Theater Resources Unlimited Announces Selections For Annual Fundraising Gala 2022 TRUSPEAK: HEAR OUR VOICES!

Theater Resources Unlimited announces the seven winning plays that were selected to be performed in the 2022 TRUSpeak: Hear Our Voices!, a virtual gala scheduled for Sunday, March 20, 2022 from 5pm to 7pm.

Presented with generous sponsorship from R.K. Greene and The Storyline Project, Patrick Blake of Rhymes Over Beats and Merrie L. Davis of Next Act 2 Follow, this is an evening to raise awareness of current social issues, as well as awareness of the work TRU has been doing for the theater community for over 28 years. TRU will present a curated selection of short plays that have been matched with directors, producers and technologists, to create high quality video films of these seven pieces.

"Since we are still observing COVID protocols and want to make the most of the virtual medium, every play has been assigned a technologist who will guide the production and post-production editing to create a theater-film hybrid that is visually exciting," says executive director Bob Ost. "In fact, two of the actors in last year's event, Broadway's Robert Cuccioli and Cady Huffman, were so impressed by the benefit that they asked to direct this year. We are so honored to have them!"

Out of the works of 10 finalists, the 7 following pieces have been chosen for the event:

The First Anti-Vaxxers by James McLindon directed by Tony winner Cady Huffman produced by Noel MacDuffie, technologist Emily Twines

Only Black by Kristy Thomas directed by Tony winner Ben Harney produced by Melvina Douse Manuel, technologist Jay Lucas Chacon

Cold Bread by Aladrian Wetzel directed by Rain Pryor produced by Melvina Douse Manuel

Slave Trade by Ian Patrick Williams directed by Andrea Andresakis produced by Merrie L. Davis, technologist Carley Santori

She's Blown Away by Vince Gatton directed by Tony nominee Robert Cuccioli produced by Claudia Zahn, technologist Brian Lawton

Obstacle by John Busser directed by Audelco winner Glynn Borders produced by Maureen Condon, technologist Gabriella Mykal

Every Creeping Thing by David Beardsley directed by Sharifa Williams produced by Jesica Garou

Theater Resources Unlimited would like to acknowledge and congratulate all ten finalists and 27 semi-finalists, chosen from over 130 submissions, whose names can be found here: https://truonline.org/events/truspeak-22/#finalists

General Admission tickets are $55 for the virtual show ($30 for TRU members), and VIP tickets are $90 ($75 for TRU), which include a post-show meet-and-greet with the creative teams and TRU Board and past Honorees. Circle of Angels tickets are $100, $250, and $500, and include the above, plus a thank you credit in the waiting room, opening, and closing. Tickets can be purchased at https://truonline.org/events/truspeak-22/.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is the leading network for developing theater professionals, a twenty-eight-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created to help producers produce, emerging theater companies to emerge healthily and all theater professionals to understand and navigate the business of the arts. Membership includes self-Producing Artists as well as career producers and theater companies.

TRU publishes an email community newsletter of services, goods and productions; presents monthly panels as well as the new weekly Community Gatherings; offers a Producer Development & Mentorship Program taught by prominent producers and general managers in New York theater, and also presents Producer Boot Camp workshops to help aspirants develop business skills. TRU serves writers through the TRU Voices Play Reading Series, Writer-Producer Speed Date, a Practical Playwriting Workshop, How to Write a Musical That Works and a Director-Writer Communications Lab.

Programs of Theater Resources Unlimited are supported in part by the Montage Foundation, The Storyline Project and the Leibowitz Greenway Foundation.

For more information about TRU membership and programs, visit www.truonline.org.