Theater Resources Unlimited Presents TRU Faces Benefit at Don't Tell Mama's 9/22

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) presents the TRU Faces Cabaret Benefit at Don’t Tell Mama’s, 343 W. 46th Street, NYC on Monday, September 22 at 7pm.  This special one-night only performance will showcase the talent of members of TRU, a producer’s service organization that also happens to help the forgotten population of self-producing artists here in New York. “There are no harder-working self-producing artists than writers and performers,” says TRU producer Joan Liman, “and we’re happy to offer a showcase of a wide range of talent, including some staples of the Manhattan cabaret circuit. And who knows – maybe some of our TRU producer members will discover them.”

The evening features original songs by TRU member writers performed by TRU member performers for one night only, hosted by the inimitable cabaret legend and MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Award winner Sidney Myer. MAC Award winners are also directing and musical directing the evening: Linda Amiel Burns and Tracy Stark, respectively.

TRU writers chosen for the evening, from dozens of submissions, include Charles Bloom; David Conforte; David Eisner; Derek Fox; Shelly Gartner; Neville Grusd; Fran Handman; Bob Levy; Joan Liman; Dennis Livingston; Corinna Manetto; Chuck Muckle; TRU founder, MAC Award award nominee and OOBR Award winner Bob Ost; Dan Page; Tracy Stark; Stacy Glen Tibbetts; Gregory Tororian; and Blair Weille. MAC winner Sue Matsuki will be performing her 2008 MAC Award-winning song “One-Stop Shopping.” The late Dottie Burman and Eben Keyes will be remembered with songs opening and closing the evening.

TRU member performers include Deb Armelino, Charles Bloom, LaDonna Burns, Valerie David, Lynn DiMenna, Sandi Durell, Bill Dyszel, MAC Award winner Karen Mack, Corinna Manetto, MAC Award winner Sue Matsuki, Lia Menaker, Michael Murray, Bistro Award and OOBR Award winner Vickie Phillips, MAC Award winner Julie Reyburn, Sherry Zannoth.

The TRU Faces Cabaret Benefit will be performed on Monday, September 22 at 7pm at Don’t Tell Mama’s, 343 W. 46th Street, NYC.  Tickets are $35 ($25 for members of TRU), which is a tax-deductible donation to TRU; a two-drink minimums also required (cash only) at Don’t Tell Mama’s.  To reserve tickets, mail a check to: TRU Faces Benefit, Theater Resources Unlimited, 309 W. 104th Street 1D, NYC NY 10025, call 212-714-7628 or purchase online at www.truonline.org/store.html.

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.

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.

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