Performances Added to JOAN at South Coast Repertory

A decade after her passing, Joan Rivers remains a relevant comedic voice and an inspiration to women comedians of all generations. South Coast Repertory will showcase her enduring legacy with the world premiere of Joan, written by Daniel Goldstein and directed by Ivers. Performances run through Nov. 24 on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Melissa Rivers, Joan Rivers’ daughter, is scheduled to attend the opening night performance on Friday, Nov. 1.

Due to strong presales and audience response, SCR has added three additional performances. Those are Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Joan is presented with permission from Mills Entertainment and Melissa Rivers in association with Sheboygan Productions and Larry Amoros. Melissa Rivers serves as Creative Consultant.

The latest production in SCR’s American Icon series, which Ivers describes as “stories about living or deceased people who contributed something of power or impact to our country,”Joan takes audiences from Borscht Belt showrooms and Greenwich Village nightclubs to “The Tonight Show” to Hollywood’s red carpets. Along the way, Rivers made and remade her career through triumph and tragedy. Experience the story of a pioneer and a mom—who were one and the same. Get up close and personal with the famously edgy, fearless and loving legend in this hilarious and heartbreaking account of an American Icon.

“It’s a thrill and honor to be a part of the creative team delivering the world premiere of Joan by Daniel Goldstein,” Ivers said. “Joan and Melissa Rivers forged an enviable and inspiring mother/daughter relationship. The play dares us to eat up life in big chunks. Joan Rivers exemplifies grit and resiliency, she remains indelible as the greatest comic of our times. At every turn, the play bears witness to the pioneer who invents and re-invents in order to center family and a life fueled by joy and laughter.

Through a tireless work ethic and constant evolution of her comedy, Rivers rose from those Borscht Belt showrooms and Greenwich Village clubs to receive her first Grammy nomination in 1984 for her gold-selling comedy album, “What Becomes A Semi Legend Most?” By then, she was already a comedy legend, playing to sold-out audiences on three continents, becoming the permanent guest host of “The Tonight Show,” and eventually helping to launch the Fox Television Network with “The Late Show, Starring Joan Rivers.”

Not stopping there, Rivers continued to reinvent herself, forging new paths and shattering glass ceilings along the way. She became one of the world’s most popular fashion experts, starting a jewelry collection for QVC, then revolutionizing what a trip along the red carpet means. Rivers took her signature phrase, “Who are you wearing?” and turned it into a fashion statement, hosting “Live from the Red Carpet” for the E! Network. Later, she hosted the hilarious “Fashion Police,” recapping the week’s celebrity fashion hits and misses.

Creatively, Rivers knew no boundaries. She wrote 12 books; several becoming New York Times Bestsellers, won “The Celebrity Apprentice,” starred in a documentary about that victory, and lent her voice to Shrek 2, “Spaceballs: The Animated Series,” “The Simpsons,” and PBS’ award-winning animated children’s series, “Arthur,” for which she received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination. She also appeared on Broadway three times. Her Joan Rivers: A Work in Progress by a Life in Progress, which she co-wrote and starred in, opened to rave reviews at The Geffen Playhouse, before playing to sold-out audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

“Joan Rivers broke through nearly every glass ceiling in comedy and on her way, advanced what are now considered typical career AND family goals for women,” Appel said. “’Doing it all’ and meeting unchanged expectations of perfection turns out to be impossible, and this is where Joan’s story has so much that every woman—and those who love us—will recognize. I am admittedly too young to have great memories of Joan Rivers the comic, but remember her fondly from her E! awards red carpet pre-shows of the 1990s with Melissa Rivers.

“However, I see references to her life story and comedic influence in most of the streaming TV comedy I’m currently bingeing, such as ‘Hacks.’ Well, this play is Joan’s authentic story, which makes it even better. Bring your girlfriends, your mom, your daughter.”

