Coming Up June 10 at 9:30 AM! What if a sincere apology could lead to more freedom, stronger relationships, and greater happiness? Join me for a fascinating conversation with authors Jason Feddy and Michael Waldman, co-authors of The Glory of Groveling: Apology: A Simple Path to More Freedom and Happiness. We'll explore why apologizing is often harder than it should be, how it can transform our personal and professional relationships, and why owning our mistakes may be one of the most powerful tools for human connection.

 🎙️ Tune in June 10 at 9:30 AM for this insightful discussion on forgiveness, accountability, and the surprising power of saying, "I'm sorry." 

The Glory of Groveling:

Apology, a Simple Path to More Freedom and Happiness

by Jason Feddy (Author), Michael Waldman (Author)

“Apology gives us the authority to determine our own future, free of the fear,
resentment, and guilt we feel from broken relationships. It makes us people of our word, people who can be trusted, people who are ready for real love.”

In The Glory of Groveling, authors Jason Feddy and Michael Waldman deliver a refreshingly honest, surprisingly practical, and often humorous guide to personal liberation through the art of apology and forgiveness. With their signature blend of insight and irreverence, they offer a six-and-a-half step program designed to help readers drop their pride, own their mistakes, and find emotional freedom.

This is not your average self-help book. Feddy and Waldman take aim at the ego’s favorite defense mechanisms—deflection, denial, blame—and replace them with simple, actionable tools to repair relationships and release resentment. Whether you’re navigating a rocky marriage, tense work dynamic, or the silent guilt of past missteps, The Glory of Groveling invites you to rethink strength, rediscover humility, and learn the surprising joy of making things right.

With real-life stories, accessible exercises, and just the right amount of sass, this book is a must-read for anyone ready to trade defensiveness for connection and bitterness for peace.

Jason Feddy is a British-American musician, songwriter, radio personality and teacher. He is Laguna Beach California’s Arts Alliance Artist of The Year 2019 and is a passionate collaborator with a number of local arts organizations. For a decade, Jason was a cantor/soloist (song and service leader) for Temple Isaiah of Newport Beach, Ca and currently provides music for The Jewish Collaborative of Orange County. He is a consultant for the Arts Department of The City of Laguna Beach, curating many of the city’s numerous outdoor music programs. Jason is a board member at Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center.

As a songwriter, Jason has made 8 albums of original songs. His music has been featured on soundtracks for movies. Jason’s most recent collection, “Songs From The Plays”, features lyrics by William Shakespeare, all set to original, modern, acoustic music. Jason wrote the songs, performed in, and was musical director for the off Broadway show “Two’s A Crowd,” written by and starring comedian Rita Rudner. In the New York Times review of the show, Jason was described as having “Rumpled Charm”.

Over the years, Feddy has been in and has led more bands than he can remember, from trios to 9-piece extravaganzas. He’s still friends with everyone in those bands, even the drummers. He travels the world talking and singing to anyone who will listen.

A former heroin addict, Jason has been clean in a 12-Step program since 2000. By his own account he has fucked up so many times over the years, sober or not, that he’s put in way more than his 10,000 hours of practice in the art of apology; learning along the way. Jason has helped many people to fix broken relationships, based on his knowledge and experience of the 12 Steps, particularly Steps 8 and 9 - the preparation and making of “amends”. As the result of many years of honest apologies and rarely broken promises, he is very close with his numerous family members, who live across 3 continents.

Jason’s fabulous wife Ava, who knew him at his worst, married him in 2010 and it is by apologizing so well that they have avoided strangling each other. They have a little white dog, Barklee, who loves them both very much.

 Michael Waldman at 70, has spent his professional life as a teacher, thought leader, entrepreneur and trusted business consultant focused on his clients’ extraordinary accomplishment and personal satisfaction.

Michael was a founding partner of two global management consulting companies, High Performance Consulting and Insigniam Consulting - specializing in Strategic Design, Breakthrough Performance and Leadership Development for the Fortune Global 100.  These consulting companies and their clients have allowed Michael to consult throughout Asia, Europe, South and North American. 

