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Mandy Gonzalez first met Lin-Manuel Miranda when she was cast to play Nina Rosario in the 2007 off-Broadway and 2008 Broadway premieres of “In the Heights.” Born in professional respect, Gonzalez says her relationship with Miranda has since come to mean much more to her.

What did our critic think of LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES at The Schoolhouse Theater?

BroadwayWorld talks to Brian Copeland about 'The Waiting Period,' his searingly honest and surprisingly humorous life-saving solo show which will have its 500th performance September 20th at The Marsh Berkeley, coincidingBrian Copeland could easily point to any number of impressive achievements from his multi-faceted career. As a standup comic, he’s opened for icons like Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson. His seminal theater piece Not a Genuine Black Man still reigns as the longest-running solo show in San Francisco theater history. For 5 years, he co-hosted KTVUs Mornings on 2, and for 27 years hosted his own radio program on KGO. Related to the latter, he will be inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame next month, something of which he is particularly proud. But – if you ask him “What is the most worthwhile thing you’ve ever done?” he answers without hesitation, “The Waiting Period,” because it has actually saved people’s lives. I spoke with him recently to learn more about this uniquely impactful solo theater piece, which will mark its 500th performance on September 20th at The Marsh Berkeley. As has become standard practice for The Waiting Period, tickets are free of charge. Based on his personal experience, the piece is an exploration of depression and suicidal ideation, its title referring to the state-mandated 10 ten days that must elapse between purchasing a gun and taking possession of it. For Copeland, those ten days were literally a lifesaver, and so he felt compelled to share his story. Although he’d long struggled with depression, back in 2008 he was faced with an unimaginable chain of events that was more than he could handle. Within a short time, the grandmother who’d raised him died of a stroke, his wife announced out of the blue that she wanted a divorce, and he got into a horrific accident that totaled his car and necessitated spinal cord surgery, putting on his couch in a neck brace for three months, popping Vicodin. Thoughts of suicide became inescapable so he purchased a TomCat, planning to use it to end his life. Against all odds, he managed to “white-knuckle it” through the waiting period while the most acute aspects of his depression lifted just enough to stop him from killing himself. But, as Copeland says, “The thing about depression is it’s never cured – it’s better, it’s worse, it’s manageable, there are times when it’s absent - but it’s always a hair trigger away from something, from some catastrophe or some chemical imbalance.” Once the fog had lifted at least temporarily, he seriously started rethinking his experience as someone who believes in finding reasons for things. During that period, a young man within Copeland’s circle committed suicide at the age of fifteen and Robin Williams killed himself as well, although the complicating factor of Lewy Body Dementia had not been made public at that time. Copeland took those incidents like a blow to the solar plexus and began to explore what he could personally do to help prevent such tragedies. He was encouraged to bring his own struggles to light by his publicist, who happened to have represented film icon Rock Hudson in 1985 when the actor announced to the world that he had AIDS, thereby removing some of the stigma from that disease. The publicist suggested to Copeland that by going public with his story maybe he could do the same thing for depression and suicidal ideation. Copeland had received his mission. Collaborating with the Bay Area’s guru of solo performance, David Ford, Copeland set out to “create a show about depression that wasn’t depressing,” making sure to include enough reality-based humor to draw audiences in and counterbalance the heaviness of the topic. As he puts it, “the comedy makes the drama much more impactful, and the drama makes the comedy funnier because it’s a release.” The Waiting Period opened at The Marsh in 2012 and became an instant sensation, winning awards and getting extended multiple times. After a year or so, Copeland realized he couldn’t keep performing the show on a regular basis because it required him relive some very dark and harrowing episodes. But he felt he could continue to do the show on an occasional basis, maybe twice a month or so, without seriously endangering his own mental health. He also talked to Stephanie Weisman, artistic director of The Marsh, about making the show free of charge to audiences so that cost wouldn’t be a barrier to attending. Weisman readily agreed to having a GoFundMe campaign was set up to cover basic production costs like theater staffing. Copeland and his publicist then placed calls to various industry contacts and were stunned by the outpouring of support from celebrities like Glenn Close, Ed Asner and Lucie Arnaz, whose lives had been personally touched by depression and suicide. Fast forward to 2025, and Copeland is now embarking on the 500th performance of The Waiting Period on September 20th, timed to coincide with Suicide Prevention Month. Copeland remains committed to continuing to do the show because he knows the profound impact it’s had on the lives of so many people, from the letters he’s received and follow-up conversations he’s had. Just one example: a woman planned to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge one Sunday morning and stopped off at her favorite café enroute to savor one last coffee and pastry before ending her life. She noticed the San Francisco Chronicle “pink” section lying on her table and thumbed through it while finishing her coffee. It happened to contain a brief article about The Waiting Period that noted a performance would be happening that very afternoon. She was intrigued enough to alter her plan - slightly. She decided to flip a coin and if it came up heads, she would proceed straight to the bridge; if it came up tails, she would go see Copeland’s show first. It came up tails, and so she went to see The Waiting Period, the core message of which is “If you’re thinking of doing some kind of harm to yourself, tell someone first.” When the play was over, she remained in her seat crying for another twenty minutes, then called her sister to tell her what she was thinking of doing, and her sister got her help. Or there’s the story of a woman who struggled with depression and her husband always wondered why she couldn’t just lighten up and smell the roses. She basically dragged him to The Waiting Period, and afterwards he said to her, “That’s what you’ve been going through? I had no idea.” And that’s the thing with depression: it is so misunderstood. It’s not something that can be cured by thinking happy thoughts. As Copeland says, “You know, we’re dealing with a disease, and yet people are ashamed of it. There’s such shame and stigma attached to it, and I want people to know they have nothing to be ashamed of, any more than if you had Lou Gehrig’s Disease or muscular dystrophy or cancer. You wouldn’t be ashamed of those afflictions. And the world, society, would be a lot more sympathetic.” As a comedian and talk show host, i.e. someone who earns his living projecting amiability and cheerfulness, Copeland makes a perfect communicator for that message. If someone as seemingly light-hearted as him can suffer from depression, then it can truly happen to anyone. When he started debuted The Waiting Period in 2012, some people were quite surprised to learn that he’d ever wanted to kill himself. And yet, what sticks with him most over the years is the number of people who’ve approached him after a performance and whispered in his ear that they, too, are “one of us,” as Copeland refers to those who experience acute depression. Some of them are people Copeland knows well and are in the public eye, people he says you would never guess struggled with the disease. Toward the conclusion of our conversation, Copeland tells me, “If there’s nothing else at all worthwhile I’ve done while I was here, at least there are a couple of people walking around who might not be here.” I tell him that’s a statement most of us can’t make, myself included, and he responds, “You don’t know that. That’s the thing. I’m fortunate enough that I’m in a position where people are able to reach out and tell me. But you don’t know who you told to have a nice day to, who were planning on doing something and ended up not because of your kindness, you know, in tipping the barista and saying they did a good job one day when they thought they were worthless and were going to do something right after they got off work. There are stories like that, and those stories are real.” (Header photo of Brian Copeland by Joan Marcus) --- The Waiting Period will play its 500th performance 5:00pm, Saturday, September 20 at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. Additional dates are soon to be announced. Thanks to the support of generous donors, general admission tickets are FREE. Supporters may donate $50/$100 for reserved seats, funds which make it possible for others to see the show at no cost. To order free tickets or reserve seats, please visit themarsh.org. with National Suicide Prevention Month.

