TRU PAST EVENTS

TRU VOICES Reading Series...
TRU LOVE Benefit...
TRU FACES Cabaret ...

5th Annual TRU Voices
New Plays Reading Series 2003

Theater Resources Unlimited presents our annual FREE evenings of new plays, followed by "Dollars and Sense" panel discussions plus reception. Panels feature prominent commercial producers, not-for-profit artistic directors plus general managers discussing the producing aspects of the play: marketing, budgeting, venue, etc. The readings will be 7:30, the dates and shows are as follows:

Tuesday, April 29th: mainstream commercial selection
Connie Wilde
By Cat Bistransin, produced by John Chatterton. A happy marriage that falls apart — the untold story of Oscar Wilde and his neglected wife. Directed by Catherine Lamm.With Amanda Baker • Mark Campbell • Ben Hauck • Cliff Jewel • Doris Martin • Andy Macdonald • Karen Barrie Prager

• "Dollars and Sense" panel with Peter Bogyo (general manager with the Sprecher Organization) and Robert Lupone (artistic director MCC).

Monday, May 5th: multi-cultural selection
Motion and Location
By Lorna Littleway, produced by Woodie King Jr. in association with Rohn Luckett. A coming of age comedy about a teenage African American girl obsessed with baseball, her aunt who gets it and her mother who doesn’t. Directed by Sue Lawless. With Cecelia Antoinette • Kaci M. Fannin • Audra Polk.

• "Dollars and Sense" panel with Valentina Fratti (director, artistic director Miranda Theater, assoc. producer Last Night of Ballyhoo), Michael Frazier (producer Mail, Grind, End of the World, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, Noel Coward in Two Keys, The Women), Ardelle Striker (artistic director Blue Heron Arts Center), Shari Upbin (director, producer One Mo' Time, Captain America, Bo Jangles).

Tuesday May 6th: non-traditional selection
Beige
By Desi Moreno-Penson, produced by Vitalworld Pictures/Audrey Duncan. A Nuyorican journalist searches for her own identity while caught between the reality of her Anglo husband and the ideals of Puerto Rican Nationalist Lolita Lebron. Directed by Jesse Mojica. With With Desi Moreno-Penson • Gy Mirano • Jaime Velez • Jeremy Stuart • Belange Rodriquez • Jermaine Taylor.

• "Dollars and Sense" panel with Jennifer Costello (senior vice-president Clear Channel Entertainment), Dante Albertie (Lovinger Theater at Lehman College), Alexa Kelly (producing director Pulse Ensemble Theatre), T.L. Reilly (producing director Urban Stages Theater).

Monday, May 12th: multi-cultural selection
Taxi to Jannah
By Mark Sickman, produced by R.K. Green and the Story Line Project. A Capra-esque fable about a Muslim taxi driver who overcomes staggering odds in his quest to establish a mosque on the site of a former Baptist church. Directed by Tony White. With Rony Clanton*, Valerie David, Barbara Miluski, Adam Moore, Ryan Victor Pierce, Mitch Poulos*, George Spaventa, Patrick Turner*, Joan Valentina* and Eliyas Quereshi as Nasrudin.
• "Dollars and Sense" panel with Jonathan Bank (artistic director Mint Theatre), Donald Farber (producer, entertainment attorney, author From Option to Opening), Roger Hendricks Simon (artistic director Simon Studios), Cheryl Wiesenfeld (producer Elaine Stritch: At Liberty, Hedda Gabler, The Exonerated, Talking Heads).

Monday, May 19th: mainstream commercial selection
Breakfast in the Evil Empire
By Peter Morris, produced by Laura Penney. Hilarious cutting-edge political satire about patriotism, panic ... and pancakes! Directed by Paul Kelly, Consultant Mark Steven Robinson. With Douglas Coler*, Donna Coney Island*, Mary Cross*, Julie Dingman*, Raphael Fetta, Steven Hauck*, Howie Marcs*, Shaun Sheley*
• "Dollars and Sense" panel with Tiffani Gavin (executive producer Clear Channel Entertainment), Jack DePalma (creative director National Artists Management Co./The Weissler Organization), Erika Feldman (former general manager of Theatre for a New Audience), Jennifer Manocherian (producer Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Flower Drum Song, The Crucible, The Kentucky Cycle).

The Greenwich Street Theatre, 547 Greenwich Street
(between Charlton and Vandam Streets) in West Soho

The Fourth Annual
TRU LOVE Benefit Concert
Honoring Philip Rose and Woodie King Jr.

