TRU to Present 'From New York City To St. Paul To South Africa: A Director Who Moves In Many Directions'

A dependable haven for artists in isolation, Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is celebrating its fifth year of non-stop weekly Community Gatherings this Friday, having offered to date over 250 conversations and unlimited camaraderie since April 17, 2020. 

6/27 - From New York City to St. Paul to South Africa: a Director Who Moves in Many Directions

In the room: Stephen DiMenna, executive artistic director of the Park Square Theatre in St. Paul, former artistic director of both the MCC Youth Theatre Company and InitialStage in New York, and founding artistic director of The International Theatre Project which uses theater as a catalyst for education, self-discovery and empowerment for young people in disenfranchised communities worldwide. That's Stephen DiMenna ... all over.

The common thread is a passion for directing and a mission of using theater as a way to educate and empower young artists as well as audiences. Though his resume leads with a dazzling lineup of directing credits, his heart encompasses a world of accomplishments. ITP brings theater artists to developing countries to conduct theatre workshops to teach English language proficiency, develop independent thinking, self-empowerment and gender equity.

In New York he is currently a senior teaching artist for The Theatre Development Fund, and was an artist in residence at MCC Theater, and a teaching artist at City Center's Encores program, Theatre for a New Audience and The Roundabout Theatre. He was co-artistic director of The Stargate Company at Manhattan Theatre Club which created original plays by and with court involved youth in NYC. How does he do so many things and balance his time? What are some of the accomplishments he is most proud of? Is his energy challenged at all by the current war that feels like it is being waged on the arts and so many of our values?

UPCOMING:

7/4 - No Community Gathering. Go shoot off fireworks and have a hot dog. We'll be back 7/11.

7/11 - Is New York Really a Safe Haven for School Arts Programs? A follow up to our 6/25 conversation about Arts and Education. In the room: Peter Avery, director of theater for the NYC Department of Education. New York has the largest public school system in the nation and is known as a major center for the arts in America, and our guest is focused on the significant impact a dedicated theater education has for all youth, their teachers and school communities. Avery prioritizes producing innovative theater programs focused on youth artistry, access, equity and inclusion for NYC public school students of all ages and abilities. We'll look at the range of successful programs Avery has helped generate, consider what more may still need to be done and whether current political trends might have a negative impact on the progress we have made. Are these programs unique to New York, or can other areas of the US learn from what we do here? And vice versa? Click here to register and receive the zoom link.

7/18 - Theater Awards: What They Mean and Why We Give Them. In the room: Bob Blume, an executive producer of the Drama Desk Awards from 1999-2018; Peter Breger of the OB Alliance Awards; Cat Parker of New York's IT Awards; Charles Wright, co-president of the Drama Desk Awards. The unique identity and purpose of different theater awards, the complex and probably exhausting process of managing and administering an annual awards ceremony and how it functions in stimulating the development of our theater culture.... Click here to read more, and to register and receive the zoom link.

7/25 - Free Introduction to our Producer Development & Mentorship Program. In the room: Master class instructor Jane Dubin, producer (Is This a Room, Dana H., The Prom, Tony winning The Norman Conquests, Farinelli and the King, Bandstand, Peter and the Starcatcher and An American in Paris; plus off-Broadway Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, The 39 Steps, Ann) and Foundations instructor Blair Russell (Slave Play, Sweeney Todd off-Broadway). A free meet-and-greet info session about our Producer Development and Mentorship Program, the only theater production program to offer in-depth instruction from accomplished producers at an affordable price. Click here to read more, and to register and receive the zoom link.