2004 Panels

Wednesday evening, 11/17, 7:30pm
Casting Directors and Agents:
When Do You Need ‘em,
How Do You Use ‘em?
Jim Brandeberry, general manager Alan Wasser Assoc., formerly with Nina Lannan and Livent; Arnold Mungioli, casting director, formerly with Disney Theatricals; James Morgan, artistic director The York Theatre; Barry Moss, casting director (Little Women, Where's Charley? at Goodspeed, Lone Star Love at Amas); Carol Russo, agent, Agents for the Arts.

This is a producer's panel to help demystify for many of us the ways in which agents and casting directors can be helpful in putting together your production. At what point in the development process can a casting director be helpful? Can you afford one for a reading or a showcase? Can you get well-known actors without their help? Are there times when calling an agent directly is useful? How approachable are agents? How difficult is it to negotiate contracts with the actors you really want? How important are "stars" for your production's success?

Paul Gudgin, Owen O'Leary - Edinburgh Festival Fringe; Russell Barr - Sisters, Such Devoted Sisters; Mark Jenkins - Rosebud; Linda Ames Key - Greenwich Academy; Beth Lincks - Journey Company; Eric Nightengale - 78th Street Theatre Lab. Moderated by Bob Ost (President of Theater Resources Unlimited and Sherry Eaker (editor-in-chief of Back Stage). An event for all performers / companies / producers interested in coming to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We will discuss the experience of producing in the Fringe, give an overview of Edinburgh.

Michael Schimmel Center at Pace University go to www.pace.edu/culture for directions

Presented in association with Paul Lucas. Paul Gudgin, Owen O'Leary - Edinburgh Festival Fringe; Louise Chantal - Chantal Arts & Theatre Ltd.; John Clancy - Clancy Productions, Inc.; Peter Tear - 59E59, Brits Off-Broadway; Paul Lucas - Lucas Productions; Linda Ames Key - Greenwich Academy. Moderated by Bob Ost (President of Theater Resources Unlimited) and Sherry Eaker (editor-in-chief of Back Stage). How do you get noticed in a festival of over a thousand productions? What sorts of works succeed in the Edinburgh Fringe, and what are some success stories? What do producers look for when they "shop" the Fringe? FREE panel followed by a FREE wine/coffee/tea reception.
59E59 Theatre, 59 East 59th Street

Presented in association with

the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF)...

Monday evening September 27th,

doors open at 7:30pm, panel starts at 8:00pm

Big, Bouncy and Breakable:

How to Raise a Healthy Musical

Left to right: Bob Ost of TRU; Jon LaRock, associate artistic director North Shore Music Theater (Memphis, Just So, Letters from Nam, Tom Jones); Victoria Lang, PLUS Entertainment (Johnny Guitar, Listen to My Heart, SHOUT! The Mod Musical); Michael Weitz, producer (The Last Detail, a TRU Voices finalist and recently in NY Fringe, and The Flute Player's Song in NYMF); Betsy Kelso writer (The Great American Trailer Park Musical, former TRU Voices selection and currently in NYMF); Karen Mack, producer (Believe in Me the Bigfoot Musical in the NY Fringe); Jennifer Costello, vice-president Clear Channel Entertainment (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hairspray, Wonderful Town, Caroline or Change). Photo by Margot Astrachan.

The writers gave birth to it. Now it's up to the producer and general manager to get it ready for the world. From table readings to staged readings to developmental productions to final staging, what are the options available to help a musical reach its potential and be successful? Have Fringes and Festivals replaced the Equity Showcase? Does your baby belong on or off-Broadway? How about regionals and universities? Producers discuss the decisions they must make in bringing a musical from page to stage.

The theater upstairs at St. Clement's Church,

423 W. 46th Street

GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT YOU!
A Pair of Self-Promotional Panel
for Performers and Producers

Above, standing: Ed Callaghan of Alchimia Public Relations; Michael Feingold, critic for The Village Voice; TRU's Bob Ost.

