Arrested Development? The State of the Musical in a Tight Economy Panel Set for 11/18

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) and Back Stage will host the networking panel, Arrested Development? The State of the Musical in a Tight Economy, on Tuesday, November 18 at 7:30pm at The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street (below W. 3rd Street), NYC.

Panelists include Bob Blume, executive director of the Drama Desk Awards and producer (The Long Road Home, Jezebel, Marlowe); Ken Davenport, producer (Altar Boyz, The Awesome 80s Prom, 13); Eva Price, producer (Joy, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Sunfish, Great American Trailer Park Musical); Ken Waissman, producer (original Grease, Over Here!, Torch Song Trilogy and the upcoming Josephine).

Topics for discussion will include:
* How will the current economic crisis effect the development of new musicals? Will there be downsizing?
* Are there creative new ways of shepherding new shows into commercial production?
* Are producers heading into a period of excessive development? How much development is too much?
* What long-term goals should producers have while living through this cycle?
* What industry objectives could be achieved while business is slow?
* And what other ways can productions stay on track as opposed to attempting to head straight to New York City?

The panel will be co-moderated by Sherry Eaker, editor-at-large of Back Stage. Doors open at 7:00pm for networking and refreshments, panel starts promptly at 7:30pm. Admission is FREE for members of TRU; $12 for non-members. To reserve a space at the panel or to become a member of TRU, please call 212-714-7628 or e-mail TRUnltd@aol.com.

TRU was founded in 1992 to promote a spirit of cooperation and support within the general theater community by providing information and a variety of entertainment-related services and resources that strengthen the business capability of producing organizations, individual producers, self-producing artists and other theater professionals. The company holds monthly seminars on a wide range of subjects important to theatrical producers and artistic directors conducted by panels of experts from both the commercial and not-for-profit segments of Broadway, Off-Broadway and the motion picture industry. These educational forums have been a core program of TRU since its inception, and in recent years executive director Ost has partnered with Ms. Eaker to generate topics of interest to both TRU membership and Back Stage readers. "Through TRU, Back Stage is able to reach beyond its actor base to a wider theater community," said Ost, "and we get more visibility through the Back Stage connection."

TRU also publishes a monthly email community newsletter of services, goods and productions. In addition, TRU served as the umbrella organization for a co-production by several of its member companies as a part of the first annual New York Fringe Festival. From that experience, the organization has expanded its production efforts by creating the TRU VOICES Annual New Play Reading Series and the TRU VOICES Annual New Musicals Reading Series in which TRU underwrites developmental readings of new works for theater. In 2001, TRU began giving annual scholarships to The Commercial Theater Institute, to encourage the development of aspiring producers, and most recently created a Producer Mentoring Program whose mentors are among the most prominent producers and general managers in New York theater. In March, TRU was associate producer of its first Equity showcase, Missives at 59E59 Theatre, a play that was developed in the 2006 TRU reading series. TRU programs for actors include an Annual Audition Event, Resource Nights and "Speed Dating" as well as free monthly actor events, including workshops.

Programs of Theater Resources Unlimited are supported in part by public funds awarded through the New York State Council on the Arts and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, as well as generous support from the Friar's National Foundation Association.

For more information about TRU membership, visit www.truonline.org or call 212-714-7628.