Tag Archives: South Coast Repertory

Solidarity and Coalitions AND Paula Tomei Takes a Bow After 44 years at SCR

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Today our guests are Dr. Jordie Davies, Assistant Professor of Political Science at UCI, and an affiliate faculty member of the UCI Culture & Theory Ph.D. Program. Of particular interest is her work on “Solidarity Processes in Multi-Racial Coalitions.” An additional portion of this interview is available in Part 2 of this pod. In the segment (minute 35:50) is Paula Tomei, managing director of South Coast Repertory. She’s stepping down this August after a 44-year career, building a lot of things of local, regional, and national significance. It’s SCR’s 26th Pacific Playwright Festival May 3-5. Wrapping their season are the productions “Prelude to a Kiss, The Musical” and “Galilee, 34” which were previously showcased in earlier festivals.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Casey Benjamin, “Your Recipe,” performed At Clement’s Place; “Ponteio,” Peppino D’Agostino, single.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/DaviesTomeiPod4-2-24.mp3

In this extended portion of Jordie Davies’ interview, we draw comparisons with Ukrainians coalescing in the Maidan Revolution in 2013-14 and American protest movements. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/DaviesExt4-2-24.mp3

On The Presidents’ Watch AND “Quixote Nuevo”

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UCI political science professor Matthew Beckmann returns to talk about the impossible job of the American presidency amidst legislative currents, some of which flow right up to a bluff. Watch next summer for his latest book: “The President’s Day; Every Day Work in an Impossible Job.” In the second segment (approx. minute 37:00) is playwright and director Octavio Solis, with his play now being performed at the South Coast Repertory, “Quixote Nuevo.” The show runs now til Oct 28th at Segerstrom Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts in Costa Mesa. The Rep is in a celebratory mood; this richly re-told story of a classic is a fitting performance to herald their 60th season.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Las Cafeteras, “If I Was President;” David R Molina-composer and performer, “Rusting Soul I and II.”

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/BeckmannSolis10-10-23.mp3

“Avenue Q” AND “La Havana Madrid”

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Today’s guests are theater people with The Wayward Artist and the South Coast Rep, with plays we can all see in the next couple of weeks right here in the OC. We’ll begin with Craig Tyrl, Artistic Director of The Wayward Artist to talk about “Avenue Q,” which runs until this Sunday, July 30th at the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana. Details are available at: https://www.thewaywardartist.org/avenue-q. In the second segment (approx min 20:20) playwright, actor, and singer Sandra Delgado talks about how she built her own immersive experience of a play “La Havana Madrid” which runs til Aug 4th at SCR’s Outside, at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Details are available at: https://www.scr.org/plays/plays-landing/outside-scr/. Both productions have the host’s stamp of approval.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Avenue Q, “There’s a Fine, Fine Line,” sung by Stephanie D’Abruzzo; Malavoi, “Ti Djo’,” Salsa Mundo – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/TyrlDelgado7-25-23.mp3

Refinery Workers Amidst Fossil Fuel Conversions AND “avaaz” at the South Coast Rep

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Virginia Parks, UCI professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy and director of UCI’s Labor Center, presents her recent findings on how the closure of a Marathon refinery affected its displaced workers; a story of the challenge in transitioning to renewable. The full report is available at the U.C. Berkeley Labor Center.

In the second segment (approx minute 36), we continue coverage of South Coast Rep after their completion of last week’s Pacific Playwrights Festival, with playwright and performer Michael Shayan. He brings phenomenal story-telling in his world premiere of avaaz, running now through May 27 at the Segerstrom Stage in Costa Mesa, https://www.scr.org/plays/productions/22-23-season/avaaz/.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Laura Love, “If I Knew,” Octoroon – album; Jalal Hemati, “Baba Karam.”

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/ParksShayan5-9-23.mp3

OCCORD’s Grassroots Menu And South Coast Rep Celebrates 25th Annual Pacific Playwrights Festival

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Back in full swing, in their new Santa Ana location, is Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development with a whole roster of community activation building leaders, supporting labor, and guiding prospective citizens – all this under the helm of their executive director Ely Flores. Find out what’s the next event on their roster at: https://www.occord.org/. or call 714-621-0919 et 6. The National Day of Action will be celebrated this week 5-4-23.

