Grove Theater nears deal

In a turnabout worthy of an adventure comedy’s final act, Grove Theater Center has gone from the edge of eviction two months ago to the verge of a new, five-year contract that will free its leaders to pursue their dream of becoming Orange County’s third well-established professional theater company.

By a 3-2 vote, the Garden Grove City Council on Tuesday agreed to let GTC narrow its focus to the 172-seat indoor Gem Theater and relieve it of responsibility for another city-owned facility, the adjoining 550-seat Festival Amphitheater. The city will negotiate with Thomas F. Bradac, the director of Shakespeare Orange County, to manage the amphitheater. Some contract details concerning the Gem also remain to be worked out with GTC.

The council had considered revoking GTC’s contract because the two venues, which GTC has run since 1994, were not busy enough and the theater company wasn’t receptive to booking in local festivals and pageants.

Now, GTC leaders Kevin Cochran and Charles Johanson will get to stick to the professional theater work that is their passion -- although their annual subsidy from the city will be cut from $40,000 to $25,000. GTC would be required to mount at least five plays annually, totaling at least 45 performances.

During the turmoil, which began nearly a year ago with the city manager recommending GTC’s ouster, Bradac had submitted a proposal for Shakespeare Orange County to take over the two theaters. He said Thursday that he is willing to run only the amphitheater, producing two Shakespeare plays each summer and emphasizing children’s programs, arts festivals and other community events the rest of the time.

GTC’s narrower focus, said Johanson, should allow the struggling $225,000-a-year nonprofit to focus on growing toward its eventual goal of staging eight plays a year on a $2.5-million budget and being seen as a peer to South Coast Repertory and the Laguna Playhouse. Their budgets are $8.4 million and $4.8 million, respectively.

“People were saying we were on the way out,” Johanson said. “Now the challenge is assuring financial stability and growth.”