Seated: Don Summa, publicist with Richard Kornberg & Associates; Sherry Eaker, editor of BackStage; Jeremy McCarter, critic for the NY Sun; John Chatterton, editor of OOBR (off-off-Broadway Review).

Tuesday evening, June 29th, 7:30pm
Reviewing the Situation: How Critical Are Those Reviews?
How Do You Get Them?
How Do You Use Them?

New Perspectives Theater,
750 Eighth Avenue
(btw. 46th and 47th), 6th floor

(Photos by Ben Strothmann)

The 2004 TRU Voices
New Plays Reading Series

Our FREE series of new plays by TRU writers, produced by TRU producers. Followed by a wine and cheese reception, and our "Dollars and Sense" panels about producing featuring prominent New York producers, artistic directors and general managers. All plays are at 7:30pm, at the Greenwich Street Theatre, 547 Greenwich Street (btw. Charlton & Vandam). Reservations are essential - these plays ALWAYS sell out, so call now: 212.714.7628.

Tuesday May 11th:
Endurance
by Jennifer Fell Hayes
presented by Tony Sportiello and Debra Whitfield.

Life or death: The South Pole, 1914 and Chicago, 1970.
Stranded Antarctic explorers traverse the years
and help a young man endure the pain of keeping his brother alive.

• "Dollars and Sense" panel: general manager Jonathan Bank, artistic director of The Mint Theater; Georgia Buchanan (Communicating Doors, Kat and the Kings), former managing director of The Women's Project; Jack DePalma, creative director of NAMCO (Chicago, Wonderful Town); producer Elysabeth Kleinhans, artistic director of Animated Theaterworks and 59E59; Stephen Sunderlin, artistic director for Vital Theater.

Sunday May 16th:
Pool Party
by Rich Orloff
presented by John Chatterton.

Join Narcissus, Flipper, a sexy pool guy, playful pre-adolescents, an overwhelmed dead guy, homesick frogs and evolving creatures in a sextet of comedies set around - and IN - a swimming pool.

• "Dollars and Sense" panel: producer/general manager Jeff Chrzczon of Ideal Entertainment (Saturday Night Fever tour; off-Bway: The Marijuana-logues and Ministry of Progress); producer Michael Frazier (Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, Grind, Mail, Noel Coward in Two Keys); T.L. Reilly, producing artistic directors of Urban Stages (Men on the Verge of an His-Panic Breakdown; Minor Demons); Tom Smedes, producer/general manager of Martian Entertainment (Naked Boys Singing, Women of Lockerbie).

Sunday May 23rd:
Crazy Money
by Alexander Ostrovsky, translated by Stephen Mulrine
presented by The StoryLine Project.

"The Taming of the Shrew" transported into Moscow's rich cultural milieu of the 1870's, where money is all the craze.
Exquisite new translation of Ostrovsky's rarely-seen
hilarious battle of the sexes.

• "Dollars and Sense" panel: general manager Laura Heller (Enchanted April, The Joys of Sex, Sly Fox); Alexa Kelly, artistic director of Pulse Ensemble Theatre; producer Dan Markley (On the Waterfront, Jeffrey, Oleanna, Rent, Art, The Diary of Anne Frank); Roger Hendricks Simon of the Simon Studios; Ardelle Striker, artistic director of Blue Heron Arts Center; general manager Jeffrey Wilson of 101 Productions (Anna and the Tropics, Noises Off, Topdog/Underdog, Elephant Man, Kiss Me Kate).

Wednesday evening, May 26th, 7:30pm
Making Your Move:
The Dramatic Leap from Not-for-Profit

Gordon Edelstein, artistic director Long Wharf Theater (Sixteen Wounded); Andrew Leynse, artistic director Primary Stages (The Stendahl Syndrome, Boy, All in the Timing, Mere Mortals); Cheryl Wiesenfeld, producer (The Exonerated, Talking Heads, Elaine Stritch: At Liberty, Caroline or Change).

