Theater Resources Unlimited Announces July Panel Via Zoom 'Building Back Better: The Cautious Reopening Of Not-for-Profit Theater Companies'

As part of their monthly series of informational panels, Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) presents Building Back Better: The Cautious Reopening of Not-for-Profit Theater Companies on Thursday, July 29, 2021 via Zoom. The panel speakers will include Chad Austin, artistic director of Abingdon Theatre Company; Debra Ann Byrd, founder and artistic director of Harlem Shakespeare Festival; Frances Hill, founding artistic director of Urban Stages; Ralph Lewis, co-founder of Peculiar Works Project. Reserve a spot on the TRU event page at https://truonline.org/events/building-back-better/ or by emailing TRUStaff1@gmail.com to be put on a list to receive the Zoom link.

As theaters begin to reopen, many theater companies are bringing the lessons they learned during the pandemic with them into the future. They're reevaluating "best practices" to determine what still works and what needs to change, now that the nation is different from when we closed our doors. Moving forward may involve returning to basics: defining and focusing your theater's vision and purpose, creating an infrastructure with clearly defined roles, understanding the purpose of a board and how it can support the success of your company. We will also look at fundraising and audience building strategies, and the importance of branding for attracting supporters. Throughout, our panel will confront the question: How do you balance the tried-and-true with the need for flexibility and adaptability that we have learned the hard way?

Doors open at 5:30pm for networking and roundtable introductions of everyone in the room - come prepared with your best 20-second summary of who you are, and what you need. Panel will start at 6:00pm. Free for TRU members; $15 for non-members. Please use the bright red reservation box here on our web page, or email or phone at least a day in advance (or much sooner): e-mail TRUStaff1@gmail.com / phone 833-506-5550

"Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were forced to rethink all TRU programs for Zoom presentation. Turns out that what seemed at first to be a drastic inconvenience has paid off with surprising benefits," said Bob Ost, executive director of TRU. "We now have extended our reach well beyond the New York area, throughout the US and as far away as England, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. This panel focuses on the reopening of not-for-profit theater companies everywhere, and I'm excited for our global theater community to come together to discuss our post-pandemic future."