Cal Shakes' `Ideal' hit

Word from the California Shakespeare Theater is that artistic director Jonathan Moscone's production of An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde has become the company's biggest box-office hit in its 35-year history.This breaks the previous record held by Moscone's production of Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw last summer.Says Cal Shakes' outgoing managing director Debbie Chin: "We are so grateful that despite challenging economic times, we are part of a community that responds to, and frankly demands, great art."Ideal broke the previous record for gross sales, single tickets and group sales and performed to a 93 percent capacity during its 24-performance run July 2-27 at the Bruns Memorial Amphitheater in Orinda.The Cal Shakes season continues with Emily Mann's adaptation of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya opening Aug. 9 and continuing through Aug. 31. The season closes with Shakespeare's Twelfth Night directed by Mark Rucker, Sept. 10-Oct. 5.Call 510-548-9666 or visit www.calshakes.org for information.