Tuesday evening, April 20th, 7:30pm
Flying Solo:
A Practical Guide to Putting One Person on a Stage

Kirsten Ames of HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival; Hilary Chaplain (star of A Life in Her Day, at the NY Int'l. Fringe Festival); John Chatterton, producer of Midtown International Theatre Festival; Karen Eterovich (producer/performer Love Arm'd: Aphra Behn & Her Pen); Cheryl King of the NY Solo Play Lab; Johnny King, director of cabaret, Singers Forum; Quinn Lemley (Rita Hayworth: The Heat Is On); Lou Viola, producer of PS-NBC's series of Tuesday night solo artists.

Solo performance art, one-person shows, cabaret acts ... you wouldn't think it would be so hard to get one person on a stage. Or so expensive! A nuts-and-bolts look at the details of producing (or self-producing) small shows: the right venue ... the right director to help shape the material ... cost-effective ways to promote yourself ... and more.

Saturday evening April 17th, dinner at 6:30, show at 8pm
The War of the Mama Roses
The Ultimate Audition for Gypsy! A benefit for Theater Resources Unlimited at Dillons, starring Steven Brinberg as Barbra, Janet Fanale as Kristen Chenoweth, Quinn Lemley as Rita Hayworth, Richard Skipper as Carol Channing, Rick Skye as Liza, Cayte Thorpe as Ethel Merman. Click here for details!

Thanks to the 30+ companies and agents, and the 150+ actors who participated! Thanks to Precision Photos for their generous sponsorship (use them, use them!). What was it? For more information, click here.

For a full list of attending producers, agents and casting directors, CLICK HERE!

Tuesday evening, March 23rd, 7:30pm
Resource Night:
A Smorgasbord of Services and Support Systems

Diane Vivona of The Field tells about their programs for artists; Lisa Stevenson will introduce you to the many programs of ART-New York, for not-for-profit companies; Harriet Taub of Materials for the Arts explains their services for non-profits; Hal Hochhauser of Shakespeare Mailing shows you how to maximize mailings and save on postage; Theatermania's Scott Reiburn (Gold Club Manager), Alison Albeck (Senior Account Executive) and John Issendorf (Account Executive) talk about on-line marketing and ticketing services; and CompuColor offers insights into cost-effective printing.
New Perspectives Theater, 750 Eighth Avenue (46th/47th), 6th floor

Tuesday evening, February 16th, 7:30pm
Setting Yourself Up for Success:
Mission, Goals and Strategies
Sandra Daley, life and career coach, artist, founder of "Daley Formulas ... solutions for creative living" which provides life and career coaching for artists, workshops and a monthly inspirational Ezine; David Diamond, former executive director SDC Foundation, Board of Directors The Barrow Group,management advisor and career coach.
You have a product to sell, whether it's a company, a show or yourself as an artist. This inter-active seminar will help you to understand some of the basic learnable techniques needed to turn your vision into something real. You will be taken through step-by-step processes that will clarify your mission and help you set attainable goals.
Blue Heron Arts Center, 123 E. 24th Street

Wednesday evening, January 21st, 7:30pm
Can We Afford to Produce New Works?
Can We Afford Not to?
Melody Brooks, artistic director New Perspectives Theater Company/Voices from the Edge Festival; Elena Holy, producing artistic director The Present Compant/NY International Fringe Festival; Robert Kalfin, freelance director, founder and artistic director of Chelsea Theater Center (Slaveship, Saved, AC/DC, Genet's The Screens, Allen Ginsburg's Kaddish, The Beggar's Opera, Polly, Vanities); Kittson O'Neill, literary manager New Jersey Repertory; Ludovica Villar-Hauser, producer/director The Countess, Duet, The Pitchfork Disney.
A discussion of the frustrations of producing original works for the commercial theater, with an attempt to find some workable and financially feasible solutions. Has the development process become the exclusive domain of regional and not-for-profit theater? Is there still a place for new plays on Broadway? Can our culture thrive or even survive without being more supportive of developing artists?
New Perspectives Theater, 750 Eighth Avenue (46th/47th), 6th floor