Michael has been acknowledged or quoted in the books “The Three Laws of Performance” and “Taking Time For Your Life”.  His perspective is that in business, it all comes down to the human factor, the people.   Simply said, it’s impossible to have unprecedented business results unless your team is inspired, self-expressed, aligned and unstoppably productive.

Prior to starting his consulting companies, Michael was a senior course leader for Landmark Worldwide, a global education corporation.  During this time Michael worked with thousands of individuals on their most important personal and business issues including improving relationships, building personal communication skills, being more confident and productive, clearing away self-limitations, and designing inspiring futures for themselves. 

Long committed to social contribution, Michael was a founding board member and Chairman of the Board of the Somaly Mam Foundation, an anti-human-trafficking non-profit organization.  He has also consulted the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America and the Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts. 

Today, Michael lives in Laguna Beach CA with his wife Cindy and enjoys time with their son and daughter-in-law. An iPhone-photographer, Michael’s photos have been published in Steven Van Zandt’s Album ‘Soulfire Live’ and his book ‘Unrequited Infatuations’.  Additionally, his photography is seen in Robert Lawson’s ‘Solidarity Forever’. His love for music has had him appear in movies about Cream and Bruce Springsteen. The Grammy Museum featured an interview with Michael in their Springsteen Live exhibit film. 

Along with writing with Jason, he devotes his time to providing executive coaching for a small number of corporate clients on performance, leadership and personal satisfaction. 

Join me on Tuesday, June 10 at 9:00 AM PT for a conversation with Christie Cate, creator and showrunner of the upcoming adult indie animated pilot, Mermaid Mafia.

🎙️ June 10th on Get the Funk Out!

Join me on Tuesday, June 10 at 9:00 AM PT for a conversation with Christie Cate, creator and showrunner of the upcoming adult indie animated pilot, Mermaid Mafia.

Inspired by her mother's legacy, Christie founded Lumen Airy LLC to bring original stories and compelling female characters to life. She is also an accomplished voice actress whose work has helped her build a social media following of more than 100,000 fans.

We'll talk about animation, voice acting, storytelling, entrepreneurship, creativity, and what it takes to bring a dream project to life.

✨ Tune in for this inspiring conversation!

📻 KUCI 88.9 FM

💻 Listen live at KUCI.org

Christie Cate (she/her) is the creator and showrunner for Mermaid Mafia, an upcoming adult indie animated pilot produced by her company Lumen Airy LLC. The vision for the company came about upon the death of her mother, a figure who positively influenced her in every aspect of her life.

A Los Angeles native, Christie grew up surrounded by diverse artist communities, which inspired her to become a creator herself. In writing, she loves writing female leads, and the tone of her stories can be influenced by her demi-sexuality. She has taken multiple writing courses, most notably from the UCLA extension program, and Boyds Mills.

Christie is also a prolific actress, many of her most popular roles are voice over characters. She loves using her voice as an instrument to create unique sounding characters that match the project's vision. Her career as an actress has led her to gather a following of over 100k across social media platforms.

When she is not directing Mermaid Mafia, writing, or acting, Christie can be found out in nature, listening to BTS, or petting her three rescue cats.

Listen to Janeane's June 3rd conversation with Corinna — a medically retired mental health nurse, author, sober warrior and Can-Am solo rider - ✨ Recovery • Healing • Hope • Living Life After Addiction and loss ✨

LISTEN to today's show with Corinna 
who called in to our studio from the UK!

ABOUT CORRINA

 Positive Recovery with Corinna | CanAmGirlUK 

Wheelchair to Wheels — rebuilding life through adversity, sobriety and riding

I’m Corinna — medically retired mental health nurse, author, sober warrior and solo rider living with FND, Fibromyalgia, arthritis, anxiety and chronic illness.

I am no longer in a wheelchair, but my journey began there in 2020 when FND and alcohol left me unable to walk or talk properly. I got sober in August 2020 and rebuilt my life through mindfulness and positivity.

