In 1979, the City of Garden Grove hired Thomas Bradac to manage and direct a small and recently refurbished 172-seat proscenium theater, The GEM. The Grove Shakespeare Festival (GSF, the Grove), launched with a production of Romeo and Juliet and in 1980, the GSF staged a repertory of The Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing, with Anni Long and Ron Boussum as the GSF's first Equity Guest Artists (Actor's Equity Association, AEA). That same year, the City provided $440,000 from California Park Bond fees for a lighting system and stadium seating and the 540-seat outdoor Festival Amphitheatre opened in 1981.

By 1986, GSF solidified its status within the community by becoming a member of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), as well as receiving its first California Arts Council Grant and a Letter of Agreement with the AEA. The Grove Shakespeare Festival was recognized as Orange County's second AEA professional theater company and it was the second largest professional theater in Orange County from the 1980s to 1990s. In 1988 and 1989, the City of Garden Grove withdrew funding for the Festival, which created a funding crisis. In 1990, celebrity and Bradac's former student, Kelly McGillis, performed as part of a Shakespearean fundraiser. Bradac continued as artistic director of the Grove through the summer of 1991, when differences of philosophy regarding expansion and management of the theater led to his forced resignation. After Bradac left, the Festival ran for one more season before closing in 1993.

1979:

• Anything Goes by Cole Porter, directed by Sondra Evans
• Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, directed by Bill Purkiss
• Mame by Jerry Herman, directed by Melinda Moreno
• Pippin by Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz, directed by Sal Romeo

1980:

• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Dale Wasserman, directed by Kirk Mee
• The Hot L Baltimore by Lanford Wilson, directed by Sal Romeo
• Sleuth by Anthony Shaffer, directed by Elaine Herman
• Once Upon a Mattress by Jay Thompson and Mary Rogers, directed by Kent Johnson

1980-1981:

• The Robber Bridegroom (Orange County premiere) by Alfred Uhry and Robert Waldman, directed by Ron Thronson
• The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, directed by Sal Romeo
• Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, directed by Dana Larson Evans
• The Cold Wind and the Warm (world premiere) and Pillar of Fire by Ray Bradbury directed by Kirk Mee
• Cabaret by John Kander and Fred Ebb, directed by Diane Walsh
• The Shadow Box (Orange County premiere) by Michael Cristofer, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Private Lives by Noel Coward, directed by John A. Lee
• Dames at Sea by George Hamisohn and Robin Miller, directed by Sal Romeo

1981-1982:

• South Pacific by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein, directed by Sal Romeo
• A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, directed by John Allison
• As You Like It by William Shakespeare, directed by John Allison
• Grease by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Company by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, directed by John A. Lee
• The Miracle Worker by William Gibson, directed by Thomas F. Bradac

1982:

• No Mother But Jazz (West Coast premiere) by Cole Porter and John A. Lee, directed by John A. Lee
• Ladyhouse Blues by Kevin O'Morrison, directed by Mat Reitz
• Scapino! (Orange County premiere) by Frank Dunlop and Jim Dale, directed by Susan Thomas Lee
• Man of La Mancha by Dale Wasserman, directed by Eileen Fishbach

1982-1983:

• Oliver! by Lionel Bart, directed by John A. Lee
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, directed by Kristoffer Tabori
• Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, directed by Lee Shallat
• Side by Side by Stephen Sondheim, directed by Sheryl Donchey
• The Fantasticks by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, directed by John A. Lee
• On Golden Pond (Orange County premiere) by Ernest Thompson, directed by Eileen Fishbach
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens; adapted by Thomas F. Bradac and Boyer, directed by Thomas F. Bradac

1983:

• Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas, directed by John A. Lee
• A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt, directed by Mat Reitz
• The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard, directed by Susan Thomas Lee

1983-1984:

• Tintypes (Orange County premiere) by Mary Kyte, Mel Marvin, and Gary Pearle, directed by Sheryl Donchey
• Macbeth by William Shakespeare, directed by Lee Shallat
• The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare, directed by Kristoffer Tabori
• Rodgers and Hart: A Musical Celebration (Orange County premiere) by Richard Lewine and John Fearnley, directed by John A. Lee
• Hay Fever by Noel Coward, directed by John A. Lee
• Bus Stop by William Inge, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted by Thomas F. Bradac and Boyer, directed by Michael Lewis