Back Row: Peter Filichia, theater critic/reviewer NY Star Ledger; Mark Hollman, composer of Urinetown; David Finkle, senior critic Theatermania, reviewer The Village Voice, BackStage; TRU's Bob Ost.
Front row: Robert Lopez, author of Avenue Q; Kathy Evans, executive director National Alliance of Musical Theaters Jeffrey Marx, author of Avenue Q.

Photo by Ben Strothmann.

Tuesday evening, December 16th, 7:30pm
That'll Never Sing on Broadway:
New Directions in the Commercial Musical?

Is the commercial theater, and Broadway in particular, more open to the off-beat and uncoventional? Has the success of Urinetown and Avenue Q opened new doors of creativity, or are they just exceptions to rules that still hold true? Are these edgy new shows the key to attracting young audiences back to theater?
Blue Heron Arts Center, 123 E. 24th Street

The 2003 TRU Voices
New Musicals Reading Series

Our annual FREE evenings of new musicals. Followed by "Dollars and Sense" panel discussions plus reception.

Tuesday, 12/2:
Dennis Grimaldi Productions presents
About Face
Book & lyrics by David Arthur, music by Jeffrey Lodin

Rollicking musical suggested by Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Coach Benedick and English Prof. Beatrice Stanton wage a “merry war of wits” amidst the sexual hijinks of a mid-1950's college campus.

Directed by David Arthur. With J.B. Adams (Beauty and The Beast), Stephen Bienski, Justin Brill (Madison Sq. A Christmas Carol), Carter Calvert, Daniele Ferland (Into the Woods, Frog and Toad), Tom Galantich (Mamma Mia, City of Angels), Piper Goodeve, Erica Schroeder, Dorothy Stanley (42nd Street), Ryan Stone, Douglas Trapp.

• "Dollars and Sense Panel": Peter Bogyo, gm The Sprecher Organization (upcoming revival of Sly Fox w/Richard Dreyfus, Fortune’s Fool, Madame Melville, The Unexpected Man), Jeffrey Chrzczon, producer/gm Ideal Entertainment (Saturday Night Fever tour; off-Bway: The Marijuana-logues, Ministry of Progress), Carol Ostrow (Berlin to Broadway, Beau Jest, A Room of One's Own, After Play), Sue Frost (associate producer Goodspeed Opera House).

Tuesday 12/9:
PenneySeal Productions presents
The Daniel Marshall Award Winner
Deirdre
Lyrics by Rich Neumar, music by Michael McCarthy,
book by Rich Neumar & Michael McCarthy.

An epic legend of love, war and prophecy infused with the ancient Celtic spirit.

Directed by Sarah Gurfield (Slut, the Musical). With Masi Asare, Rory Bain, Richard Bassin*, Christy Collier, Will Erat*, Jennifer Evans*, Kevin Franznick*, Scott Reiburn*, Jack Seabury*, Lucy Sorensen*, Josh Tyson, Pegg Winter*.

• "Dollars and Sense panel": Georgia Buchanan (general manager/producer Kat and the Kings, Communicating Doors, currently with The Women'sProject), Michael Frazier (Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, Mail, Grind, Noel Coward in Two Keys), Charlotte Moore artistic director and Ciarran O'Reilly producing director Irish Repertory, Nancy Richards, president The Richards Group marketing & promotions (Imaginary Friends, Enchanted April, Def Poetry Jam, Amour, Topdog/Underdog), Cheryl Wiesenfeld (producer Elaine Stritch: At Liberty, The Exonerated, Talking Heads).

Blue Heron Arts Center, 123 East 24th Street.