If Joe Montana wrote a grocery list,...

If Joe Montana wrote a grocery list, or if James Stewart drew a rabbit he thinks he saw, or if Paul Newman jotted down almost anything on a piece of paper, somebody would pay a handsome price for their sketchings.

That is the theory behind an auction Saturday night at Jay’s Deli in Long Beach. These celebrity doodles are expected to fetch enough money to help the California Repertory Company and the Cal State Long Beach Theater Arts Department send up to 25 students to China in April for the third annual International Shakespeare Festival.

Celebrities have responded in astounding numbers, among them Bea Arthur, Jeff Bridges, Alex Haley, David Letterman, Neil Simon, Connie Stevens, Abigail Van Buren and others.

The fund-raising event, to take place at 5305 E. Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, will begin with a no-host bar at 6:30 p.m. and include dinner at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person, $100 for a table of four or $250 for a table of 10. Tickets may be purchased by calling 985-5526 Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or 985-2262 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.