TRU Voices New Musicals Reading Series December 5, 2011

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces the 2011 TRU Voices New Musicals Reading Series. Oklahomo by Jesse Gage, produced by Reed Ridgley (former general manager of the Vineyard Theatre); Famous by Yvonne Adrian, Cheryl Stern and Tom Kochan, produced by Jamibeth Margolis and Chris Massimine (marketing director, The Flea; Board, Origin Theatre) in association with Cate Cammarata; and Through the Door by Judy Freed and Laurence Mark Wythe, produced by Kenny Howard of the Broadway Consortium (currently a producer of Bonnie & Clyde, Ching•lish and the upcoming Evita), featuring Tony Award-nominated actress Kerry Butler. The selected musicals will be read on Mondays, December 5, 12, and 19 at 7pm at The Roy Arias Theatre, 300 W. 43rd Street, 5th Floor, Studio 500, NYC. Admission is FREE but reservations are required: email [email protected] or call 212-714-7628.
Each reading will be followed by a reception and a "Dollars and Sense" panel with top industry professionals – commercial producers, general managers and artistic directors - who will discuss the further development of the show that is read. “Not only do we introduce audiences to new works, we also offer them an insider’s look at the producing process,” says TRU president Bob Ost.

December 5, 2011 at 7pm - Oklahomo by Jesse Gage. Directed by Mark Robinson. Musical Direction by Doug Oberhamer. Presented by Reed Ridgley.

Oklahomo is a rocking musical about Dave and Gary, two oversized men in undersized spandex fighting for their right to love and live. It is a timeless underdog tale that tackles issues of gay rights and discrimination, and also has crotch blasting love rays, singing vaginas, a Jesus look-a-like and Rupaul. With its outrageous and hilarious book, and one of the most refreshing scores in ages, Oklahomo is sure to please as many as it offends.

December 12, 2011 at 7pm - Famous by Yvonne Adrian (Book), Cheryl Stern (Lyrics) and Tom Kochan (Music). Directed by Christine O’Grady (Associate Director/Choreographer for the Tony Award-winning revival of Hair and its First National Tour, SCD Observing Director on Legally Blonde). Musical Direction by Seth Weinstein. Presented by Jamibeth Margolis and Chris Massimine, in association with Cate Cammarata.

Famous tells the story of Lila and Teresa, two 1940s runaways together hoping to transcend their unhappy family lives for solace and fortune in Hollywood’s limelight. Immersed in a shady world run by a crooked LAPD, despotic movie moguls, and untouchable politicians puppeteering every move leading one of the girls to fame and leaving the other girl with a crimson smile, this original musical merges a contemporary score with the film noir world to create a unique look at friendship, love, ambition and the corruption of innocent dreams.
Together, the writers have collaborated on four musicals prior to Famous. The team received a Jonathan Larson Award for Nor'mal: a family musical, produced by Transport Group with direction by Jack Cummings III and starring Barbara Walsh. Nor’mal: was developed through the New Group, The Lark and TRU and is now being performed in schools and universities through the U.S. (www.normal-musical.com). The Gene Game was commissioned by Ensemble Studio Theatre and won the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Grant. The team contributed songs for Transport Group’s hit musical The Audience (directed by Jack Cummings III), which received a Drama Desk Nomination for best musical.

In addition, Yvonne Adrian has won the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop Harrington Award, been performed in the Ensemble Studio Theatre Marathon, and published by Smith & Kraus. Cheryl Stern is a Broadway veteran actress who recently appeared in the 2010 Tony Award Winning revival of La Cage Aux Folles with Kelsey Grammer. www.cherylstern.com Tom Kochan has written music for two plays with Arthur Miller (at Roundabout and Williamstown), five CD's with James Galway (on RCA Records), three NYC productions with filmmaker Mike Leigh (for New Group) and Dave Eigenberg's movie Fish. He is the proud recipient of an Emmy Award for his work on As The World Turns. www.tomkochanmusic.com

December 19, 2011 at 7pm - Through the Door by Judy Freed (Book) and Laurence Mark Wythe (Music and Lyrics). Directed by David Lee (Vroom, Gem! The Truly Outrageous Musical, former Associate Director of New Play Development at Orlando Shakespeare Theatre). Musical direction by Stuart McMeans. Presented by Kenny Howard.

Charlotte and Lenny love each other. But lately it seems like their lives have been on different paths. He’s working like crazy, while she’s at home looking for a job and feeling like a failure. Then one day a mysterious portal opens in the kitchen pantry, bringing Charlotte face-to-face with Jean-Pierre, 17th-century French prince who thinks she’s pretty hot.

The writers, one in Chicago and one in England, wrote this entire musical via Skype and email, and subsequent development took place in England. This will be the first time Through the Door will be presented in the United States.
Chicago-based playwright Judy Freed has seen her work performed in London, New York and Chicago; on the West Coast; and throughout the Midwest. Musicals include Sleepy Hollow (developed at the ASCAP/Disney Musical Theater Workshop), Emma & Company (named a Back Stage Theatrical Highlight of 2001), Somebody Else’s Troubles (featuring the songs of Grammy winner Steve Goodman) and Mom! The Musical (presented in the 2008 TRU Voices New Musicals Series under the title So Happy I Could Scream!).
Laurence Mark Wythe is the London based composer & lyricist of the 2011 Off-Broadway musical Tomorrow Morning which was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Musical, an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best New Musical and a BestofOffBroadway.com Tina Award for Best Musical. In 2009 the show won a Jeff Award for Best Musical in Chicago. Through the Door has been seen in the West End in London at the Trafalgar Studios in 2009. His family musical The Lost Christmas is playing in London over Christmas 2011. www.laurencemarkwythe.com

Official Website: http://www.truonline.org