TRU - Theater Resources Unlimited

09/18/2026

SPA•DAY - Essentials of Successful Self-Producing 2026
Sunday November 8, 12pm to 6:30 pm EDT
TRU’s annual workshop reformatted and rethought for virtual presentation.

"Gee, I'm just an artist" no longer cuts it when you make the move from page to paying audience – you are now the CEO of your brand! In this game-changing workshop we will look at how artists can successfully take on the challenging role of "producer" to generate their own opportunities. The ones who are most successful have to master a range of business skills, don a variety of hats, and learn to be expert jugglers.

Come learn to view your creative work from a business perspective and understand the need to think differently. Make smarter choices, not only now but also for the future of your show. It all seems a little overwhelming at times, but we will break it down into easily digestible bites. When you know what you're doing, it can actually be fun and fulfilling!

Go to the link for more information and to register:
˚https://truonline.org/events/essentials-of-self-producing-2026/

09/17/2026

TRU PRODUCER DEVELOPMENT & MENTORSHIP PROGRAM (PDMP)
SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN FOR OUR FALL 2026 TERM

Still accepting applications to the FOUNDATIONS Class, Fall '26.
The Master Class is fully booked. Both classes start in September; dates tba.

Email [email protected] with questions!

Classes will be held virtually, so students from outside the New York area may continue to attend.

Broadway/off-Broadway producer Blair Russell will be teaching Foundations and
Jane Dubin returns to teach the Master Class.

The more you know about the business, the greater your chances of succeeding. Take a step now to move your career forward – sign up for the Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) Producer Development & Mentorship Program, created in collaboration with 4-time Tony-winning producer Cheryl Wiesenfeld (The Heidi Chronicles, Rocky, All the Way, The Gershwin's Porgy & Bess, Vanya & Sonya & Masha & Spike, Elaine Stritch: At Liberty, The Exonerated). We offer ongoing support and education for producers at all levels of experience. The program consists of two levels:

˚https://truonline.org/tru-event-category/pdmp/

09/17/2026

Are you as "zoomed" out as we are? Let's get together in person!
TRUSDAY MIX AND MINGLE IS HERE!

KICK OFF EVENT
Tuesday Oct 6th 5pm
Dolly's at 302 W. 51st Street

TRU, in partnership with Ripple Effect Artists, will host a gathering [party night?] for TRU community members so we can meet up in person every first Tuesday of the month. Come join us, have some food and drinks. No charge to attend; just let us know you want to come, and we will put you on the list. Only cost: we ask that you sign up for mailing lists for both Ripple Effect Artists and for TRU (if you aren't already).

Join us for an in-person social hour or two with other theater professionals. Meet new people and network, get to see a Zoom friend outside their frame, and build community with each other.

To make a reservation, please go to the link:
https://truonline.org/events/trusday-mix-mingle/

09/16/2026

09/15/2026

TRU Town Hall – Live and on Zoom :
CAN ART SURVIVE IN THE SHADOW OF CENSORSHIP?
Tuesday, September 29TH - networking at 6:30 pm, open forum starts at 7:00pm ET
Polaris North Studio, 245 W. 29th Street, 4th floor, NYC

Our return to our live monthly panels/discussions, with simultaneous streaming for our friends outside of New York City. When registering, please note there are options to buy either a live or a virtual ticket.

Co-hosted by CHERYL L. DAVIS, vice-president and co-founder of TRU, general counsel for The Authors Guild and Emmy-nominated TV soap writer (Beyond the Gates); JESSIE FAHAY, founder and artistic director of Ripple Effects artists; ELIZABETH LARISON, Director of Arts and Culture Advocacy at the National Coalition Against Censorship; LUDOVICA VILLAR HAUSER, director, founder and artistic executive director of Parity Productions. Moderated by TRU executive director Bob Ost.

TRU conversations continue about issues of current cultural significance as we move from discrimination against specific cultural groups to the broader topic of censorship. Stephen Colbert was cancelled. Under pressure from the FCC Chairman, Disney suspended Jimmy Kimmel's nightly show. The NEA was pressured to limit or eliminate funding to organizations that applied for support for programs that focus on amplifying Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Our administration has clashed with major news outlets and tried to limit press access for reporters who are critical of policy. A Trump Executive Order declared that sexual identity is exclusively determined by birth, effectively nullifying the spectrum of human identity we have grown to accept and understand. A woman's rights to sexual autonomy has already been uprooted, and gay marriage seems next on the hit list. YouTube limits the reach of any TRU interviews that contain anything their bot considers political or controversial, and social media feeds a new norm of cancel culture, shaming people for their opinions and removing certain topics from discussion.