1984:

• Starting Here, Starting Now by David Shire, directed by Susan Thomas Lee
• The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Chapter Two by Neil Simon, directed by Daniel Bryan Cartmell

1984-1985:

• Tartuffe by Moliere, directed by Richard Rossi
• Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, directed by Lee Shallat
• Hamlet by William Shakespeare, directed by Kristoffer Tabori
• The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Bleacher Bums (Orange County premiere) by Joe Mantegna, directed by Patricia Terry
• Annie by Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse, and Martin Charnin, directed by Thomas F. Bradac

1985:

• California Suite by Neil Simon, directed by Cherie A. Brown
• Tribute by Bernard Slade, directed by Sheryl Donchey
• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, directed by Daniel Bryan Cartmell
• They're Playing Our Song (Orange County premiere) by Neil Simon and Marvin Hamlisch, directed by John A. Lee

1985-1986:

• The Rivals by Richard B. Sheridan, directed by Richard Rossi
• The Tempest by William Shakespeare, directed by John C. Fletcher
• The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Shakespeare 1614, Alive! (world premiere) by Donald Freed, directed by Donald Freed
• Going to See the Elephant (Orange County premiere) by Karen Hensel, directed by Carl Reggiardo
• Some Enchanted Evening (Orange County premiere) by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein, directed by Denise Dell Reiss

1986:

• Crimes of the Heart (Orange County premiere) by Beth Henley, directed by Daniel Bryan Cartmell
• The Dresser (Los Angeles area professional premiere) by Ronald Harwood, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• A Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O'Neill, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• What the Butler Saw (Orange County premiere) by Joe Orton, directed by Phil Beck
• Henry IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare, directed by Richard E. T. White
• Love's Labours Lost by William Shakespeare, directed by Phil Beck
• The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Quilters by Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas; adapted by Jeremy Brooks and Adrian Mitchell, directed by Daniel Bryan Cartmell

1987:

• True West by Sam Shepard, directed by Frank Condon
• The Show-Off by George Kelly, directed by David Herman
• Devour the Snow by Abe Polsky, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• A Life in the Theatre by David Mamet, directed by Daniel Bryan Cartmell
• Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, directed by Jules Aaron
• The Imaginary Invalid by Molière, directed by Frank Condon
• A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Sherlock's Last Case by Charles Marowitz, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, adapted by Jeremy Brooks and Adrian Mitchell, directed by Daniel Bryan Cartmell

1988:

• Vikings by Stephen Metcalfe, directed by Jules Aaron
• Mrs. California by Doris Baizley, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Trinity by Leon Uris, staged by Wayne Watkins
• The Price by Arthur Miller, directed by Jerry Guardino
• Pump Boys and Dinettes by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, directed by Dean Hess
• Richard II by William Shakespeare, directed by Jules Aaron
• The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, directed by David Herman
• King Lear by William Shakespeare, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Venus and Adonis by William Shakespeare, adapted and performed by Benjamin Stewart
• And A Nightingale Sang by C. P. Taylor, directed by David Herman
• A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, adapted by Jeremy Brooks and Adrian Mitchell, directed by Daniel Bryan Cartmell

1989:

• Lily Dale by Horton Foote, directed by Daniel Bryan Cartmell
• California Young Playwrights Project
• Requiem for a Heavyweight by Rod Sterling, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Tomfoolery by Tom Lehrer, adapted by Cameron Mackintosh, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, directed by Jules Aaron
• The Songs of War (world premiere) by Murray Schisgal, directed by Jerry Guardino
• Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• Heathen Valley by Romulus Linney, directed by Philip Killian
• The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare, directed by Victor Pappas
• The Scoundrel (world premiere) by Gregory Mortensen, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, adapted by Jeremy Brooks and Adrian Mitchell, directed by Thomas F. Bradac

1990:

• Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• The Miser by Moliere, directed by Deborah LaVine
• Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, directed by Jules Aaron
• As You Like It by William Shakespeare, directed by Thomas F. Bradac

1991:

• Les Liaison Dangerous by Christopher Hampton, directed by Thomas F. Bradac
• The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, directed by Thomas F. Bradac

This series contains photographs, papers, documents, publicity mailers, periodicals and newspaper clippings from Thomas Bradac regarding his involvement with the Grove Shakespeare Festival from 1979 through 1991.

