Thomas Bradac
- Education:
- California State University, Long Beach, Bachelor of Arts
California State University, Long Beach, Master of Arts
Biography
Professor Emeritus Thomas F. Bradac has been a theatre professional for 50 years. He adapted and staged Shakespeare’s poem, "Venus and Adonis," for the Prague Fringe Festival with The Prague Shakespeare Company. He is the founder of Shakespeare Orange County theatre and served as artistic director. During his tenure, SOC was recognized by Arts Orange County as Arts Organization of the Year and received special recognition for Community Service by the Walt Disney Company. Additionally, he founded the Grove Shakespeare Festival a two-venue Actors Equity Company and was awarded Hollywood Drama-Logue Publisher's Award for Exceptional Achievement in Theatre. He is a founding director of the Shakespeare Theatre Association, an international service organization for theatres dedicated to producing Shakespeare, and additionally served as the organization's president.
Professor Bradac, as chair of the Theatre and Dance Department, initiated Chapman's participation in the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival (KC/ACTF) and hosted the organization on campus for its 30th Annual Region XIII Festival, drawing over 1,200 students from six western states. He received the Excellence in Education Award by KC/ACTF for his work with the Festival. Over the past 32 years he has directed numerous productions for the Theatre Department with Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2021. Prof. Bradac annually directs the Henry Kemp-Blair High School Shakespeare Theatre Festival, now in its 43rd year. As an actor he has performed as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, the title role in King Lear, and Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor. A former member of Actors Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild, Tom is currently a member of the National Alliance of Acting Teachers.
Recent Creative, Scholarly Work and Publications
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Actor. Modjeska House, Arden. Modjeska Canyon. Co-sponsored by the OC Parks and Modjeska house volunteers. Excerpts from Shakespeare. Three performances for visitors to the museum.
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AnEnemy of the People. Laguna Playhouse. AEA contract with Michael Nehring and Nick Gabriel directing.
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Laguna Playhouse reading of "An Enemy of the People" by Henrik Ibsen adapted by Arthur Miller. Actor playing Kill under an Actors Equity union contract. Directed by Prof. Nick Gabriel, the cast included Professor Michael Nehring and several Chapman Students inn apprentice and supporting roles.
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Co-Directed Wm. Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure" in the Waltmar Theatre. Student performers and professional design team, it was my first staging of the bard's problem play in the round. Utilizing the First Folio, 1623 as inspiration for the production, the show was led by Adjunct Professor Amanda Zarr.
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Founding of the Modjeska Shakespeare Players. A performance troupe designed to introduce Shakespeare's work throughout Orange County. Performances were scheduled at the Modjeska House in Modjeska Canyon in both fall and spring and at Westminster High School, Westminster, CA as a culminating event for students to hear/see the verse they studied spoken by professional actors. Alumni, faculty, area professionals and undergraduate students were involved.
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Othello, the Moor of Venice- a First Folio (1623) production of Shakespeare's seminal work. Working with student actors and professional design team. this project investigated the play by utilizing the first folio as the only source of the text for performance. February, Waltmar Theatre, 2018.
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Actor. The Laramie Project. The Theatre department opened the academic year with a staged reading of The Laramie Project directed by Trevor Biship-Gillespie.
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Shakespeare at Arden. Performing monologues, scenes and sonnet's from Shakespeare's plays for the first time in more than 35 years at Helena Mojeska's home in Modjeska Canyon, CA. Professor Michael Nehring was part of the acting ensemble and I coordinated and produced the event, June 2, 2017 for two performances.
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The Merchant of Venice, Musco Center preview season, celebrating Shakespeare's 400 anniversary celebration. Live streamed on the internet April 23, 2016 and recorded and stored in the Leatherby digital library collection. Featuring Professor Michael Nehring as Shylock and the lighting design of Professor Don Guy, the performances took a year of planning and significant rehearsal utilizing the text from the 1623 First Folio. It was the first theatre presentation in the new center for performing arts.
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Hamlet, Prince of Denmark- a First Folio (1623) production of Shakespeare's seminal work. Working with student actors and professional design team. this project investigated the play by utilizing the first folio as the only source of the text for performance. February, Waltmar Theatre, 2015.
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2014 Performance Actor. Bottom in SummerFest Orange County's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Opening production critically reviewed by regional and local publications June- July, 2014.
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Produced and Directed Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night, or What You Will" and "The Tragedy of Macbeth" at the Festival Amphitheatre in Garden Grove as part of Shakespeare Orange County's twenty second season. Both productions were critically reviewed by regional and local publications. July 15- August 31, 2013.
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Produced, Directed and Adapted Shakespeare's narrative poem Venus and Adonis for the stage for the Prague Fringe Festival, June 5-9th, Prague, CZ and Aug 10-11th at Shakespeare Orange County. Also Produced Richard III for Shakespeare Orange County and Directed and Produced Much Ado About Nothing at the Festival Amphitheatre in Garden Grove, CA. All productions were critically reviewed both internationally and/or regionally by various publications.
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Produced The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Shakespeare Orange County, July 2011, Festival Amphitheatre Produced and Directed, The Complete Works of Wm Shakespeare Abridged, SOC, July/August 2011, Festival Amphitheatre Produced The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare Orange County, August 2011, Festival Amphitheatre Directed The Tragedy of Macbeth, Chapman University, February 2011, Waltmar Theatre
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Produced The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Shakespeare Orange County, July 2010, Festival Amphitheatre. Produced and Directed The Tragedy of King Lear, Shakespeare Orange County September, 2010, Festival Amphitheatre.