After losing my partner to leukaemia in 2023, I completed our planned ride around Ireland and Wales solo, on my Can Sm Ryker 600cc, raising money for Maggie’s Cancer Care. Since then, I’ve ridden 38,000 + (mostly solo) miles across 16 European countries.  I’ve ridden 46,000 miles in total and recently upgraded to a Spyder F3s

I vlog about my journey and these include: 

 Can-Am Ryker & F3-S adventures

 Solo travel & long-distance riding

 Sobriety, grief & personal recovery

 Mental health, FND & chronic illness awareness

 Resilience, disability positivity & real-life recovery

I’m not “fixed” — I’m rebuilding, living, and riding forward.

I’m perfect at being me — and I hope my journey helps you too.

 SUPPORT THE JOURNEY

  Buy Me a Coffee
  My Recovery Book

⸻

 FOLLOW THE JOURNEY

  YouTube – Positive Recovery with Corinna
  Instagram – @canamgirluk
  TikTok – @canamgirluk
  Facebook

 Recovery • Healing • Hope • Living Life After Addiction and loss 

Costa Mesa is Alive with The Sound of Music at Segerstrom Center for the Arts! Tune in to KUCI June 3rd at 9:30am when Janeane will be in conversation with Cayleigh Capaldi, who plays Maria!

LISTEN to today's show
with Cayleigh Capaldi,
who plays Maria in The Sound of Music National Tour.

Watch some clips
from the National Tour!

Music by RICHARD RODGERS

Lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II

Book by HOWARD LINDSAY and RUSSEL CROUSE

Suggested by The Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp

Directed by JACK O’BRIEN

Tony Award nominee Christiane Noll joins

Cayleigh Capaldi and Kevin Earley at

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

June 2 – 14, 2026

Tickets at scfta.org

CAYLEIGH CAPALDI (Maria Rainer) is honored to be making her National Tour debut bringing this iconic and vital story to life. Off-Broadway & West End: Titanique (Rose, Céline Dion). West End: Figaro (Sienna). Regional: Frozen (Elsa, US regional premiere), Putting it Together (The Younger Woman), Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins), Into the Woods (Cinderella), and Little Women (Jo March). TV/Film: “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” “Mrs. Fletcher.”

As an influencer and creator, she has garnered over 300K followers and 100M views across socials. Recent honors graduate of Columbia University and Berklee College of Music, Londoner-turned-New Yorker, and fluent Mandarin speaker. Gratitude to M+D+N+G, Kimberly, her Stewart team, Dave, and Beanie for being one of my favorite things. @cayleigh.capaldi www.CayleighCapaldi.com

COSTA MESA, CA | Segerstrom Center for the Arts is delighted to announce the highly anticipated North American tour of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, June 2 to 14, 2026.

Tickets for THE SOUND OF MUSIC, starting at $39, are available for purchase online at scfta.org, in person at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, and by phone at 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts of 10 or more, call the Group Services offices at 714.755.0236.

Director Jack O’Brien shared, “It is with a profound sense of excitement that our entire creative staff including associate director Matt Lenz, choreographer Danny Mefford, music supervisor Andy Einhorn, set designer Douglas W. Schmidt, costume designer Jane Greenwood, lightning designer Natasha Katz, and the others, reunited to launch this extraordinary new tour of THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

What adds to that excitement is this marvelous company of brilliant new interpreters — Cayleigh Capaldi as Maria, fresh from her recent triumph in the West End, Kevin Earley as the Captain, the brilliant Christiane Noll as the Mother Abbess, Nicholas Rodriguez as Max, Detweiler, Kate Loprest as Elsa Schraeder, Ariana Ferch as Liesl von Trapp, and Ian Coursey as Rolf Gruber -- bringing a new perspective, as well as an astonishingly original interpretation to one of our most beloved works, now seen in the individual light of today.”


O’Brien continued, “You won’t want to miss this thrilling and powerful THE SOUND OF MUSIC!”

The spirited, romantic and beloved story of Maria and the von Trapp family features an unforgettable Tony, GRAMMY® and Academy Award®-winning Best Score, including legendary favorites “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Edelweiss” and “The Sound of Music.”