This is Ivers’ fourth directorial production at SCR. He previously helmed the 2015 production of One Man, Two Guvnors, 2020’s She Loves Me and last season’s world premiere of Prelude to a Kiss, The Musical. In addition, he directed the 2019 Pacific Playwrights Festival reading of Prelude to a Kiss, The Musical; the 2021 reading of Coleman ’72 by Charlie Oh and the 2022 reading of Spenser Davis’ A Million Tiny Pieces. Prior to become SCR’s Artistic Director in 2018, where he is responsible for the overall artistic operation of the theatre, Ivers served as artistic director for Arizona Theatre Company and as an actor and director at Utah Shakespeare Festival for more than 20 years, the last six as artistic director.

Ivers has directed productions at many of the country’s leading regional theatres, including the Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

An award-winning writer, who won the Kleban Prize for Most Promising Musical Theatre Librettist, Goldstein makes his SCR debut with Joan. He wrote the book for the Frank Wildhorn musical, Kane and Abel, which he will direct when it opens at Theater Orb in Tokyo in January 2025. Goldstein was the inaugural recipient of the Calderwood Commission from the Huntington Theatre Company, for which he created the original musical Unknown Soldier with Michael Friedman. The production had its world premiere at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and its New York premiere at Playwrights Horizons. His new musical Row had its world premiere at Williamstown and can be heard in its entirety on Audible. Goldstein’s directing credits include the 2012 revival of Godspell on Broadway.

“It was incredibly fun to write this play,” Goldstein said. “I had the great joy to watch and read and listen to Joan Rivers and all of her most delicious jokes. I had the privilege of thumbing through her famous joke card catalog. I spoke to her friends, her writers and most importantly, her daughter, Melissa. I took all that I absorbed and included only the best of it and still had to edit out heaps of true brilliance, such was the breadth of her work. I’m more of a fan than ever.”

Joan features Tessa Auberjonois (Joan/Mrs. Molinsky), Andrew Borba (Dr. Molinsky/Edgar Rosenberg/Johnny Carson/Others), Elinor Gunn (Melissa/Young Joan) and Zachary Prince (Jimmy/Blake/Henry/Chet/Others), Lily Holleman and Raphael Goldstein are the understudies.

Auberjonois returns to SCR after appearing in the 2022 Voices of America productions of The Little Foxes and Appropriate. She previously appeared at SCR in The Roommate, Mr. Wolf, Absurd Person Singular, Becky Shaw, Crimes of the Heart, A Wrinkle in Time, Lobby Hero, Hold Please and Everett Beekin. Among Auberjonois’ numerous NewSCRipts and Pacific Playwrights Festival readings at SCR is a December 2022 reading of Joan. She has played recurring roles in the television series “Monster(s),” “How I Met Your Father,” and “The Affair.”

Another SCR veteran, Borba appeared at SCR in Sight Unseen, In The Next Room or the vibrator play, Dead Man’s Cell Phone and Lovers & Executioners. He has had recurring or guest appearances in more than 50 television series. Gunn makes her SCR stage debut after working with Sir Alan Ayckbourn in the American premiere of Sugar Daddies at ACT Theatre in Seattle. She has been a featured performer in numerous NewSCRipts and Pacific Playwrights Festival readings at SCR. Prince is an Orange County native whose Broadway credits include Mother Play, Honeymoon in Vegas, On A Clear Day, You Can See Forever and Baby It’s You, along with playing Frankie Valli on the national tour of Jersey Boys.

The design and creative team includes Wilson Chin, scenic design; Philip Rosenberg, lighting design; Kish Finnegan, costume design, and Beth Lake, sound design. Jerry Patch is the dramaturg, Amoros is the script supervisor, David Nevell is the voice and dialect coach, Joanne DeNaut, CSA. is the casting director, Maisie Chan is the production manager, Matthew Meeks is the production stage manager, and Lauren Buangan is the assistant stage manager.

To post a comment, you must register and login.