Attendance Up at College Performances

Orange Coast College’s performing arts program has outdone itself.

More than 60,000 people attended performances at OCC during its recently ended winter season, up from 58,773 who attended music, dance and dramatic performances at the Costa Mesa community college a year earlier.

Commenting on the success of the program, George L. Blanc, dean of community education, said that recent improvements to the Robert B. Moore Theatre may have contributed to the increased attendance.

Built in 1955, the auditorium was remodeled during the 1992-93 academic year. The renovations improved both the acoustics and the interiors. Theatergoers have been very pleased with the improvements, Blanc said.

“Most of our patrons come from Orange County, obviously, but we also get a lot of attendees from San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles and even Palm Springs,” he said.

Another factor in the attendance increase, he said, may be the theater’s prices.

Tickets for shows at OCC typically sell for $15 to $18, he said, whereas prices for performances at large regional centers have risen to as much as $65 a seat.