This sub-series is divided chronologically into theatrical seasons and it contains photographs, slides and contact sheets for the various productions and fundraising events of the Grove Shakespeare Festival from 1979 to 1991. Ron M. Stone is the photographer listed on the contact sheets.

This sub-series includes photos from numerous productions and fundraising events hosted by actors, such as Kelly McGillis.

Held within this sub-series is one mounted photograph with a name plate that reads "Comedy of Errors - Chapman College 1990 - Thanks Tom."

This sub-series contains programs, publicity mailers and documents for various productions from The Grove Theater Company. Materials are divided by year.

This sub-series also includes financial agreements with various city councils, publicity criteria, mission statements, internal memorandums, rehearsal schedules and organizational overviews and charts for the Grove Theater Company.

Of note, Fred Cassle was associated with the advertising and public relations for productions in the Grove Shakespeare Festival.

This sub-series also notably includes a 1984 letter from Kelly Ann McGillis (famously known for her role as "Charlie" in the film Top Gun) to Tom Bradac. McGillis writes of her role in the film Witness and her costar Harrison Ford.

This sub-series contains newspaper clippings, periodicals, and photocopies of articles containing reviews of productions, various performances, and actor critiques. Publications include Orange Coast magazine, Orange County Illustrated magazine, Drama-Logue, the Orange County Register, and the Los Angeles Times.

Thomas F. Bradac founded Shakespeare Orange County (SOC) at Chapman University's Waltmar Theatre in 1991. He opened with productions of The Winter's Tale and Hamlet in the summer of 1992. Unlike the Grove Shakespeare Festival, SOC was a summer theater company designed to present professional productions of Shakespeare and other classics writers, as well as to provide an opportunity for Chapman University theater students to gain experience alongside union professionals. Bradac and a small Board of Trustees incorporated SOC as a non-profit organization in 1991. SOC also signed a Small Professional Theatre (SPT) Equity union contract with the Actors' Equity Association.

In 1993, Dr. James Doti, Chapman University President, provided $9,000 for students working as summer interns with SOC through the 2007 season. As a fundraising event, Bradac created "A Shakespearean Christmas" — an anthology of Shakespeare's sonnets, Charles Dickens' Pickwick Papers, and other readings that became a company staple for many seasons.

SOC experienced a string of critical successes that stabilized both the artistic and financial aspects of the theater. One success was the positive reception of King Lear in 1994, which featured veteran Canadian-American actor Alan Mandell and resulted in a California Arts Council grant. Four productions directed at Chapman University were also recognized as regional finalists for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. These included Hamlet, Macbeth, The Tempest, and Tartuffe.

This series contains photographs, realia, ephemera, documents, newspaper clippings, records, and memorabilia from Thomas Bradac and Shakespeare Orange County, in residence at Chapman University. Photographic materials include stage production stills, photographic slides, headshots of actors, and publicity photos of Bradac. Materials vary in type with dates spanning from 1991 to 2003.

1991-1992:

• Photographic material for various performances
• Programs, publicity records and documents including various logos for Shakespeare Orange County, business records, articles of incorporation, reviews of performances, and memos from Chapman University's Board of trustees.
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals.

1993:

• Programs, publicity records and promotional material including information on the Will Power Walk with pledge form
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals. Also includes an issue of Quarto (Shakespeare Theatre Association newsletter Vol. 3, No. 2) and front cover of the O.C. Metro periodical.