The von Trapp children are played by Torben Mularski as Friedrich, Skylar Matthews as Louisa, Reece Boyle as Kurt, Haddie Mac as Brigitta, Berkeley Waluk as Marta, and Everly Beeson as Gretl. Brady Carville, Rory L. Prichard and Tessa Mae Pundsack understudy the von Trapp children. The principal cast is rounded out by John Adkison as Franz, Corey Greenan as Admiral von Schreiber, Jennifer Malenke as Frau Schmidt, and Daniel Robert Sullivan as Herr Zeller. Completing the cast are Blaire Eilene Baker, Sydney K. Borchers, Dylan Bradford, Steven Grant Douglas, Alli Echelmeyer, Zach Herman, Charlotte Jenkins, Meredith Lustig (Sister Sophia), Mark Bradley Miller (Baron Elberfeld), Tess Primack (Sister Margaretta), and Ruthie Sangster, and Lisa Rosetta Strum (Sister Berthe).

THE SOUND OF MUSIC features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp. The 1965 Oscar®-winning film recently celebrated its 60th anniversary and continues to be one of the most successful movie musicals of all time. Learn more at www.SoundOfMusicOnTour.com.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC tour stage management team is led by production stage manager Brigham Johnson and is supported by stage manager Kali Ashurst and assistant stage manager Megan Belgam. The company management team is led by company manager Jamey Jennings with associate company manager Elle Aghabala. The tour music director/conductor is Jonathan Marro.


Produced by Concord Theatricals and NETworks Presentations, this production is directed by Jack O’Brien (2024 recipient of Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre), and choreographed by Danny Mefford (Broadway’s Kimberly Akimbo, Dear Evan Hansen, Fun Home). Associate Director is Matt Lenz, and Associate Choreographer is Mark Myars. The design and production team is comprised of Douglas W. Schmidt, Set Design (Tony Award nominee: The Front Page, Into the Woods); Jane Greenwood, Costume Design (2014 recipient of Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre), Natasha Katz, Lighting Design (Eight-time Tony Award winner: Sweeney Todd, MJ The Musical, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, An American in Paris); Kai Harada, Sound Design (Dead Outlaw, A Wonderful World, Merrily We Roll Along); Andy Einhorn, Musical Supervisor (Gypsy, Carousel, Hello, Dolly!); Tom Watson, Hair/Wig Design (Spamalot, Harmony, Parade); and Casting by The Telsey Office – Rachel Hoffman, CSA, Rashad Naylor, CSA. Executive producers are Sean Patrick Flahaven for Concord Theatricals and Trinity Wheeler for NETworks Presentations.



THE SOUND OF MUSIC On Tour

Website www.SoundOfMusicOnTour.com

Facebook TheSoundOfMusicOnTour

Instagram SoundOfMusicOnTour

TikTok SoundOfMusicTour


THE SOUND OF MUSIC Worldwide

Facebook TheSoundOfMusic

Instagram SoundOfMusic

X SoundOfMusic

Threads SoundOfMusic



Facts and Figures about THE SOUND OF MUSIC

· The original Broadway production (1959)

o Won five Tony Awards including Best Musical

o Original Cast Album won the GRAMMY Award

· National Tour, 2015-2019

o Toured the US and Canada for four seasons

o Played 224 cities and 1,099 performances

o Seen by more than 2 million theatergoers

· Worldwide

o Tens of thousands of productions worldwide, with over 500 professional, amateur and school productions each year in North America alone

· The motion picture (1965)

o Won five Academy Awards including Best Picture

o One of the most successful movie musicals in history and top-grossing films of all time

· The Music

o Decades of popular artists have recorded songs from THE SOUND OF MUSIC

o Soundtrack ranked as Billboard’s #2 Greatest Album of All Time

o THE SOUND OF MUSIC motion picture soundtrack drives more than 55MM+ streams in the U.S. every year