Sunday Evening, November 17, 2002
Wine Reception/Silent Auction at 6:30 pm. Performance at 7:30 pm

Legendary producer Philip Rose (A Raisin in the Sun, Purlie, Shenandoah, The Owl and the Pussycat) and artistic director Woodie King Jr. of the New Federal Theater (For Colored Girls..., What the Wine Sellers Buy, Black Girl Dance and the Railroad) will receive our annual TRU "Spirit of Theater" Award given each year to outstanding role models in the producing community.

Hosted by 3-time Tony winner Hinton Battle, with Trazana Beverly (For Colored Girls...), Ossie Davis, Joel Higgins (TV's Silver Spoons), Norm Lewis, Melba Moore, Nancy Opel, Alice Ripley and Mary Bond Davis performing her big number from Hairspray. Also featuring selections from the TRU New Musicals Reading Series, with Chuck Cooper, Ann Crumb, Dominique Plaisant and Ken Prymus.

Join our Honorary Committee (Sidney Poitier, F. Murray Abraham, John Cullum, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Andre DeShields, Gregory Hines, August Wilson and over a dozen other luminaries) in honoring two legends of theater who have created unprecedented opportunities for artists of color, and all artists.

Florence Gould Hall of the French Institute Alliance Française,
55 E. 59th Street (Park/Madison)

TRU VOICES
The 3rd Annual New Musicals Reading Series 2002

Featuring new musicals by TRU member writers produced by TRU member companies. With “Dollars and Sense” panels after each, featuring prominent NY producers/general managers.

Mon 10/14, 2002: our Daniel Marshall Award winner, non traditional selection
Valadon
Music: Doug Katsaros • Lyrics: Michael Barry Greer • Book: Lawrence Richards, Doug Katsaros, Michael Barry Greer • Conceived By: Lawrence Richards • Produced by June Rachelson-Ospa & Bozomoon Productions in assoc. with Rohn Luckett. Directed by Doug Katsaros.
with Ann Crumb, Karen DiConcetto, Eric Michael Gillett, Justin Greer, Donald Grody, Daria Hardeman, Paul Iacono, Jill Kotler, Barry Newell, Dominique Plaisant, Steve Rosen, Ed Staudenmayer, Frank Stellato, Christopher Wisner. Suzanne Valadon: the turmoil, the triumph, the passion that took her from the gutters of Montmartre to the galleries of Paris.

Mon 10/21, 2002: multi-cultural selection
The Story of My Father
Book: Jason King, using the best of Motown. Produced by Audrey Duncan, Directed by Shari Upbin. With Chuck Cooper, Darius de Haas, Alexander Mitchell, Chuck Patterson, Denise Morgan. A father dreams his family is as close-knit as a Motown group ... but things are not so ideal in real life.

Tues 10/22, 2002: the TRU Mainstream Selection
Sugar Dumpling
Book & Lyrics: Cheryl L. Davis • Music: C. Colby Sachs Produced by Music In A Box Productions in assoc. with Michael Ryan. Directed by Victoria Pero. A Civil War musical about a prostitute who confronts social convention and frees herself from her past.

All performances at 7:30PM. Wine reception and panel afterwards.

ST. LUKE’S Theater, 308 W. 46th Street St., 2nd fl.
Call for reservations: 212.714.7628

TRU FACES OF 2002
A Cabaret Evening of Songs and Comedy to Raise Money for TRU

Monday evening, June 24th, 7:00pm & 9:30pm

A special one-night only celebration of TRU talent, featuring TRU member perfomers and writers, directed by Chuck Noell, produced by Vickie Phillips and Judee Wales, with musical director William Wade, stage manager Rachel Kadushin. Two completely different shows:

7:00PM show, hosted by Sidney Myer featuring Bill Brooks, Donna Coney Island, Natasha Hanina, Michael Simon Hall, Vickie Phillips, Mary Setrakian, Vicki Shaghoian, Clare O’Shea and Judee Wales.

9:30PM show, hosted by Richard Skipper as Carol Channing, featuring Kirsten Lara Becker, Suzanna Bowling, Dottie Burman, Jon Delfin, Michael Simon Hall, Gerta Grunen, Natasha Hanina, Vickie Phillips, Kimberly Vaughn and Clay Zambo.

Songwriters represented include Debra Barsha, Dottie Burman, Ron Dellapina, Michael Fritz, Sue Horowitz, Eben Keyes, Nicholas Levin, Howard Levitsky, Dennis Livingston, Marc Miller, Chuck Noell, Michael Ogborn, Bob Ost, Richard Simson, Clay Zambo.

2 drink minimum plus a $15 tax-deductible donation to Theater Resources Unlimited.

