Final Curtain for Saddleback Summerstock Co.? : Stage: Its presentation of Broadway musicals with professional artists is threatened by belt-tightening at the college. It could lose a $51,000 subsidy.

The Saddleback College Summerstock Co., which has staged Broadway musicals with professional artists at the McKinney Theatre every summer since 1978, could be facing its final season.

Assistant producer Beth Hansen says the company, which has been receiving an annual subsidy of $51,000 from the community college, learned two weeks ago that its future funding has been targeted for elimination. “If the cut goes through,” she said, “it probably means we won’t have a season after this one.”

Gregory Bishop, the college’s dean of fine arts and communications, confirmed that the subsidy is “seriously threatened” because the administration needs to erase a projected $2.8-million deficit in the college budget for fiscal 1993-94.

Bishop said the funding cutoff is under consideration by the board of trustees and that a tentative decision is expected soon, though a final determination will not be made until sometime in June.

Actually, because the college’s fiscal year begins on July 1, the current subsidy also could be affected. “We get half our grant before June 30 and half after,” Hansen said. “A cutoff means we could lose fully half of what we should get for the upcoming season.”

This summer the company is scheduled to do “Oklahoma” and “Sweeney Todd” at the McKinney, a 404-seat facility on campus, and “Nunsense” at the adjacent 70-seat Cabaret Theatre. A children’s production of “Sleeping Beauty” is planned for the Saddleback Art Gallery. (See box.)

“We’ve always kept the program at the professional level,” Bishop said. “But as we go into auditions this season, the degree to which we can hire artists from Actors Equity is clearly threatened. If we lose the subsidy, it tells us to make a choice of offering lesser quality or eliminating the program.”

He said the upcoming season would be mounted, with reduced resources if necessary, because announcements already have gone out to subscribers and orders have started coming in. However, to continue summer stock productions in future seasons without union-professional guest artists “would make no sense,” Bishop maintained, “because the very reason for the company’s existence--high-quality presentations--would be undermined.”

Last summer, the company staged “Funny Girl” and “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” as main attractions and had about 2,500 subscribers. Hansen said a total of 20,000 people saw the shows, with attendance averaging 92% of capacity.

The summer stock budget was about $165,000 last year, Bishop said. The company earned $70,000 at the box office and received about $45,000 in private contributions, apart from the $51,000 subsidy.

Seven full-time staffers at the college are involved in the program year round. During the summer, some 200 people are employed part time.

Deploring the potential loss of the company, Bishop contended that it would be “a devastating blow to the community” in South County and that it would raise “a philosophical question” about the proper role of a community college beyond the confines of the campus.

“Saddleback has always included arts programming for the community at large. The McKinney Theatre is the only venue south of Irvine of any real size until you hit La Jolla that I’m aware of. This cut threatens the mission of the college to the degree that the college can and should provide cultural leadership.”

Bishop also said the proposed funding cut will be “a real test of support” for the summer stock presentations. “We’ll see what influence the community can bring to bear on the trustees,” he said.

SADDLEBACK SUMMER THEATER

The ’93 Season

“Nunsense” by Dan Goggin, Jun. 25-Aug. 15 in the Cabaret Theatre.

“Oklahoma” by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, July 9-23 in the McKinney Theatre.

“Sweeney Todd” by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler, Aug. 6-22 in the McKinney Theatre.

“Sleeping Beauty” for children. Dates to be announced the Saddleback Art Gallery.

Information: (714) 582-4656