Suzanne Appel knows she has a hard act to follow.
She’s taking on the role of managing director at South Coast Repertory (SCR), Orange County’s preeminent playhouse and one of the largest regional theaters in the country.
Most importantly, Appel is replacing Paula Tomei, who for three decades led the
playhouse that’s premiered Pulitzer and Tony award-winning plays.
“Paula’s leadership resulted in a stable and well-supported institution that excels in its mission to bring Orange County some of the best theater in the country,” Appel told the Business Journal. “Her service to Orange County for over 30 years as managing director of SCR is exemplary. Her shoes are big ones to fill.”
Tomei, who started in the SCR box office and worked there for 44 years, resigned a year ago to pursue other passions.
When Appel begins on Sept. 3, she’ll be the second managing director in SCR’s history. She’ll be co-chief executive with David Ivers, who is the artistic director.
Appel is taking over an entity that has struggled to regain its footing after the pandemic.
Its attendance dropped from 133,000 in 2019 to about 17,000 in 2021 and has since rebounded to 46,500 playgoers in the most recent season.
A spokesman attributed the drop in attendance to both fewer plays being performed and a nationwide trend of people not returning to the theater after the pandemic.
“Theatres nationwide have experienced a post-pandemic attendance drop of anywhere from 40% to 60%, and South Coast Repertory is no exception to this trend,” SCR Spokesman Brian Robin said.
SCR has a board and donors with some of Orange County’s best-known entrepreneurs and executives.
“The search generated a pool of uniquely experienced, diverse candidates, among whom Suzanne was exceptional,” Board of Trustees President Talya Nevo-Hacohen, who is the chief investment officer at Tustin-based Sabra Health Care REIT Inc. (Nasdaq: SBRA), said in a statement.
“She brings an impressive track record of strategic leadership, fiscal responsibility and fund-raising to SCR. We sought someone who could build on SCR’s strong foundation with creativity and innovation. With Ivers and Appel leading, we are expertly positioned to embrace the future.”
Prominent Executives
SCR, which began in 1964, has developed Pulitzer Prize-winning dramas including
Margaret Edson’s “Wit,” Donald Margulies’ “Dinner with Friends” and David Lindsay-Abaire’s “Rabbit Hole.” In 2003, SCR was named one of America’s five Top Regional Theatres by Time Magazine and South Coast Repertory itself in 1988 won a Tony Award for Distinguished Achievement.
In 1978, it moved into its current facility, which is part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa.
The David Emmes/Martin Benson Theatre Center, which was named in honor of founding SCR artistic directors, is a three-theatre complex: the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio. It also features two productions in rotating repertory at Mission San Juan Capistrano.
Its 33-member Board of Trustees has included well-known members of the business community like Larry Higby, Wylie Aitkin and the late Paul Folino. Its donors have included some OC’s wealthiest like Julianne and George Argyros and Henry and Susan Samueli.
Nowadays, it employs 110 with another 244 volunteers. Its current budget is $12.5 million, of which 31% of income earned from ticket sales, conservatory tuition, concessions and other income. Annual contributions from corporate, individual, government and special multi-year foundation grants account for about 26%, or $3 million with the balance derived from endowment earnings.
Uncovering New Skills
A self-described “theater kid,” Appel’s love for acting and performing began early.
Raised in Denver by a father who worked with the American Arbitration Association and a mother who was a dancer and artist-turned-homemaker, the family moved from Colorado to New Jersey when she was a teenager. Naturally outgoing and positive, she found a friend group relatively quickly — other “theater kids,” she said — and enjoyed a busy and productive high school experience.
At Wesleyan University, she pivoted from acting to directing.
“I wanted to be able to choose the shows I was involved in,” she said. “I loved the act of bringing a team of artists and actors together.”
A work-study job in the University’s alumni office led to a somewhat surprising discovery — Appel found she was good at fundraising. After graduation, she became director of individual giving at the Dance Theater Workshop in New York.
At another job that she declined to identify, she learned firsthand about an incredible organization that didn’t have a business model that worked, and she had an epiphany.
“You can’t fundraise yourself out of a problem,” she said.
Appel wanted to better understand business, so she attended Yale University where she earned a Master of Fine Arts in theater management and an MBA in nonprofit management.
She worked at The Cutting Ball Theater in San Francisco and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in Chicago.
Her most recent position was for the past seven years as managing director of New York’s Vineyard Theater, which is known for producing daring new plays and musicals.
A New Play Producer
SCR is a production theater where it does everything in-house: chooses the plays, hires the actors, directors and designers, builds the sets, costumes and props, and handles technical and production needs. By contrast, the neighboring Segerstrom Center for the Arts is a presentation theater that brings in Broadway tours and other touring acts.
“I see myself as primarily a new play producer and this position will allow me to continue to work with today’s most exciting playwrights, directors and designers,” Appel told the Business Journal.
And what does the SCR’s long time managing director say?
“SCR’s Board made an excellent choice in Suzanne as our next managing director,” Tomei said. “Her experience and passion for theatre make her a great partner to David Ivers in leading SCR. She brings a wealth of talent and enthusiasm, and I’m optimistic for SCR’s bright future of continued excellence and innovation under her leadership.”
Audible Risks at the Vineyard
Shortly after Suzanne Appel became the managing director at New York City’s Vineyard Theater in 2017, she connected with a former Wesleyan classmate, who was working for Audible, the audio platform owned by Amazon.
The friend, who headed Audible’s then new live theater division, approached Appel about finding a way they could work together. Appel was intrigued — this kind of partnership hadn’t been done before.
“You have to balance a certain amount of risk tolerance,” she said. “Partners can come from unexpected places. This (proposal) could help Vineyard reach a bigger audience.”
They selected the play “Harry Clarke” by David Cale, an award-winning playwright. After a 10-week run at the Vineyard, the play was produced for Audible at the Minetta Lane Theatre for a live audience.
“It was the best-selling show the Vineyard had ever produced,” Appel said. It even won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show. This success led to another production with Audible the next year, “Good Grief” by playwright Ngozi Anyanwu. Through this partnership with Audible, the Vineyard was able to reach a huge audience.
“It required a willingness to take a risk,” Appel said. “But it was a logical decision (to partner with Audible). It just made sense. It was good for us, and even better for the audiences.”
