Brian Copeland

Even while living the life of a charismatic public figure, talk show host and actor-writer Brian Copeland (Not a Genuine Black Man) struggles with debilitating bouts of depression. He's taken those struggles and channeled them into The Waiting Period, a powerful solo show chronicling the 10 days he spent waiting for the permit to get the gun he needed to kill himself. With intense honesty and unrelenting humor ("how much would be appropriate to spend on the gun?"), Copeland shares his insider's perspective on the deepest wells of depression. He interweaves his story with interviews of others suffering from depression, showcasing the universal nature of the experience. Winner of Theater Bay Area Award for Outstanding Production of a Solo Play.

Brian Copeland (Writer & Performer)

Brian Copeland has been in show business since he first stepped on the comedy stage at age 18. Soon, he was headlining clubs and concerts across the country and opening for such artists as Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Ringo Starr, and Aretha Franklin, in venues from The Universal Amphitheater to Constitution Hall in Washington DC. Copeland then branched off into television, appearing on comedy programs on NBC, A&E and MTV. He spent five years as co-host of San Francisco FOX affiliate KTVU breakfast program Mornings on 2 and two years hosting San Francisco ABC affiliate KGO's Emmy Award winning afternoon talk show 7Live. His first network special, Now Brian Copeland, premiered on NBC after Saturday Night Live for West Coast audiences in January 2015. His theater work includes NOT A GENUINE BLACK MAN, the longest running solo play in Bay Area theatrical history and THE SCION, KQED’s Best New Play of 2014.