In the second segment (approx. minute 34:26) is Andy Knight, co-director of the South Coast Repertory’s 25th Annual Pacific Playwrights Festival, underway through May 7. SCR’s outsized role in dramatic arts comes through with this incubation of plays: from ideas to final production. Details about the May 5-7 events at the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts in Costa Mesa are available at: https://www.scr.org/plays/plays-landing/pacific-playwrights-festival/2023-pacific-playwrights-festival/.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano,” Sounds of Africa – album; Hermanos Guitérrez, “Esperanza” single; The Musical Stage Company performing “Dr. Silver is Gone,” Dr. Silver a musical by Anika & Britt Johnson.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/FloresKnight5-2-23.mp3

Artistic Treasures At Year’s End

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As we close out this year together, a treat from two performing arts artistic directors. First, the retiring artistic director of America Ballet Theater, Kevin McKenzie offers the long view of his 30 years leading that internationally acclaimed dance company. In the second segment (minute 29:08), South Coast Repertory artistic director David Ivers reflects on coming back full throttle in this season, and offers early next year’s “Voices of America;” two plays in conversation with each other – Little Foxes and Appropriate.

Music credits: Chimora, “African Americano,” Sounds of Africa- album; Carlos Simon “Amen;” The Scott Oakley Trio, “Greensleeves,” Jazz for the Holidays – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/McKenzieIversPod12-27-23.mp3

Meet Ryan Dack South OC Comm College Dist Area 6 Candidate AND Meet Irvine Mayoral Candidate Simon Moon And “Nina Simone: Four Women” at So Coast Rep

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Voters around the country, California included, are beginning to vote; the Elect Project Monday posted over 2 million votes have already been cast. Continuing our coverage of down ticket races in the Irvine area, we hear from Ryan Dack candidate for Trustee Area 6 of the South Orange County Community College District.

In the second segment (minute 21:38), pastor and US Army Reserve officer and chaplain Simon Moon will speak about his bid for the mayor of Irvine.

And as time allowed (minute 45:06), a few words from playwright Christina Ham about the current run of her play “Nina Simone: Four Women,” at the South Coast Rep at the Argyros Theater in Costa Mesa. Performances conclude on the evening of 10-23rd. Details for this production are available at: https://www.scr.org/plays/productions/22-23-season/nina-simone-four-women/.

Music credits: Chimora, “African Americano,” Sounds of Africa- album; John Beasley, “Played Twice,” Monk’estra Vol. 2 – album; Silk Road Ensemble with Yo Yo Ma, “Saidi Swing,” A Playlist Without Borders – album; and Nina Simone, “Ain’t Got No – I Got Life.”

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/DackMoonHam10-18-22.mp3

Part 2 of the Dack interview, taking up the college district map and the process of succeeding the recently resigned incumbent: http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/Dack210-18-22.mp3

Black in Neuro AND “What I Learned in Paris”

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Over this March 1st edition of “Ask A Leader,” we’re officially lengthening African History Month to year-long honoring and celebrating how we wouldn’t all be where we are today without such immense contributions. Angeline Dukes is currently a Ph.D. candidate in UCI’s Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, and president and co-founder of https://www.blackinneuro.com/; her exit interview we’ll get before she settles into her new job on the faculty of the University of Minnesota.

In the second segment (minute 35:00), South Coast Rep production director Lou Bellamy will talk about the innumerable nougats in his show, “What I Learned in Paris.” The show runs at this Costa Mesa venue through March 19th. https://www.scr.org/calendar/view?id=12538

Music credits: Chimora, “African Americano,” Sounds of Africa- album; Let Your Hair Down, “Ballad of Veracruz”; Roberta Flack, “What’s Going On”3.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/DukesBellamy3-1-22.mp3

Live at the Doyle AND Live at the Rep

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Today, it’s all art: studio and performance art; and it’s all local. Tyler Stallings returns to the program in his capacity as director and curator at Orange Coast College’s Doyle Arts Pavilion. The Doyle’s current installation of 32 artists’ work is on display at “What Will Remain: Art in the Time of Human Dominion.” Doors are open during special hours October 11 through December 4, 2021. Also returning to the program, in the second segment (minute 28:28), is David Ivers, Artistic Director at the South Coast Repertory. The company is rolling out the return to live theater at the South Coast Repertory, since March 2020, with David Ivers’ in his own one man performance in “A Shot Rang Out,” by Richard Greenberg. The production runs from October 2 through November 6, 2021.

Music credits: Chimora, “Africano Americano”; Bill Beach #4 Búzios – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/StalIversPod10-19-21.mp3

Hydrometeorology versus A Little Sharpie AND SCR “Reeking of Excellence and Virtuosity”

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As Director of the Center for Hydrometeorology & Remote Sensing, and Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Earth System Science Department at UC Irvine, Professor Soroosh Sorooshian offers the finer points behind what we all witnessed as Hurricane Dorian blew toward the East Coast. His Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing website, https://chrs.web.uci.edu/ is one cool place to geek out for a while, for real time and long term weather patterns.

In the second segment (minute 35:10), South Coast Repertory’s new artistic director David Ivers presents the offerings at the beginning of this year’s season, this side of the New Year: “American Mariachi,” “The Canadians.” and “Aubergine.” Ticket and other information is available at: https://scr.org/ and 714-708-5555.