Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is excited to bring back the TRU Voices New Musical Reading Series with a presentation of América Tropical produced by Prince fellowship recipient Jamila Ponton Bragg. The reading will be followed by TRU’s renowned “Dollar and Sense” Talkback featuring a powerhouse lineup of commercial Broadway and indie producers: Michael Alden, R.K. Greene, Christopher Michaels, Blair Russell (who teaches the TRU producer development program), Janel Scarborough and Ken Waissman. It will take place on Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 4pm livestreaming via StreamingMusicals.com, and presented in partnership with Create Theater with the generous support of the Leibowitz/Greenway Family Foundation. The reading is $10 (with hopes of some additional donations to assure the future of the series); to reserve the show and the talkback the price is $12. Reserve your ticket and receive a link for the livestream event at https://truonline.org/events/america-tropical/



América Tropical is the universal story of a family fighting to stay together against forces intent on tearing them apart. Rita Rey, a young Mexican American, must save her family from Repatriation, the Depression-era policy where US citizens of Mexican ancestry were deported. Based on real people and events, our heroine uses her wits to outsmart a corrupt cop to get her family back. The show’s title comes from a controversial mural created by Rita’s love interest, David Siqueiros, the famous Mexican artist and communist revolutionary. And the show’s relevance for today could not be more urgent. América Tropical is directed by Jason Aguirre with book by Joel S. Bailey and Gina Gallego, lyrics by Joel S. Bailey, music by Jan Roper.



The performance will be followed by TRU’s renowned "Dollars and Sense" industry talkback. Featuring Michael Alden producer (Come from Away, Grey Gardens, Not That Jewish, Becoming Dr. Ruth, The King's Speech on stage, Disgraced, special Tony for Sarah Jones' Bridge & Tunnel); R.K. Greene, producer (Harmony, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Lightning Thief tour, Farinelli and the King, A Time to Kill, Cougar: The Musical, Room Service; upcoming: Beau the Musical); Christopher Michaels, founder/producing artistic director IndieWorks Theatre Company; Blair Russell, producer & developer, from fringe festivals to Broadway (current: Still with Melissa Gilbert; also Slave Play, Lizard Boy, Sweeney Todd off-Broadway); Janel C. Scarborough, producer/creative investor (Single Black Female, Thoughts of a Colored Man, Tony nominated revival for colored girls...), co-founder TRU Diversity; Ken Waissman (developed and produced the original Broadway productions of Grease, Torch Song Trilogy, Agnes of God, Over Here!, And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little; upcoming: Josephine, a new musical about Josephine Baker).



Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is the leading network for developing theater professionals, a thirty-two-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created to help producers produce, emerging theater companies to emerge healthily and all theater professionals to understand and navigate the business of the arts. Membership includes self-producing artists as well as career producers and theater companies.



TRU publishes an email community newsletter of services, opportunities and productions; presents weekly Community Gatherings; offers a Producer Development & Mentorship Program taught by prominent producers and general managers in New York theater, and also presents Producer Boot Camp workshops to help aspirants develop business skills. TRU serves writers through the TRU Voices Play Reading Series, TRUSpeak: Hear Our Voices evening of short plays about social issues, Writer-Producer Speed Date, a Practical Playwriting Workshop, How to Write a Musical That Works and a Director-Writer Communications Lab.



Programs of Theater Resources Unlimited are supported in part by the Montage Foundation, The Storyline Project and the Leibowitz Greenway Foundation; and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.



For more information about TRU membership and programs, visit www.truonline.org.



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truonline.org/events/america-tropical/

• February 2 from 4:00 to 6:30 pm

  February 2, 2025 04:00 to February 2, 2025 06:30
• Online
  , New York, NY

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• Contact Michelle Tabnick for more information
  6467654773 or [email protected]
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