I started this blog with one daughter, kept it up with the other, to spend time together doing something we enjoyed.
However, things change and people evolve. My daughters are older, busier, and not as interested in writing.
From now on this blog will be mostly mom with occasional contributions from my daughters and maybe even my husband.
Nothing else will change. We'll still focus on sharing fun places to go, fun things to do, and more, and we would  still love to hear your views too

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Sunday Scoop 12/31/17 - What's Happening This Week or Coming Up Soon

Jonathan Rockefeller’s Off-Broadway Hit 
THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW
Will Extend Its Run 
At Union Square’s DR2 Theatre
Through April 2018

 The hit family show, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Showwill extend its run through April 8, 2018 due to popular demand. Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show was nominated for a Drama Desk and Off-Broadway Alliance Award and will continue to perform at Union Square’s DR2 Theatre (103 East 15 Street).  Tickets are $49.50* - $69.50* (Premium Seats) and $89.50* (VIP) and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster by calling 1-800-982-2787

A theatrical recreation of Eric Carle’s beautifully imaginative storiesThe Very Hungry Caterpillar Showfeatures a menagerie of enchanting puppets during a magical 60-minute show that faithfully adapts four of Eric Carle’s beloved books for the stage. This new edition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar includes the World Premiere of Brown Bear, Brown Bear celebrating its 50thAnniversary, 10 Little Rubber DucksThe Very Lonely Firefly and, of course,The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
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Upcoming at Merkin Concert Hall
Kaufman Music Center
129 W. 67th St.
New York, NY

Thursday January 4, 7:00 PM
Times Talk
Greta Gerwig & Saoirse Ronan

An intimate evening with this year's most buzzed about actor and director duo ("Lady Bird") - Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan, and Golden Globe-nominated screenwriter and director Greta Gerwig.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit 
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Upcoming at Broadway Workshop
Ripley Grier Studios
520 8th Ave.
16th Fl.
New York, NY

Auditions and Musical Theater Triple Threat Class

Auditions for Mainstage Productions

Over the past 10 years Broadway Workshop has produced some of the highest quality youth theatre available and has been part of the pilots of several major musicals.


2018 AUDITION DATES

Saturday, January 6

10:00am - 2:00pm
Ripley Grier Studios - 520 8th Ave., 16th Floor

Sunday, January 7

12:00pm - 4:00pm
Ripley Grier Studios - 520 8th Ave., 16th Floor 

Friday, January 12
 

4:00pm - 7:00pm
Ripley Grier Studios - 520 8th Ave., 16th Floor

Saturday, January 13

10:00am - 4:30pm
Ripley Grier Studios - 520 8th Ave., 16th Floor 

The Main Stage and Junior Main Stage is a tuition based program. There is no fee to audition. These are full scale productions, employing some of the highest level NYC theatre artists and productions take place in an Off Broadway Theatre in New York City. All rehearsals take place at Ripley Grier Studios - 520 8th Ave. Scholarships are available through Project Broadway.

For more information or to sign up for an audition for Sweet Charity visit www.broadwayworkshop.com/program/main-stage-production/.

For more information or to sign up for an audition for Into the Woods visit www.broadwayworkshop.com/program/woods.

Musical Theatre Triple Threat Workshop
6 Week Class/Sundays, Jan 7 - Feb 11

Dates: Sundays, January 7 - February 11
Ages: 9-12
Times: 10:00am - 11:45am
Location: Ripley Grier Studios - 520 Eighth Ave - 16th Floor
Tuition: $325

The Triple Threat class will focus on how to better approach material, sharpen audition & performance skills, understand direction and adjustments, make strong choices, relax and, most of all, have confidence. This class is designed to help unlock imagination and overcome inhibitions. This is an amazing class for students who are ready for the next stage of their training.

This class will be led by MICHAEL FATICA! On Broadway, Michael has played a fumbling waiter in the 2016 RTC Revival of SHE LOVES ME (The Busboy), a striking Newsboy in Disney's NEWSIES the Musical, a revolting maggot in RSC's MATILDA the Musical, and most recently as The Chubby Man in the 2017 Olivier winning Best Musical GROUNDHOG DAY.  He has toured the USA with the First National Tour of MATILDA, as well as playing the good intentioned fool Lefou in Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and a feline in CATS.

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Upcoming at Kelsey Theatre
1200 Old Trenton Rd.
West Windsor, NJ 

West Side Story

Friday January 5, 2018 to Sunday January 21, 2018

Could it be? YES it could, Something's coming, Something good. One of America's groundbreaking and most enduring musicals will jet onto the Kelsey Theatre stage. West Side Story tells the timeless love story set in the racially charged streets of 1950's presented by critically acclaimed PinnWorth Productions.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.kelseyatmcc.org
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Upcoming at Symphony Space
2537 Broadway
New York, NY

Milo the Magnificent

Using stunningly innovative puppetry, "Milo the Magnificent" is a fun and engaging show in which an aspiring magician presents a variety of tricks and experiments which don't always go as planned.