Netflix has released the first official teaser trailer along with new photos for Wake Up Dead Man, the highly anticipated new entry in the popular Knives Out franchise. Check it out now!

A new adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice will premiere Tuesday, September 9, on Audible. Ahead of its debut, Audible has shared a new sneak peek clip of the audio drama, featuring Marisa Abela and Harris Dickinson. Listen to it now.

Tony Award winner Glenn Close is set to lead Maud, a new British television series following a canterkerous and ruthless old killer with a tortured past.

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the classic film Sunset Boulevard, Nicole Scherzinger spoke to CBS Sunday Morning in an extended interview about the story, its long-lasting legacy, and the healing effect of playing the role in the Broadway revival. Watch the interview!

Fresh off the conclusion of Sunset Blvd. on Broadway, Tony Award winner Nicole Scherzinger stopped by The Tonight Show to chat with Jimmy Fallon about the acclaimed run of the show, winning a Tony for her performance as Norma Desmond, and holding her 29-second note in the show. Check out the interview now!

Tony Award winner Nicole Scherzinger is set to appear on a new episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, airing tonight, July 30. Tune in to NBC at 11:35/10:35c to watch Scherzinger on the show.

101 Dalmatians is a solid retelling of a classic that feels life-affirming without being too sentimental. It’s a reliable choice for a family evening, that is, if you can get over those freakish dog puppets.

Billy Porter is now playing the Emcee in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club and, ahead of opening night, the Tony-winner stopped by TODAY to share his thoughts on joining the production. Watch the interview!

Following her final performance as Norma Desmond on Sunday, Nicole Scherzinger visited The View, where she reflected on her experience and previewed her new music competition series Building the Band. Watch the interview!

Last month, Nicole Scherzinger won her first Tony Award for her turn as Norma Desmond in the hit revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard. On a recent appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the performer reflected on her win and ending the run of the show this Sunday. Watch the interview!

For years, Broadway musicals have spawned multiple film adaptations, from the early days of cinema to Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story. Take a look at our list of 15 musicals that have danced their way to the screen more than once!

Among the most highly anticipated theatrical events in St. Louis this summer is the mainstage production at the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis (TWSTL.) In celebration of their 10th Anniversary Season, TWSTL is staging William’s seminal work A Streetcar Named Desire.  

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is June 17, 2025 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

Additional casting has been announced for the upcoming next installment in the Hunger Games film series, titled Sunrise on the Reaping. Learn more here!

Ilene Graff joins Moms' Night Out: The Summer Show at The Green Room 42 on July 26th at 7pm. Learn more about the upcoming performance and how to get tickets here!

Tony-winner Nicole Scherzinger is opening up about what she wants to do after her acclaimed performance as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, including films, music, and a movie musical.

Last night saw the 78th Annual Tony Awards, celebrating the incredible theater work seen on Broadway this past year. Take a look inside the CBS and Pluto TV broadcasts below including photos from the cast of shows like Death Becomes Her, Floyd Collins, Gypsy, Maybe Happy Ending, Sunset Blvd. and more.