Acknowledging a Debt to the Theater : * The Grove Shakespeare Festival Needs and Deserves Help From Garden Grove

The Bard may never have said it, but there’s good news and bad news at the Grove Shakespeare Festival company in Garden Grove. On the bright side is a successful year artistically that includes critically acclaimed productions of “Measure for Measure” and “The Merchant of Venice.” Last night, “The Taming of the Shrew” opened with high hopes.

In addition, within the past year there was also a much-welcome change on the City Council that gives the Shakespeare company and other city arts organizations, including the Orange County Symphony of Garden Grove, majority support. That’s important, because it will mean additional funding that is much needed. It also should provide important moral support for the theater company when the chips are down.

But behind the scenes--literally--are continuing problems with fund raising and the bitter aftermath of the abrupt ouster of founding artistic director Thomas F. Bradac on July 1.

Managing director Barbara Hammerman enjoys the support of the theater company board of directors as well as the City Council majority. But she has her work cut out for her in stabilizing the company financially. According to Hammerman, the company needs to raise $125,000 by the end of its current season in December in order to balance its budget. Some of that will come from ticket sales, but much of the rest must be raised in the Orange County community. As for all arts groups, fund raising for the Grove is even tougher in times of recession, so that will not be easy.

Hammerman and the board of directors now must build on the company’s recent artistic successes, some of which are attributable to Bradac. The board is conducting a national search for Bradac’s successor. A wise selection will go a long way toward smoothing over past troubles.

The City Council, in a show of support for Hammerman, recently agreed to contribute an additional $20,000 to the company. It also renewed a city contract that gives the company a full season’s notice--previously, it was only 90 days--if the contract is not to be renewed. That should provide much greater security to the company.

In addition, the council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a plan to provide the company and the symphony with city revenues from two new building permit fees and a bus-stop shelter advertising contract. The council should approve the plan. That would prove that the city, which derives droves of positive publicity from its arts groups, has the wisdom to acknowledge its debt.