Don't Tell Mama, 343 W. 46th Street

TRU VOICES
The 4th Annual New Play Reading Series 2002

New plays by TRU members writers producerd by TRU member companies. Followed by "Dollars and Sense" panels featuring prominent NY producers and general managers.

Sun 1/13, 2002
Shooting Blanks
by Mitch Poulos, presented by StageRight Productions, directed by Larry Auld.
With Anthony Alessandro • Christopher De Paola • Judith Granite • Kit Le Fever • Mitch Poulos • Maitely Weismann.
About a man who reevaluates his life as his dysfunctional family gathers for his father's memorial. Confirmed panelist: general manager Peter Bogyo of the Sprecher Organization; Susannah Halston, former executive director of The American Place Theater; Joanne Pfaelzer, artistic director of NY Stage & Film.

Mon 1/14, 2002
Ismay Sinks!
by Donovan Johnson, presented by Livin' Large Productions, directed by Andrea Andresakis.
With Jessica Boyle • Jarel Davidow • Daniel Hicks • Karen Prager • Frank Stancati • Robert Zanfini.
Overturning the myth of the Titanic's top-ranking officer and scapegoat — Ismay defends himself to the children of his alleged victims. Confirmed panelists: general manager and producer Roger Gindi (Shakespeare's R&J, King Hedley II, The Gathering, Nunsense), attorney/producer Donald Farber and Tyler Marchant, associate artistic director of Primary Stages.

Sun 1/20, 2002
Damage Control
by Ric Siler, presented by Michael Yanko, directed by Jules Ochoa.
A searing, taut (and short) drama about a kidnapping that goes horribly wrong.
Confirmed panelists: producer Cheryl Wiesenfeld (Elaine Stritch At Liberty, Hedda Gabler, The Waverly Gallery), producer/general manager Georgia Buchanan (Springhill Singing Disaster, Communicating Doors, Kat and the Kings).

Mon 1/21, 2002
Breeders
by Bob Ost, presented by Wildly Productive Productions in association with Michael Weitz. Directed by Linda Burson.
A human comedy about reverse discrimination in a gay artist's colony — two young lovers discover their closet heterosexuality and disrupt the whole place. With Jay Aubrey • Diane Findley • Ben Hauck • Steven Hope • Dawn P. Jones • Robert O'Gorman • Karen Prager • Richard Skipper
Confirmed panelists: Maria DiDia producer (Blue Man Group in Tubes, Dragapella!) and general manager (Mere Mortals, Curtains, All in the Timing, The Donkey Show); Victoria Maxwell, producer (Dinner with Friends, Jeffrey, Damn Yankees, Bells Are Ringing, Summer of '42); Carol Ostrow, producre (Berlin to Broadway, After-Play, Beau Geste); Joanne Pfaelzer, producing director of NY Stage and Film.

Sun 1/27, 2002
Life After Dad
by Phil Olson, presented by Theatre in a Trunk, Inc. in association with R.K. Greene and the Storyline Project.
Directed by Sonia Gluckman.
A Minnesota family gathers for its first Thanksgiving dinner without Dad resulting in hilarious revelations. With Mary Jane Wells, Frank Stancati, Lara Slife, David Logan.
Confirmed panelist: Shari Upbin, director and producer (One Mo' Time, Captain America, Mr. Bojangles); Janet Menaker, Vice President of Eric Nederlander Productions; Frederic Vogel, producer (Marlene, Shakespeare's R&J) and director of the Commercial Theater Institute.

Pantheon Theater, 303 West 42nd Street, 2nd floor

ADMISSION FREE. Wine and cheese reception, with "Dollars and Sense" panel discussion afterwards with prominent NY producers and general managers.

The 3rd Annual TRU LOVE Cabaret Benefit
honoring Frederic B. Vogel
of the Commercial Theater Institute,
recipient of the 2001 TRU Spirit of Theater Award.
Monday evening, 11/19, 2001

Wine reception and Silent Auction at 6:30pm, show and awards ceremony at 7:30pm, private reception with cast at 9:30 at the Soul Cafe. With Bob Cuccioli, Sandi Durell, Eileen Fulton, Suzanne Ishee, Pamela Lynn, Heather MacRae, Kristopher McDowell, Mark Nadler, Vickie Phillips, Stephanie Pope, Ken Prymus, Jana Robbins, Libra Sene, Mary Stout, KT Sullivan, Jane Summerhays, Stiller & Meara, the Broadway Voices Choir. Directed by Shari Upbin.

The John Houseman Theatre, 450 W. 42nd Street

Click here to see photos from this event.

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page updated September 17, 2003 7:07 PM EST by RK