Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) welcomes A Little Night Music‘s original Petra, D’Jamin Bartlett, to the line-up of featured performers for the 2019 TRU Love Benefit: Follow Your Art, Fulfill Your Dreams. Also newly announced is legendary lyricist Sheldon Harnick (Tony winner for Fiddler on the Roof, Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner for Fiorello!, plus She Loves Me, The Rothschilds, The Apple Tree), writer André Catrini (part of The York’s NEO 7 celebration of new writers, The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit), Jessica Hendy (Broadway: Amour, Aida, Cats), writer Allan Knee (Broadway: Little Women; Finding Neverland, The Jazz Age, The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit),Desi Oakley (Wicked, Eva Peron in the First National Tour of Evita!), producer/performer Jana Robbins (Gypsy, Tale of The Allergist’s Wife, This One’s for the Girls; producer of Little Women, Ragtime revival, Yiddish Fiddler on the Roof) and Conor Ryan (Desperate Measures at The York and off-Broadway; Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella on Broadway; Victory Train). They join previously announced York favorite Nancy Anderson (Yank!, Jolson & Co., Fanny Hill at the York; plus A Class Act, Sunset Boulevard and Wonderful Town on Broadway; Kiss Me Kate in London), Allie Trim (Juliet and Juliet, Enter Laughing at the York, Broadway: Bye Bye Birdie revival, 13) and Richard Maltby Jr., Tony winning director (Ain’t Misbehavin’, Fosse) and lyricist (Baby, Big, Closer Than Ever, Miss Saigon). The illustrious hosts for the afternoon are Broadway’s Lee Roy Reams (Tony nominee for 42nd Street, La Cage aux Folles, The Producers, Beauty and the Beast) and sports broadcaster Suzyn Waldman, NY Yankees commentator. The event honors James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director of The York Theatre who will receive TRU’s Spirit of Theater Award in celebration of his selfless dedication to musical theater, both its history and its future; and performer and producer Haley Swindal who will receive the TRU Entrepreneur Award for successfully balancing her career as a theater, film and concert performer with a passion for producing, as well as her generous mentoring and support of so many. 

The celebration will take place on Sunday, December 8, 2019 with VIP cocktail hour at 12pm, luncheon at 1pm at Caroline’s on Broadway, 1626 Broadway (between 49th & 50th Streets). Tickets start at $85 (show only, and two drinks); tickets including luncheon start at $115. For additional information and ticket tier pricing, please visit https://truonline.org/events/2019-tru-love-benefit

The show and awards ceremony will be directed by Will Nunziata, concert director for Platinum recording artist Jackie Evancho, Tony Award winner Lillias White, Broadway’s Haley Swindal, and Soul Train Award winner Nicole Henry. Music director will be Tracy Stark, 11-time MAC Award winner for Music Director, Piano Bar Entertainer, and Song of the Year; Bistro Award winner for Musical Direction; Cabaret Hotline’s Songwriter of the Year Award winner.

The event starts with a cocktail hour with passed hors d’oeuvres, plus relaxing chair massages provided by Oasis Day Spa, followed by a three-course luncheon. The performance will include a live auction with bids taken for Yankee Legends Suite baseball tickets, Hamilton tickets, a seven night/eight day Uniworld European River Cruise for two including transfers and shore excursions, as well as an $11,000 eight-night Crystal Cruises Canada cruise.

What is ‘TRU Love’?In 2001, TRU created the Spirit of Theater Award to recognize members of the theater producing community who have shown exceptional generosity of spirit, helping TRU itself and also giving opportunities to up-and-coming members of the theater community, with a special focus on aspiring producers. The TRU Entrepreneur Award was created in 2010 to acknowledge and encourage self-producing artists; the intention has broadened to recognize the initiative of a range of successful producing artist members of the community. 

Theater Resources Unlimited(TRU) is the leading network for developing theater professionals, a twenty-seven year old 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created to help producers produce, emerging theater companies to function 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, goods and productions; 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 a Writer-Producer Speed Date, a Practical Playwriting Workshop, How to Write a Musical That Works and a Director-Writer Communications Lab; programs for actors include an Annual Combined Audition.