Suzanne Appel brings a wealth of management and financial experience to a crucial role at a challenging time.
South Coast Repertory has a new managing director. Suzanne Appel is a nationally respected administrator with experience in theater and dance. Currently managing director of New York’s Vineyard Theatre, she has been selected to succeed SCR’s Paula Tomei after a national search. Appel will assume her new role at the beginning of September. She will also share the title of chief executive officer with David Ivers, SCR’s artistic director.
“I am honored to be in partnership with such an accomplished and invigorating leader.
Suzanne brings with her a wealth of experience, accomplishments and vision,” Ivers said in a written statement. “I am confident ours will be a winning partnership for SCR.”
At Vineyard Theatre, her home for the last seven years, Appel successfully managed the theater’s finances during the pandemic, keeping the entire full-time staff employed, and she created a four-year plan to raise employees’ wages more than 30 percent by 2026.
Earlier in her career, Appel was the director of external affairs at Hubbard Street Dance
Chicago and managing director of The Cutting Ball Theater in San Francisco. She holds an MBA from Yale University’s School of Management and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. She obtained her undergraduate degree in theater from Wesleyan University, graduating with honors in 2002.
“She’s a great choice for SCR,” Tomei said. “I really do think the board made a good decision. She’s capable and passionate. And her experience in developing new work dovetails well with SCR’s priorities and needs. Along with her business acumen, that’s a great package.”
Tomei said she looks forward to meeting Appel and working with her in late August, when she’ll spend a few days familiarizing herself with the theater and meeting board and staff members before officially starting the job.
“What I've agreed to do beyond that is in September I’ll make myself available to help as I can. I want to help introduce her to the community,” Tomei said.
Culture OC conducted an interview with Appel on Monday. Here are some excerpts:
Culture OC: Why did you decide to take this position?
Suzanne Appel: I’ve had a wonderful experience at the Vineyard but there are only a handful of theaters that I think are making a nationwide impact, particularly with new plays and new play development, and South Coast Repertory has had a reputation that I’ve been aware of and followed for most of my career. I loved my opportunity to live in Northern California earlier in my career, so returning to a state that I love was definitely attractive. And really, when I met David Ivers, I felt this was an artistic director that I would be thrilled to partner with. I had an incredible time at the Vineyard but this is a good time for personal and professional growth. South Coast Rep offers all of that.
Culture OC: What did you know about SCR over the years?
Appel: Its history of new play development, commissioning, and the Pacific Playwrights Festival (an annual presentation of new plays in readings and productions) were the elements of the organization that someone like me, who has been working in the American theater for over two decades, was always aware of. I always knew that SCR was commissioning more new plays than other theaters by a mile. And its commitment to those writers (and) to producing their work was formidable.
Culture OC: You and David Ivers will share the CEO position. Describe how that will work.
Appel: It’s a similar structure to most American regional theaters. The idea there is that artistic and managing directors have (specific and contrasting) goals, but from a strategy perspective you’re both really united around ultimately what is going to fulfill the organization’s mission and work closely together to achieve it.
Culture OC: Your background includes strategic planning and thinking forward. What issues would you like to tackle at SCR?
Appel: I think SCR is not immune from all of the challenges that every theater in America is facing right now, which were already there but were accelerated by the COVID pandemic. I think the issues are related to big questions about what brings people out to the theater. With TV and streaming in their home, and many (entertainment options) available for low cost, the most important thing is we need to earn people’s time and loyalty and make sure they have wonderful experiences, and that they share something that’s human and rewarding – that’s the (goal) for every theater.
Culture OC: Your team at Vineyard Theatre managed to avoid any layoffs during the pandemic, and you later raised workers’ salaries – describe how those things were accomplished.
Appel: I think that it was certainly a team effort. It was very much about partnering with the artistic director of the organization and the board to problem-solve together. At the end of the day you have to take risks in order to have a substantial payoff. Whittling (the theater) down to a shell of its former self – that’s not sustainable either. I think I’ve had a pretty good track record of doing things that (are innovative). I’m looking forward to working with Paula, who has created such stability with (SCR) for so long. Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith that people are going to follow you and build support from the board for your ideas. Sometimes it’s about building sources of capital. I'm somebody who started in fundraising and received (business training). Managing the expense side and recognizing when you’re putting the organization out over its skis – that’s very important.
Culture OC: What are some of the contrasts between your present theater and SCR?
Appel: There’s 350 theaters in New York City! Of course, there are many other theaters in Southern California but SCR has a unique flagship role. And I will also say one of the bigger challenges is (access). Here at the Vineyard we’re close to the fourth-busiest subway stop in all of New York City. To get to SCR you have to drive. The other challenge is at the Vineyard we have longer runs. It can take a while to develop an audience (for a production). Here (at the Vineyard), they still have plenty of time to get to see a show before it closes.
Culture OC: American theater is facing some serious headwinds right now. What are your thoughts about how to fix things?
Appel: I do think it takes time to figure out a solution for each market. Audiences are hungry for special unique events that give them a real reason to get up off the couch, out of the home. But they do want to see things that excite them: Look at Taylor Swift. People will come when you give them something truly exciting. People have gotten out of the habit of going to the theater. We have to embrace all of the things people are looking for in their night out. Sometimes it means creating something buzzy and fun before you get into the theater; even things to think about in the car on the way home, or a podcast that you can follow. It’s certainly a challenge. There’s a reason why there are fewer productions right now. Each one requires a lot more effort. We’re asking for people’s loyalty, and that’s built over multiple experiences.