1994:

• Photographic material for various performances
• Programs, publicity records and promotional material
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals

1995:

• Programs, publicity records and promotional material. These include prereleases for a variety of events, as well as schedules of performances. Of interest is one thank you card written by President Jim Doti, congratulating Bradac on a performance dated September 15, 1995.
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals

1996:

• Photographic material for various performances
• Programs, publicity records and promotional material
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals

1997:

• Photographic material and slides for various performances. Also included are two boxes and one photograph envelope of slides.
• Programs, publicity records and promotional material. This subseries also contains examples of fabrics for costume designs for The Merchant of Venice.
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals

1998:

• Photographic material and slides for various performances.
• Programs, publicity records and promotional material. This subseries also contains one collection of thank you notes from the Summer Leadership Academy for The Merry Wives of Windsor.
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals

1999:

• Photographic material and slides for various performances. Also contains film strips for several performances.
• Programs, publicity records and promotional material. Also contains an example of a Shakespeare Orange County holiday greeting card. Of particular interest are illustrated details, fabric examples and costume notes for Romeo and Juliet.
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals

2000:

• Photographic material and slides for various performances
• Programs, publicity records and promotional material
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals

2001:

• Photographic material and slides for various performances
• Programs, publicity records and promotional material
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals

2003:

• Photographic material and slides for various performances. Also included are two photographic CDs marked "Soc Othello 2003."
• Programs, publicity records and promotional material
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals

1 stage model for The Merry Wives of Windsor, constructed from various materials, by Craig Brown. 11"d x 17"w x 7"h.

This sub-series is divided chronologically by calendar year and contains photographs, slides, production stills, headshots of actors, and publicity photos for various performances of Shakespeare Orange County (Chapman University) from 1992 to 2003.

Photograph contributors include Patrick O'Donnell, Christopher Trela, and Glenn Koenig.

This sub-series contains programs, publicity mailers, rehearsal schedules, press-releases, and documents for various productions from Shakespeare Orange County (SOC), located at Chapman University. It also includes two production binders, one for Hamlet and one for As you Like It. Folders include scripts, rehearsal schedules, cue lists, and stage layouts. Materials are divided by calendar year.

This sub-series also includes various financial papers, legal documents, business records, articles of incorporation and by-laws for the Shakespeare Orange County theater group.

Of particular interest are various iterations of SOC's logo, various memos from the Chapman University Board of Trustees, examples of fabrics and costume designs for The Merchant of Venice and Romeo and Juliet, and one 3D paper stage model representing the set for The Merry Wives of Windsor that was constructed by Craig Brown. Model dimensions: 11"d x 17"w x 7"h.

This sub-series consists of newspaper clippings, periodicals and photocopies of articles containing reviews of productions, various performances and actor critiques. Publications include the Orange County Register, the Los Angeles Times, O.C. Metro, and Quarto.

Shakespeare Orange County (SOC) moved from Chapman University to Garden Grove's Festival Amphitheatre in 2004. Bradac produced Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth to financial and critical success. In 2004, the Disneyland Community Service Awards recognized SOC with a grant and the Special Judges Award of $20,000 helped to create a reserve fund to ensure SOC's future productions. Arts Orange County recognized SOC as an "Outstanding Arts Organization" in 2005. SOC continued its relationship with Chapman University and utilized students as apprentices and interns each summer. Bradac stepped down from his role in the company, and 2013 was his last year of producing plays.

With Bradac's departure, SOC retained the name for the purposes of name recognition, but administratively operated as a separate entity. In 2019, with the Festival Amphitheatre under new membership, the theater company moved the performances to Santa Ana College. The producing artistic director John Walcutt announced in early 2020 that Shakespeare Orange County would be ceasing operations after four decades. In this last year, Walcutt voiced his support for the University of California, Irvine's New Swan Shakespeare Festival, as the natural successor to carry on the Orange County tradition of summer Shakespeare productions.