Everyone knows The Sound of Music! Cayleigh Capaldi and Kevin Earley lead this production as Maria and Captain Georg von Trapp. The Show will be at Segerstrom Center for the Arts from June 2-14.Director Jack O’Brien shared, “It is with a profound sense of excitement that our entire creative staff including associate director Matt Lenz, choreographer Danny Mefford, music supervisor Andy Einhorn, set designer Douglas W. Schmidt, costume designer Jane Greenwood, lightning designer Natasha Katz, and the others, look forward look forward to launching this extraordinary new tour of THE SOUND OF MUSIC this fall. What adds to that excitement is this marvelous company of brilliant new interpreters — Cayleigh Capaldi as Maria, fresh from her recent triumph in the West End, the brilliant Christiane Noll as the Mother Abbess, Kevin Earley as the Captain, Nicholas Rodriguez as Max, and Kate Loprest as Elsa — bringing a new perspective, as well as an astonishingly original interpretation to one of our most beloved works, now seen in the individual light of today.”


The spirited, romantic and beloved story of Maria and the von Trapp family features an unforgettable Tony, GRAMMY® and Academy Award®-winning Best Score, including legendary favorites “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Edelweiss” and “The Sound of Music.”

YALE, another stellar film Directed and Produced by Jay Silverman makes it's WORLD PREMIERE - OPENING NIGHT FILM AT DANCES WITH FILMS JUNE 18th 7:30pm Chinese Theater Hollywood. Silverman joins Janeane on KUCI 88.9fm June 17th at 9:00am.

 

YALE WORLD PREMIERE OPENING NIGHT FILM AT DANCES WITH FILMS BASED ON A TRUE STORY!!

STARRING CAITLIN MCGEE, KEVIN DUNN,
AND RACHAEL HARRIS





Abandoned by her beloved father, Yale Parker, when she was nine, Mackenzie (MAC) Mitchell’s adult life has been consumed with alcohol and run-ins with the law causing a deep rift with her son, Ryan, 12. When Ryan needs an emergency kidney transplant, his only chance at survival might be the last person Mac wants to ask for help — her father, who she hasn’t seen for thirty years. Their reunion is complicated when Yale reveals a jaw-dropping secret that he has eight other families that he kept hidden from her all her life…and one of them might be a match to save her son. As this odd couple set off on an epic road trip to track down her half-siblings, an unexpected bond begins to form between them, ultimately both learning that ‘genes’ run deep.



YALE is based on a true story about the writer’s maternal grandfather. When he first learned about his family lore as a young teen, he couldn’t believe it was true and knew he had to write about it. The film stars Caitlin McGee (Mythic Quest), Kevin Dunn (Transformers), Rachael Harris (The Hangover), Benjamin Mackey (Paradise), and Dominic Leeder (Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning). It was directed by Jay Silverman (Camera) and written by Van Billet (Saving Paradise). The film was produced by Bethany Cerrona, Ian Christian Blanche, Kevin Dunn, and Joe Gamache.



YALE has its WORLD PREMIERE at Dances With Films on June 18, 2026. The film is currently not rated by the MPAA and is available for sale in all territories.



To view the trailer, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOqZtXRbldU&t=1s






For more information, go to:

https://www.jaysilvermanproductions.com/yale









JAY SILVERMAN

For over 40 years, Jay Silverman has excelled as a leading Director, Producer, and Photographer specializing in award-winning films, television, and print.

Jay’s narrative films have been awarded numerous Best Feature and Audience Awards at festivals across the country. His current is the true story dramedy feature ‘Yale’, starring Caitlin McGee, Kevin Dunn, and Rachael Harris. His first was the multi-award-winning dramatic feature “Girl on the Edge”, starring Peter Coyote, Taylor Spreitler, Mackenzie Phillips, Elizabeth Peňa, Gil Bellows, Rex Lee, Amy Davidson, and Amy Price Francis that premiered on Showtime. His second is the charming romantic comedy “Off the Menu” starring Dania Ramirez, Tony Award Winner Santino Fontana, Makenzie Moss, and Maria Conchita Alonso, which premiered on HBO & Amazon. His third is the true story drama “Saving Paradise” starring William Moseley, Johnna Braddy, Mary Pat Gleason, Bill Cobbs, Paul Dooley, and James Eckhouse currently on Tubi and Amazon. His fourth film, the inspiring drama “Camera”, starring Golden Globe winner Beau Bridges, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Scotty Tovar, Bruce Davison, and Miguel Gabriel is available on Amazon and Tubi.

