Chuck Cooper, Cady Huffman, and More to Appear at TRUSPEAK: HEAR OUR VOICES! Virtual Benefit Gala in June

Theatre Resources Unlimited (TRU) has announced the star-studded cast of  TRUSPEAK… HEAR OUR VOICES!, 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 30 years. The gala comprises 5 new plays filmed for virtual performance, and will be presented virtually on Sunday, June 4, 2023 at 5pm eastern with generous sponsorship from Patrick Blake of RHYMES OVER BEATS, Merrie L. Davis of NEXT ACT 2 FOLLOW, R.K. Greene and THE STORYLINE PROJECT, Linda B. Rubin Productions, Judith Manocherian, WRITE ACT REPERTORY and WOMEN MAKE MOVIES. Tickets and more information can be found here.

The luminous cast will include Tony winners Cady Huffman (The Producers; nominated for the Will Rogers Follies) and Chuck Cooper (The Life; nominated for Trouble in Mind), Broadway performers Alex Boniello (Dear Evan Hansen), Ali Ewoldt (Broadway: Phantom of the Opera, Les Miz), Jana Robbins (Gypsy, Tale of the Allergist's Wife), Haley Swindal (Chicago, Jekyll & Hyde, Jesus Christ Superstar) and many more. Plus special guest appearances by Tony winners Joanna Gleason (Into the Woods, nominated for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Tonya Pinkins (Jelly's Last Jam; nominated for Play On! and Caroline, or Change), plus Obie and Drama Desk winner Austin Pendleton (The Minutes, Choir Boy, The Last Sweet days of Isaac; Tony nominee Best Director for The Little Foxes; director Between Riverside and Crazy).

TRUSpeak: Hear Our Voices! is produced by TRU's Bob Ost with founding and technical producer IBen Cenholt of Rune Films, and consulting producer Janel C. Scarborough. With event graphics by Gary Hughes, special videos by Jay Chacon and Tracy Swedlow, program design by Rob Hofmann and Andrea McDonald and production assistant Owen Cahill.

PROGRAM
 

SOCIALLY DISTANT by Phil Darg

directed by Epiphany Samuels

produced by Cady Huffman

Starring Alex Boniello (Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen, Deaf West production of Spring Awakening, Tony winning producer of Hadestown; TV's Ghosts) and Ali Ewoldt (Christine in Phantom, Cosette in Les Miz, The King and I at Lincoln Center; off-Broadway The Fantasticks).

The tech team includes director of photography Caleb Morgan and film editor Samuel Kassover.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, Mark and Andrea are both isolated and living alone in their separate apartments. However, they have interacted extensively with each other online, and have finally agreed to meet in person at a public park. The precise purpose and terms of their encounter initially remains uncertain.

GUELLEN, KANSAS by Alex Goldberg

directed and edited by Jordan Richards

produced by Amy Drake

Starring newcomer Hallie Bond, Chuck Cooper (Tony winner for The Life, Tony nominee for last season's Trouble in Mind; Caroline, or Change, Chicago, Amazing Grace), Cady Huffman (Tony winner for The Producers; nominated for The Will Rogers Follies; The Nance, La Cage Aux Folles, Chicago; TV: The Good Wife, One Life to Live, Blue Bloods), Blake Lafita (films: All the Young Dudes, Bridge to the Other Side; 2016 Jimmy Award winner).

With associate producers Bones Rodriguez & Lara Valpey Rodriguez, director of photography Laela Kilbourn.

Meeting at their favorite spot in the woods, high school junior Alice tells her boyfriend Chase that she is pregnant. Unfortunately, the changing landscape of women's reproductive rights complicates their dilemma, and they must keep their secret despite those who may overhear, including two very interested trees.

DITMAS by Glenn Alterman

directed by Ben Rauch

produced by Carolyn M. Brown

Starring Noah James Mariano (TikTok influencer, has appeared on stage in A Midsummer Night's Dream) and Samantha Simone (Andrei Serban's The Seagull, The War of Woo, A Shot Rang Out; TV - CBS Blue Bloods, the romantic comedy Townhouse Confidential).

With tech by director of photography & film editor Joshua Santora. And special thanks to Tamborim Bar and Grill in Jersey City.

It's Happy Hour, and once again Sharon has “had a few to many.” She falls off her bar stool only to be rescued by a kind stranger, Mel. As they talk, Sharon's obvious attraction to Mel is put on hold as Mel reveals that the two were classmates at Ditmas Junior High School. Sharon's discovery of their surprise connection is at the heart of this sweet play that explores gender and the light that a little kindness can bring.

REPRIEVE by Lee Roscoe

directed by Miriam Eusebio

produced by Nicolette Blount

Starring newcomer Emperor Kaioyus (films: Ball and Vase, Run Nixon), newcomer Damiah Nolasco, John Scott Richardson (The Reunion on Amazon Prime; The Politician on Netflix) and Jana Robbins (Broadway: Crimes Of The Heart, Gypsy, Tale Of The Allergist's Wife; producing credits include Company, Fiddler on The Roof in Yiddish, and Rose now in the West End).

The tech team includes director of photography Matthew Kohn and film editor Ernie Ernstrom.

A Native American man is so distraught over the state of the world and so disconnected from any community that he is preparing to kill himself. A curious child befriends him which leads to an invite home for dinner that may change his course.

MISSUS DOBBS, AMERICAN by Kate Katcher

directed by Misti Wills

produced by Cady Huffman

Starring D'Ambrose Boyd (Ain't Misbehavin', Wizard of Oz, Five Guys Named Moe, A Christmas Carol, Babes in Toyland and Wall to Wall Broadway: A Century of Musical Theater), Rosemary Howard (films: Resurrection, Servant, Split), and Haley Swindal (Broadway: Chicago, Jekyll & Hyde, Jesus Christ Superstar; producer/investor for The Lion off- Broadway, The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit, The Jazz Age, yiddish Fiddler on the Roof revival; current Rose in London's West End).

With tech by director of photography and editor Carley Santori.

Martha Dobbs arrives at the airport on January 7th, 2021, to discover she has been placed on the no-fly list. The FBI will help her understand why.  

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is the leading network for developing theater professionals, a thirty-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, opportunities and productions; presents 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, 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 truonline.org.