‘Shakespeare and Me’ Benefit Raises $5,125

ORANGE — “Shakespeare and Me,” a benefit performance of sonnets, scenes and anecdotes Saturday, grossed $5,125 for Shakespeare Orange County--”25% more than we expected,” artistic director Tom Bradac said Monday. “We had great door sales, lots of walk-ups.”

The only professional classical theater troupe left in Orange County, SOC performs in Chapman University’s Waltmar Theatre. This summer, its second season, it will stage “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Julius Caesar.”

Bradac said that discount tickets to “Much Ado” are being offered to subscribers of GroveShakespeare, which canceled its season last week.

The discount, roughly 28%, allows people to buy tickets at student and senior citizen rates. A top ticket price of $23, for example, would be discounted to $16 for most performances, Bradac said.

“We’ll work it on the honor system,” he added. “If people come up to the box office and ask for that discount, we’ll take their word for it that they were subscribers to the Grove. We’re not going to ask for proof.”