Jay also Co-Created and Executive Produced “The Cleaner." an hour-long drama for Paramount Pictures, which aired on A & E about an extreme interventionist.

For his commercial work, Jay was honored with Belding, Telly, Premix, and Lucy Awards. In addition, he has also been recognized for his achievements in creating and producing many national PSA campaigns for the American Cancer Society, the Foundation for the Junior Blind, the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, and the Sierra Club. Jay also produced and directed a one-hour special titled "Inside the Rings with Troy Aikman" airing on Fox before the 2011 Super Bowl to much success. He has worked with renowned celebrities such as Denzel Washington, Beyonce, Quentin Tarantino, Michael Jordan, and Ray Charles. His advertising clients include IBM, Coors, Panasonic, Disney, Budweiser, CBS, ABC, Pepsi & Apple.

A graduate of Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara with a Master of Science Degree, Jay founded Jay Silverman Productions in 1979 in Hollywood, California, and built a 40,000-square-foot facility including 3 sound stages.

Jay currently lives in Los Angeles, California, and has three wonderful daughters.



View Jay’s Career Photography Highlights Here: Photography Portfolio

A Reflection on Pope Leo XIV's Message About AI: A Call to Protect Human Connection

As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms our world, Pope Leo XIV has emerged as a prominent voice calling on society to keep human dignity at the center of technological progress. His message is simple but profound: AI should serve humanity, not replace it.

The Pope has raised concerns about the impact of AI on workers, children, decision-making, and authentic human relationships. He reminds us that people are more than data, productivity, or algorithms—they possess inherent dignity that technology must respect.

For those of us working to address loneliness and strengthen belonging, his message is especially timely. As AI becomes more integrated into daily life, the challenge is not simply creating smarter technology, but creating a more connected and compassionate society.

At a time when loneliness, disconnection, and mental health challenges are affecting people of all ages, Pope Leo XIV's message serves as an important reminder: technology can support us, but it cannot replace the healing power of human relationships. The conversations we have, the communities we build, and the ways we show up for one another remain essential to human flourishing.

As we embrace innovation, we must also protect the qualities that make us deeply human—empathy, compassion, belonging, and connection.

— Janeane Bernstein
Host, Get the Funk Out

Joining Janeane 5/27 at 9:30am - South Coast Repertory Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Suzanne Appel talk about SCR's most prolific season

 

Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Suzanne Appel.

Photo by Scott Smeltzer.

LISTEN to today's show

ABOUT SOUTH COAST REPERTORY: Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, founded in 1964, is led by Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Suzanne Appel. SCR is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theatres in the United States. 

While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern plays and musicals, SCR is renowned for its extensive new-play development program—The Lab@SCR—which includes one of the nation’s largest commissioning programs for emerging, mid-career and established writers. Of SCR’s more than 550 productions, one-quarter have been world premieres. SCR-developed works have garnered two Pulitzer Prizes and eight Pulitzer nominations, several Obie Awards and scores of major new-play awards. Located in Costa Mesa, CA., SCR is home to the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio. www.scr.org

COSTA MESA, Calif.—South Coast Repertory (Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Suzanne Appel) announced its expanded 2026-27 season today, which features nine productions. Season highlights include Raymond Lee returning to SCR as Hamlet, Stephen Sondheim’s and James Lapine’s musical masterpiece Into the Woods as the latest installment in the American Icons series and a unique rotating repertory—the recent Off-Broadway hit Mother Russia by Lauren Yee paired with Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest.

SCR’s 63rd season also includes the West Coast Premiere of Blind Runner, the international hit from Mehr Theatre Group and Iranian writer/director Amir Reza Koohestani, and two world premieres that will anchor the 2027 Pacific Playwrights Festival: Three-headed Monster by JuCoby Johnson and The Ingenue by Eleanor Burgess. Family-centered programming includes Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, adapted by Jerry Patch, and the Theatre for Young Audiences and Families production of How I Became a Pirate, book, music and lyrics by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman and based on the book “How I Became a Pirate” by Melinda Long with illustrations by David Shannon.