To make a reservation for this event, and more information about this event, go to the link:
https://truonline.org/events/the-shadow-of-censorship/

09/15/2026

TRU VOICES New Plays Reading Series!

Attention all producers and theater companies: Let us pay for a developmental reading of your new play! (Writers are welcome to apply, too.)

Submission deadline 6/24
Reformatted to a virtual presentation on ZOOM

Submissions now open for our 2027 series. Deadline: 9/30
(one-week extension for TRU members, and plays with a producer attached)
For application, click this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdEgHJ7JzK8WoL1-0AW5TgscRnZFyweWqOH8gq3T8iHD0Ns6g/viewform
or
Click here to return to https://truonline.org/tru-voices-details-and-history/

TRU will produce a New Plays Reading Series in Late January/Early Feburary 2027 that will consist of 2 new works presented in one performance each. The purpose is to:
(a) help develop new plays, and
(b) help producers develop the skills needed to produce new works.

Each reading will be followed by a “Dollars and Sense” panel discussion with prominent New York producers, general managers and artistic directors focusing on potential venues, marketing and budgeting of the work.
For more information go to the lnk:
https://truonline.org/2026-play-guidelines/

09/14/2026

Musical Feedback Workshop on Zoom :
How to Write a Musical that Works: Part Two.
CONFLICT AND OBSTACLES
Sunday, October 25, 2026, noon to 6:30pm ET

Submission deadline: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Reformatted to virtual presentation on ZOOM

This workshop is dedicated to fostering a conversation about musical theater structure not only for writers but also for producers, directors and everyone involved in the creation and production of new works. Each workshop will accept up to 10 writing teams and/or producers who will share works in progress and get feedback from a panel of expert evaluators. Audience members will also have a chance to offer their observations, and participate in discussions.

In "Part 2: Conflict and Obstacles" we will focus on three main aspects of your show: 1) Songs that express differing points of view, or conflict; 2) "Turnaround Songs" in which a character changes his course of action; 3) Plot complications that keep your characters from achieving their wants, and drive the action forward; in particular, the climactic moment (sometimes the first act finale) that drives us forward into the resolution (note: the actual "resolution" will be in workshop #3). In addition, we will continually explore the delicate balance between script and song, so it is important that you present a continuous portion of scene and song from your show.
Our professional panel of commercial producers, directors and writers will include: CHERYL DAVIS, Kleban and Larsen Award winning librettist and lyricist (Barnstormer), Audelco Award winning playwright (Maid's Door), general counsel for The Author's Guild; SKIP KENNON, composer/lyricist (Herringbone, Don Juan DeMarco, Time and Again), former artistic coordinator of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop and teacher for two decades; TAMRA PICA, network and streaming TV, film and theater producer, producer and casting director of Write Act Repertory; JOHN SPARKS, founder/co-director of the Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, former artistic director of ANMT/NMI, founder WritersWorkshop at Theatre Building Chicago. BOB OST, executive director of Theater Resources Unlimited, will facilitate with TRU literary manager OWEN CAHILL.

To make a reservation for this event, go to the link:
https://truonline.org/events/2026-virtual-feedback-workshop-2/

09/14/2026

TRU Community Gathering on Zoom :
KNOW THE SCORE: MTI’s Unique Place in the Licensing World
Friday, September 18, 2026 at 5:00pm ET

In the room: JASON COCOVINUS, director of Marketing and MARC HERSHBERG, director of business and legal affairs at MUSIC THEATER INTERNATIONAL (MTI). MTI was co-founded in 1952 by the legendary Frank Loesser and is heading towards a landmark 75th anniversary. How has the company evolved from then to now? Have legal updates influenced the licensing business over the years? Statistically, what are the things that now seem to interest audiences and theaters around the country, and has that changed since shutdown? Does a show need to have a NY run to be marketable? MTI is one of the few large licensing houses not subsumed by Concord Theatricals. In what ways might that be that an advantage or a disadvantage for writers seeking to have their shows licensed?? We'll also take an admiring look at MTI's dedication to educational theater, including their groundbreaking Broadway Juniors series.

To make a reservation for this event, go to the link:
https://truonline.org/events/mti-licensing/