Theater Resources Unlimited to Kick Off 13th Annual TRU Voices New Musicals Reading Series, 1/13

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces the 2014 Musical Reading Series on Monday, January 13, Monday, January 20, and February 3, 2014 at 7pm at the Engelman Recital Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Ave, NYC. Tickets are free and may be reserved by emailing TRUStaff1@gmail.com or phoning the TRU message line at 212-714-7628. For more information, visit www.truonline.org/TRUMusicals.htm.

The purpose of the series is to help develop new musicals, help producers develop the skills needed to produce new works, and foster the producer-writer relationship for future development beyond our series. Each reading will be followed by a wine and cheese reception and "Dollars and Sense" panel discussion with prominent New York producers, general managers and artistic directors focusing on potential venues, marketing and budgeting of the works presented.

Monday January 13th, 7pm: Kimberly Eaton and Alan Swanke present Wild and Willful Women, a tale of love, lust ... and witchcraft. Book and lyrics by Bill Rogers, Music by Daniel Doss. When an intolerant Puritan minister suspects that women in his small New England village are becoming too free and independent, he launches an authoritarian campaign to make them behave. His strict religious reformation quickly runs into trouble. Three "wild and willful" women defy his authority by choosing for themselves who to love and how to live. The minister's son is caught in the middle. His father is convinced that the girl he loves is a witch... Does Peter dare defy authority to follow his heart?

Monday January 20th, 7pm: Debbie von Ahrens/Fat Chance Productions and Nathan Sheffield present Brindlebeast, a new musical in voice and American Sign Language about love, healing and the creative process. With book and lyrics by Anita Riggio, music by Sila Shaman. Brindlebeast blends spoken language and American Sign Language in a contemporary two act musical that braids together three strands: a love story between a hearing man, who is a successful graphic novelist and a independent, deaf, single mother with a 14 year old daughter; a story about confronting personal beasts; a chronicle of channeling that confrontation into the creative process of making a book. The stellar Broadway cast is led by Eric Kunze (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Damn Yankees) Alexandria Wailes (Big River), Emily Robinson (The Orphans' Home Cycle/ The Signature Theatre), Terese Genecco, and Kathy Voytko (Oklahoma!, The Pirate Queen, Next to Normal, The Frogs) www.brindlebeastmusical.com.

Monday February 3rd, 7pm: Bailie Slevin presents Popesical, a papal musical comedy with book, lyrics & music by Adam Overett. The Pope is dead, and the Cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel to choose a new Pope. No one has ever seen what happens -- until now. The backbiting. The sacrilege. The song-and-dance. For whom will the white smoke rise? Overett was also in the 2012 TRU Voices series with My Life Is a Musical, which was optioned from the series and is currently in commercial development.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is a twenty-one year old 501c3 nonprofit organization created to help producers produce, emerging theater companies to emerge healthily and all theater professionals to understand and navigate the business of theater. Membership includes self-Producing Artists as well as career producers and theater companies.

TRU publishes an email community newsletter of services, goods and productions; presents the TRU VOICES Annual New Play Reading Series and Annual New Musicals Reading Series, two new works series in which TRU underwrites developmental readings to nurture new shows as well as new producers for theater; TRU offers a Producer Development & Mentorship Program whose mentors are among the most prominent producers and general managers in New York Theater, and also presents Producer Boot Camp workshops to help aspirants develop the business skills they need. TRU serves writers through a Writer-Producer Speed Date, a Practical Playwriting Workshop and a Director-Writer Communications Lab; programs for actors include an Annual Combined Audition and quarterly Resource Nights and "Speed Dating" as well as free monthly actor workshops, in partnership with Weist-Barron Studios.

The Engelman Recital Hall at Baruch Performing Arts Center, is a 175-seat acoustically-sound concert hall located at 55 Lexington Avenue. The audience uses the entrance on E. 25th St. between Lexington & 3rd Aves. With near-perfect acoustics, it is a true gem. The NY Times chief classical music critic Anthony Tommasini called the Engelman Recital Hall "a perfect hall for chamber music (4/29/06)."

Programs of Theater Resources Unlimited are supported in part by public funds awarded through the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, 9th district Council Member Inez Dickens and Council Member Christine Quinn; The Montage Foundation, as well as support from the Friar's National Foundation Association.

For more information about TRU membership and programs, visit www.truonline.org or call (212) 714-7628.