Timeline of Festival Amphitheatre Productions

• 2004 – Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing
• 2005 – A Midsummer Night's Dream, Measure for Measure
• 2006 – Hamlet, Twelfth Night, A Child's Christmas in Wales
• 2007 – The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet
• 2008 – Henry V, The Tempest
• 2009 – The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It
• 2010 – King Lear, Two Gentlemen of Verona
• 2011 – The Comedy of Errors, Julius Caesar, A Shakespearean Christmas
• 2012 – Richard III, Much Ado About Nothing (also played in La Mirada), Venus and Adonis (also played in Prague)
• 2013 – Twelfth Night, MacBeth

This series contains photographs, documents, newspaper clippings, records, and memorabilia from Thomas Bradac and Shakespeare Orange County (SOC), in residence at the Garden Grove Festival Amphitheatre from 2004 to 2013. Materials include stage production stills, photographs, scripts, production notes, programs, press releases, and newspaper clippings. Of particular interest are photographs of David Denman (famously known for his role as "Roy" in the television show The Office) while portraying the title role of Henry V in 2008. Below is an inventory by year:

2004:

• Photographic material: includes 1 digital CD of photos
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents

2005:

• Photographic material: includes 6 digital CDs of photos
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents: Of interest is one certificate of recognition for SOC as a recipient of the Outstanding Arts Organization Award, 2005 July 12

2006:

• Photographic material: includes 4 digital CDs of photos
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents. This includes 2 digital CDs of logo designs. Of interest are 3 press release kits for Twelfth Night, Hamlet, and A Child's Christmas in Wales.

2007:

• Photographic material: includes 1 digital CD of photos
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents

2008:

• Photographic material: includes 1 digital CD of photos
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents. Of interest is a production binder for Henry V including a script, rehearsal schedule, cue list, and stage layout.

2009:

• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents. Of interest is a production binder for As You Like It including a script, rehearsal schedule, cue list, and stage layout.

2010:

• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents. Of interest is a production binder for The Two Gentlemen of Verona including a script, rehearsal schedule, cue list, production equipment, and stage layout.
• SOC performance poster labeled "The Tragedie [sic] of King Lear." Poster measures to 17"x11" and is found in Flat file C, Drawer 1, Oversized Folder 2.

2011:

• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents. Of interest is a production binder for Julius Caesar including a script, rehearsal schedule, cue list, and stage layout.

2012:

• Photographic material: includes 1 digital CD of photos
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents.

2013:

• Photographic material
• Newspaper clippings and periodicals
• Programs, publicity records and documents. Includes 1 digital CD.

This sub-series is divided chronologically by calendar year and contains photographs, production stills, and publicity photos for various performances of Shakespeare Orange County at the Festival Amphitheatre from 2004 to 2013.

This sub-series contains programs, publicity mailers, rehearsal schedules, press-releases, and documents for various productions from Shakespeare Orange County (SOC), located at the Festival Amphitheatre in Garden Grove. It also contains one SOC performance poster labeled "The Tragedie [sic] of King Lear". Poster measures to 17"x11".

Also contained within this sub-series are press kits and production binders with scripts, rehearsal schedules, cue lists, production equipment lists, and stage layouts for various performances. These include Twelfth Night, Hamlet, A Child's Christmas in Wales, Henry V, As You Like It, Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Julius Caesar.

Of interest is one certificate of recognition for Shakespeare Orange County as a recipient of the Outstanding Arts Organization Award. Certificate is dated July 12, 2005.

Also notably includes photographs of David Denman (famously known for his role as "Roy" in the television show The Office) in 2008, while acting in his role as Henry V.

This sub-series contains newspaper clippings, periodicals, and photocopies of articles containing reviews of productions, various performances, and actor critiques. Publications include the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times.

The book, Shakespeare's Genealogies, was removed from this series by archival staff and kept separate for cataloging.

This series contains one photo of Sir Laurence Olivier from the play, Hamlet, dated 1948. The photograph is signed by Olivier and accompanied by a notice of authentification.

This series also includes one folder marked "Ray Bradbury 1980." This contains a signed photograph of Ray Bradbury with personal correspondence and stationary from Bradbury to Bradac. These items refer to two of Bradbury's short stories: "The Cold Wind and The Warm" and "Pillar of Fire." Bradac and Bradbury adapted these stories into one act plays that were directed by Kirk Mee.