Theater Resources Unlimited to Host TRU Love Benefit, 11/17

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces a preliminary lineup of star performers, and a luminous array of theater notables including Andre Bishop, Terrence McNally and James Naughton, who will help celebrate three extraordinary people at the annual TRU Love Benefit, Honoring Friendship, Remembering Friends. The trio of TRU friends who will be remembered and honored are producer Randall Wreghitt (Little Women, Beauty Queen of Leenane, Grey Gardens, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Golda's Balcony, As Bees in Honey Drown, The Food Chain) who died unexpectedly at the age of 55 in May 2011, and will be posthumously remembered with the 2013 TRU Spirit of Theater Award; Michael Feingold, former critic with the Village Voice, who will receive the TRU Humanitarian Award for educating generations of theatergoers about the historical, social and cultural context of the shows he reviews; and TRU member and program director Patricia R. Klausner, who will be recognized and applauded with the TRU Entrepreneur Award for her ongoing dedication in both the not-for-profit and commercial producing arenas.

The event will take place Sunday November 17th at Caroline's on Broadway at 47th Street. It will begin at noon with wine, drinks and hors d'oeuvres, followed by a luncheon at 1pm and the awards ceremony and performances at 2pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.truonline.org/store-new.html.

The awards show will include Broadway stars Matt Cavenaugh (Urban Cowboy, Grey Gardens, West Side Story revival, A Catered Affair, Death Takes a Holiday), Tovah Feldshuh (Pippin revival, Irina's Vow, Golda's Balcony, Lend Me a Tenor, Yentl), Megan McGinnis (Little Women, Les Miz revival, Parade, Beauty and the Beast, Thoroughly Modern Millie), Jenny Powers (Little Women, Grease revival, Donnybrook at Irish Rep),Jana Robbins (Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Gypsy revival, Romance, Romance, I Love My Wife) and Bob Stillman (Grey Gardens, Souvenir, Dirty Blonde, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Grand Hotel, The Last Session); plus cabaret favorites Cynthia Crane and Mark Nadlerand others to be announced. They are scheduled to perform songs from Patricia, Michael and Randall's shows including Pippin, Grey Gardens, Little Women, Threepenny Opera and more.

"This will be a heart-felt, joyful celebration of friends who are still with us as well as friends who have sadly left us - a reminder of the importance of appreciating the good people in our lives, right now," states TRU president Bob Ost.

The Honorary Benefit Committee lending their names and support to this year's event include some of Wreghitt's former producing partners and friends, including Pat Addiss(Becoming Dr. Ruth, Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, Buyer & Cellar, A Christmas Story the musical Spring Awakening, Promises, Promises, Little Women), Michael Alden(Becoming Dr. Ruth, Grey Gardens, Sarah Jones' Bridge & Tunnel, The King's Speech on stage, Bat Boy the musical), Margot Astrachan (Ghost the musical tour, On a Clear Day..., Nice Work If You Can Get It), Georgia Buchanan (Springhill Hill Singing Disaster, Communicating Doors, Kat and the Kings) of On My Mind Productions, LLC, Michael Jackowitz (How to Succeed... revival, Daddy Long Legs, Seance on a Wet Afternoon, The Best Is Yet to Come, The Food Chain, AVOW), Jana Robbins (Little Women, I Love You Because..., Ragtime revival, Through the Night), Anita Waxman (Rocky, Diner, Electra, Waverly Gallery, Chaplin, Bombay Dreams, Topdog/Underdog, Dr. Zhivago the musical) and Cheryl Wiesenfeld (Rocky, Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, A Steady Rain, Legally Blonde, Elaine Stritch: At Liberty, The Exonerated).

Friends of Feingold who are on board for the event include Andre Bishop, producing artistic director of Lincoln Center Theater, Jeremy Gerard chief drama critic of Bloomberg News,Jeffrey Horowitz, founding artistic director of theatre for a New Audience, producer Tom Kirdahy (After Midnight, Mothers and Sons, revivals of Master Class and Ragtime) and 4-time Tony award winning playwright Terrence McNally, Jeremy McCarter, director of the The Public Forum at The Public Theatre, 2-time Tony award winning actor James Naughton, actors Jeremy Shamos and Nina Hellman and actress Mimi Turque. Producer Sharon Carr (Pippin revival, Cinderella revival, The Trip to Bountiful revival, The Scottsboro Boys) and Peter Picard of Shotgun Productions will offer their support on behalf of Klausner.

The proceeds from this event directly benefit the programs of Theater Resources Unlimited, a not-for-profit service organization that educates people in the business of the arts, with a focus on producers, emerging theater companies and self-Producing Artists. Programs include monthly panels, workshops, a Producer Development and Mentorship Program, a new plays and new musicals reading series and a community e-newsletter of jobs, services, resources and theater events.

Tickets for the event will be $185 Premium Patron Level reserved seating on the first tier near the stage and $160 for Patron Level reserved seating on the first tier sides and second tier. Non-reserved General Admission tickets may be purchased for $110. Tickets, VIP tickets, journal ads and tables are available through the TRU Store at www.truonline.org/store-new.html.