The 2026-27 season reflects programming changes established in SCR’s recently adopted strategic plan, which includes more classics, modern masterpieces and the continuation of an annual musical on the Segerstrom Stage, and a dedication to world premieres and exciting new hits on the Julianne Argyros Stage. In addition, audiences will now enjoy a world premiere in SCR’s most intimate space—the 94-seat Nicholas Studio. Moving one world premiere to the Nicholas Studio not only creates more opportunities to experience the powerful, inspiring storytelling SCR is known for, it also frees up the Segerstrom Stage for an additional spring production.

About David Ivers
David Ivers (Artistic Director) is responsible for the overall artistic operation of the theatre. The 2019-20 season was the first he programmed for SCR and during that season, he directed She Loves Me. In addition, he directed the 2024 production of Joan—both the world premiere at SCR and the 2025 East Coast premiere at Barrington Stage Company—the 2021 Pacific Playwrights Festival reading of Coleman ’72 by Charlie Oh and the 2022 reading of Spenser Davis’ A Million Tiny Pieces. He spent August 2023 directing Guthrie Theater’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest. 

He was last seen onstage at SCR as John in Richard Greenberg’s world premiere of A Shot Rang Out and as part of his SCR tenure, created the theatre’s Outside SCR program in partnership with Mission San Juan Capistrano. Prior to his appointment as Artistic Director, he directed the SCR-Berkeley Repertory Theatre co-production of One Man, Two Guvnors. 

Before arriving to SCR in his current capacity, Ivers was artistic director for Arizona Theatre Company and, before that, served more than 20 years as an actor and director at Utah Shakespeare Festival, with the last six as artistic director. He was a resident artist at Denver Center for the Performing Arts for a decade, acting in and/or directing more than 40 plays, and has helmed productions at many of the nation’s leading regional theatres, including the Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and South Coast Repertory. 

Ivers’ early career included serving as associate artistic director of Portland Repertory Theatre and appearing in productions at some of the nation’s most prestigious theatres, including Portland Center Stage and the Oregon, Alabama and Idaho Shakespeare festivals. He has taught at the University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Southern Utah University and Southern Oregon University. He earned his BA from Southern Oregon University and his MFA from the University of Minnesota.

Suzanne Appel

Managing Director & Co-CEO, South Coast Repertory

For more than two decades, Suzanne Appel has pursued a personal mission to bring people together through transformative experiences led by form-challenging artists. Working in partnership with Artistic Director David Ivers and reporting to the Board of Trustees, Appel is responsible for providing strategic leadership for SCR’s long-term sustainability and growth. She oversees SCR’s business operations, including fund-raising, marketing and community relations. 

Her accomplishments as Managing Director of Off-Broadway’s Vineyard Theatre (2017-2024) include expanding the revenue-generating capacity of the organization, bringing on seven new board members, negotiating a two-production, industry-first producing partnership with Audible (David Cale’s Harry Clarke and Ngozi Anyanwu’s Good Grief), and transferring four Tony-nominated productions to Broadway. She is perhaps most proud of working with Artistic Director Sarah Stern to keep all Vineyard Theatre full-time staff employed during the COVID pandemic and developing a 2022-2026 plan raising all arts worker wages. 

Suzanne joined The Vineyard after serving as Director of External Affairs for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Prior to her role at Hubbard Street, she served as Managing Director at Cutting Ball Theater in San Francisco, where she nearly doubled the organization’s operating budget and built a two-plus-month operating reserve in four years. 

She was awarded the Alfred Drake Award from Brooklyn College, an honor given to an accomplished theatre professional who has made significant contributions to the American theatre. Her previous positions include roles with Dance Theater Workshop, Yale Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Wesleyan University. Suzanne’s volunteer work includes serving on the Board for Arts Orange County and South Coast Metro Alliance. Previously she served as Chair of the Wesleyan Fund (2020-2024). She is a graduate of Wesleyan University, Yale School of Drama and Yale School of Management (MFA/MBA).

 

South Coast Repertory
South Coast Repertory
655 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Ticket Services/Box Office: (714) 708-5555