2026 TRU LOVE BENEFIT Celebrated Tonya Pinkins, Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane

Despite sub-zero temperatures, a nearly full house of theater lovers braved the cold to come together for a warm celebration at Green Room 42 in Manhattan, on Sunday, February 8.

The occasion was the annual benefit of arts service organization Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU), and its second live gala since 2019. Called CHANGING HEARTS... the power of theater the event celebrated Tony-winning legend Tonya Pinkins and Broadway producing power couple Bonnie Comley and Stewart Lane. Ms. Pinkins received the TRU Humanitarian Award for being an uncompromising advocate for change, using her art, heart, and talent in a lifetime pursuit of equality and acceptance for all. Producers Comley and Lane, the creators of the theater streaming platform BroadwayHD, were honored with the TRU Spirit of Theater Award for their dedication to community, their visionary work with BroadwayHD, and the platform's unwavering commitment to expanding the transformative power of live theater. TRU also honored the memory of Advisory Board member, prolific Broadway and London producer, and friend Jack W. Batman.

In keeping with the TRU Love theme and a pre-Valentine's Day feeling, the room was festooned with rose-punctuated arrangements provided by Starbright Floral Design. A cocktail hour and luncheon were followed by a show plus awards presentations, directed and created by Jonathan S. Cerullo, and featuring musical snapshots of the careers of the honorees. All music direction for the show was skillfully provided by Clare Cooper. Comley and Lane were represented by songs from their Tony-winning La Cage aux Folles, The Will Rogers Follies, Thoroughly Modern Millie and A Gentleman's Guide... with showstopper solos by Broadway veterans Jeff Williams and Wendy Waring and a protean ensemble trio dubbed the TRU Tones, featuring Renee Ross, Christopher Michaels and newcomer Jayden Richardson. Pinkins was represented by songs from her shows, starting with a nod to her Broadway debut in Merrily We Roll Along, "Play the Music for Me" from her Tony-winning Jelly's Last Jam (sung by Richardson), "Lot's Wife" from her Tony-nominated role in Caroline, or Change, powerfully performed by Brandi Chavonne Massey, and more quick-change fun from the TRU Tones. The show concluded with a monologue from A Raisin in the Sun, wrenchingly delivered by theater veteran Tina Fabrique.

Adding glamor to the event, the Comley and Lane segment of the show was introduced by another theater power couple, Tony nominee Robert Cuccioli and his wife Laila Robbins, a familiar face on stage, screen and television. The Pinkins segment was introduced by Tony nominee Veanne Cox, a close friend and her co-star in Caroline, or Change.

Encouragingly led by auctioneer Tom Polum (CEO of Streaming Musicals), an appreciative audience raised their pledge paddles at the end of the benefit to pledge donations to keep TRU's programs thriving and to continue helping theater professionals at all levels of experience, including a scholarship fund to support the development of BIPOC producers. TRU welcomes recommendations of aspiring and new producers who would benefit from these scholarships.

To continue the celebration and the fundraising for their programs, TRU has posted an Online Auction which will remain open until Sunday, February 15, 2026. Auction items and bidding are available at https://new.biddingowl.com/2026TRULoveAuction. People can bid on tickets to Broadway shows such as The Outsiders, Buena Vista Social Club, Operation Mincemeat, and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Off-Broadway shows and events gift cards, actor and artist services, and several physical items such as a signed Randy Rainbow poster and an original, unframed painting by TRU honoree Tonya Pinkins.

The TRU Love Honoree Benefit Committee this year included an amazing lineup of luminaries: Tony winner Chuck Cooper; Tony nominee and TV regular Veanne Cox; Tony nominee Robert Cuccioli; casting director and producer Mellicent Dyane; 4-time Tony nominee Gregg Edelman; legendary singer Nona Hendryx (of LaBelle); Tony winner Cady Huffman; Pulitzer Prize winning playwright-composer-lyricist Michael R. Jackson; actor, author and director Erik Liberman; theater and film star Mandi Masden; poet-activist Harry Newman; theater, TV and film actor Jake O'Flaherty; theater and TV favorite Laila Robins; veteran actor, writer, director and producer Juney Smith; theater, film and TV actress and author Kim Sykes, New York Amsterdam News editor Elinor Tatum and 4-time Tony winning producer Cheryl Wiesenfeld.

The Benefit Producing Committee was chaired by Cheryl L. Davis and included producers Bob Ost, Janel C. Scarborough, and Sharon Weiss, along with committee members Jay Chacon, Merrie L. Davis, Ginny Hack, Rob Hofmann, June Ospa, Aisling Riley, Stephanie Schwartz, and Sandy Silverberg.