On December 17 Moonbox Productions, will present acclaimed playwright Peter Shaffer’s Tony Award-winning production of “Amadeus” during a benefit night for Cambridge-based food rescue organization, Food For Free. All proceeds from the performance will go directly to support the nonprofit’s food rescue, school, and transportation programs.

“Amadeus” is an extraordinary meditation on art, love, and the human condition.  The year is 1781, and the place is Vienna.  Joseph II is Emperor of Austria, and Vienna's world of music is ruled by the precise and pedantic composer Antonio Salieri.  Then the famous Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart arrives, throwing Salieri's predictable court life into chaos.  Salieri must decide how far he will go to protect the world he has created, and to destroy the man who is a constant reminder of the artist he will never be.

Since 1981, Food For Free has responded to local hunger by rescuing food that would otherwise go to waste, and distributing it to local emergency food systems such as food pantries, youth programs, shelters, and more. As one of the nation’s first and oldest food rescue programs, Food For Free feeds more than 30,000 families annually in Boston and beyond.

The benefit performance will start at 8 p.m. at Boston Center for the Arts Plaza, which is located at 539 Tremont Street in Boston. Tickets are $50 for general admission, $25 for people under 25 and $15 for students. To purchase tickets, visit http://www.bostontheatrescene.com or call 617-933-8600. Food For Free supporters can enter the discount code FOOD4FREE for $25 off the ticket fee.