aug. 25. The group gives readers’ theater performances at various locations during the winter, but this is the second summer for the theater group’s Shakespeare performances. None of the actors are paid.

Scott said the group had used Bluff Park last year but moved its set off the basketball courts this summer to avoid interfering with basketball games. The vandalism this summer followed the move off the courts.

“It started with some harassment during rehearsals at the park,” Scott said. “We even had some water balloons tossed at us. My husband tried to pursue one of the kids, who tried to run him over with his car.”

Scott said the group needs to finish out its performances to recoup the $13,000 annual cost of the summer theater. Admission to the performances is $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens.