Stephen Brotebeck

Interim Artistic Director, Diversionary Theatre

STEPHEN BROTEBECK is a Professor of Musical Theatre at San Diego State University in the prestigious MFA Musical Theatre program and is the Interim Artistic Director of Diversionary Theatre (San Diego, CA). On Broadway, Stephen served as the Movement Associate on the Tony® Award winning production of Peter and the Starcatcher. In addition he served as an Assistant Director on the Broadway premiere of Ghost The Musical. Stephen is also the former Artistic Director of the Okoboji Summer Theatre.

Stephen is focused on the development of new musicals and has been involved in the development of multiple new works including In A Sunshine State, Postcard American Town, ‘Til Death Do Us Part, Enchanted April, On The Eve, Stardust Road, Color Blind, and Dickens’ Haunted Christmas.

Stephen has directed extensively in New York and around the United States including the Off and Off-Off Broadway productions of Breaking The Shakespeare Code and St. Francis (Excellence in Directing Award) at the New York International Fringe Festival, The Shark Play, The Maltese Walter, The Space Behind Your Heart and Greasemonkey (World Premiere), The 2012 Kennedy Center Spring Gala, Girlfriend (Diversionary Theatre), The Loneliest Girl In The World (World Premiere – Choreographer), Lesser Known Loesser, New Musical Voices (The Old Globe), Ghost, The Musical (Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival), Peter and the Starcatcher, Spamalot, And The World Goes ‘Round, I Love A Piano (Farmers Alley Theatre), and Color Blind (Stephens College).

Stephen holds an MFA in Directing for the Musical Theatre Stage from The Pennsylvania State University headed by Susan H. Schulman and a BFA in Music Theatre Performance from Western Michigan University and has taught at both institutions. He has served on the faculty at CAP21, America’s Musical Theatre Conservatory and New Dance Group in NYC. Stephen served as the program director and a member of the musical theatre and dance faculty for the US Performing Arts Camps in Washington D.C. (Georgetown University) and New York City (Chelsea Studios and Barnard College) for eight years. In addition, Mr. Brotebeck continues to serve as a choreographer and associate director for Students Live/Passport to Broadway for worldwide programs in China, Indonesia, and Guatemala. Stephen serves on the Executive Board of the Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance as Treasurer and is also a member of the National Alliance of Musical Theatre.

Mr. Brotebeck is a member of SDC, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

John Coppola

Director/Choreography

A native of Brooklyn, New York, John Coppola is a multi-talented director and acting coach, whose clients have starred on HBO, Showtime, ABC, CBS, NBC, CW, Netflix, FX, AMC, USA, Lifetime, Fox, WB, TNT and Showcase.

As a director, John has helmed more than 100 theatrical productions in New York, Los Angeles and abroad. His credits include groundbreaking productions of Shakespeare, Brecht, John Patrick Shanley and Caryl Churchill, as well as critically acclaimed adaptations of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly and Cabaret. Reviews available upon request.

As a film director, John’s accolades include the award for Best Director at the New York International Film & Video Festival for his film, Possibility, which also took the Grand Jury Prize for short film In Los Angeles. Then, he directed Bourbon Street, a New Orleans television pilot for Rampart Entertainment. Most recently, he directed In the Basement, a short film that is scheduled for screening at festivals across the country.

John began his career as an actor, whose career took him from the footlights of Broadway to the soundstages of Hollywood. After attending Yale’s prestigious drama program, John first appeared on Broadway in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, followed by Biloxi Blues, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, American Buffalo, and the European revival tours of Hair and West Side Story.

John’s television acting credits include Fox TV’s Herman’s Head, NYPD Blue, and Chicken Soup for the Soul, among others. On film, John starred in Into the Paradise and has also appeared in Last Exit to Brooklyn, Out of Gas on Lover’s Leap, and Terry Southern’s You Gotta Leave Your Mark. John also produced and starred-in his award-winning one-man show entitled The DeVivo Variation, which premiered at the prestigious HBO Workspace in Los Angeles, and successfully ran for more than two years on both coasts, garnering two Critic’s Choice Awards and a Dramalogue Award.

John currently lives in Los Angeles, where he is in demand as one of Hollywood’s top acting coaches. He offers his unique style of teaching and private coaching to a thriving group of students, established actors and movie stars.

Eric Quang Gelb

Director

Eric Quang Gelb (He/Him) is a commercial musical theatre, live branded entertainment & theatre for young audiences director. 

Whether I’m directing a large-scale musical, training character performers at a world-class theme park or helping nurture the next generation of musical theatre professionals, I strive to represent and reach diversity in all forms. Because whether or not theatre academia considers this work “high art”, it impacts humanity just the same: making us smarter, stronger and more empathetic.  It’s the opportunity to create once a year (sometimes once in a lifetime) memories. As a queer person of color, the core of my mission is being diverse, intentional and full-out. 

Broadway/Off-Broadway: HAMILTON (SDCF Resident Director Shadow), Head Over Heels, Little Shop of Horrors (co-producer), WICKED Intern, 53% Of and Patience (Company Manager, 2nd Stage Theatre). 

Regional Directing: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Round Barn Theatre), Matilda (Dr. Phillips Center), James & the Giant Peach (Virginia Children’s Theatre), Footloose (Fordham University), Xanadu (The Rose Theater, Omaha). At NYU: Legally Blonde, Beauty and the Beast, Spelling Bee, Mary Poppins.  

Live Branded Entertainment: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (Creative Production Coordinator),  LEGOLAND New York (Install Show Director – Characters), SIX (Broadway Replica Production), Burn The Floor, Syd Norman’s Pourhouse and VELVET (Theatrical Operations Manager, Norwegian Cruise Line), Character Attendant & Performer (Walt Disney World & SeaWorld Orlando’s Sesame Street Land). 

Education: New York University (‘20) – Bachelor’s in Educational Theatre. Inaugural Cohorts (‘21) of both Broadway For Racial Justice’s Casting Initiative & Baseline Theatrical’s Beyond the Stagedoor Management Program. Associate Member of SDC.

Federico Hradek

Founder / Artistic Director, Fed’s Backyard Theater

Federico Hradek is a Junior in High School. Fed enjoys self producing, directing, choreographing his own shows such as “Ride The Cyclone” in his backyard theater, and “Beetlejuice: the Online Musical.” which now stands at over 400,000 views on YouTube! He looks forward to the phenomenal opportunity to assistant direct a brand new musical “WINNER” at the London Summer Music Theatre Academy this summer. No words can describe Fed’s gratitude to all of the people who made his dreams come true!

Nico Juber

Music, Lyrics, and Book, Millennials Are Killing Musicals

Recently named one of the “Women to Watch on Broadway” in 2023 by the Broadway Women’s Fund, Nico Juber is an award-winning musical writer, playwright, Millennial mom, and twenty-year lymphoma survivor. Her original comedy, Millennials Are Killing Musicals (O’Neill NMTC Semifinalist ’21 & ‘22), has been previously showcased through New York Theatre Barn’s New Works Series and sold-out concert presentations at Vitellos (mostlyNEWmusicals) and 54 Below.

Her show Winner, co-written with Joe Barros, is being developed by New York Theatre Barn and New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Her short sci-fi musical, Holo, won one of the top awards in the 2020 NAMT 15-Minute Musical Challenge, had its premiere at the Beck Center for the Arts (with Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre, directed by Ciara Renée) in February 2021, and was selected for the 2021 Broadway OnDemand Short Film Festival. With collaborator Selena Seballo, she was one of the Drama League Light the Lights Challenge winners for their song “Our Next Act,” performed by André De Shields at their benefit in October 2021. She is a proud member of ASCAP, Dramatists Guild, Ring of Keys, League of Professional Theatre Women, and current Maestra Moms affinity group co-chair. Nico holds a B.A. from Tufts University. @stuffnicolikes