Alex & Olmsted (Alex Vernon and Sarah Olmsted Thomas) have been making puppets together since 2010, and “Milo” has won a 2017 Jim Henson Foundation Workshop Grant and a Greenbelt Community Foundation Grant. Alex is a silhouettist and automata engineer, and Sarah is a fifth-generation artist and clown. They have performed at the Kennedy Center, The Puppeteers of America Festival, The Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, LaMama NYC,  Bread and Puppet Theater, The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry in Connecticut, Bread and Puppet in Vermont and Two National Puppet Slams. Discover more about the company on their website, and view a video preview here..
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Upcoming at State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ

Sunday January 7, 3:00 PM
SCI-FI SPECTACULAR: 
MUSIC FROM "STAR WARS," "STAR TREK," & BEYON
NEW JERSEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 
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The Tada Youth Ensemble in
The Perfect Monster
Tickets on Sale Now!
Tada Youth Theater
15 W. 28th St.
New York, NY

January 19 - February 19
Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 PM & 4:00 PM
Select Fridays at 7:00 PM

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 
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PR Firm Roundup

News from BroadwayCon

BROADWAYCON INDUSTRY DAY SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

Featuring leading industry experts from Broadway, education, sports, tech, and more

STACEY MINDICH (Lead Producer, Dear Evan Hansen),
JOHN LEGUIZAMO (Actor and Playwright)
PETER AVERY (Director of Theatre, NYC Department of Education),
MIKE KRIAK (COO, Mashable),
BRISA TRINCHERO (Founder, ShooWin, Inc.),
TIM KASHANI (CEO, Apples and Oranges Studios and IT Mentors)
AND MORE

BroadwayCon is pleased to announce the BroadwayCon Industry Day schedule. BroadwayCon Industry Day is a one-day conference for theatre professionals, featuring panels and discussions exploring new and innovative ways to engage with Broadway’s biggest fans. Curated by Situation, BroadwayCon Industry Day will take place on Thursday, January 25, 2018 at the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan. For more information, please visit www.BroadwayCon.com/IndustryDay.

Who is the Broadway Fan Anyway?
Who is the Broadway fan anyway? We know our ticket buyers, but is it possible that our most passionate ambassadors may never see our shows? Who are these fans, and how do we understand the tremendous value they bring to Broadway? Deeksha Gaur (Co-Founder, Show-Score) will wrap up this session with a conversation from the front lines of fandom.

The Future of Broadway Fan Engagement
As the landscape of traditional and new media continues to evolve, engaging our fans is more difficult than ever. Mike Kriak (COO of Mashable) and Cliff Hopkins (Head of Marketing and Brand, Instagram) explores this and more – diving into a discussion of the Broadway fan relationship and how we can foster these relationships over time.

Technology & the Fan Relationship
Explore a future not so far away where Broadway creatives and producers have the opportunity to build a relationship with fans from day one. Tim Kashani and a panel of tech leaders, including VR entrepreneur Helen Situ and Yonatan Sela of the broadcast social network YouNow, delve into the possibilities that technology opens up.

Dear Evan Hansen: A Fan Favorite
Dear Evan Hansen sets an incredible example of how to cultivate deep and meaningful relationships with fans. Long before their Broadway run began, they treated their fans as important members of their show community. Lead producer Stacey Mindich sits down with Peter Marks, chief theatre critic for The Washington Post, for a conversation about fans, Dear Evan Hansen, and everything in between.

Fans & Creatives
Hearing directly from acclaimed performer John Leguizamo, this fireside chat focuses on how his relationship with his fans and his audience directly impacts his creative process and, ultimately, his performance.  

The Birth of the Fan
How are fans born? Where does fandom start and how is it nurtured? Peter Avery, Director of Theatre for the New York City Department of Education (the largest school district in the world!) shares his perspective on the 1.1 million students he sees in NYC public education each year.

Legacy: What Sports Can Teach Us
When it comes to the legacy of fandom, sports knows best. Team loyalties are handed down through generations, and it becomes a badge of honor to stick with your team through thick and thin. Brisa Trinchero (founder of sports startup ShooWin and Tony Award-winning Broadway producer) moderates a conversation with sports veterans Tom Richardson (Professor, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Sports Management Program), Cristian Nyari (Head of Media, FC Bayern Munich), and Donna Goldsmith (sports marketing consultant) on what Broadway can learn from the sports industry.

Audiences In Our Own Backyard
We turn our focus to NYC specifically and untapped audiences in our own backyard. Hear from panelists John Mathena (Senior Director, BNY Mellon Wealth Management) about our local military and veterans community and Kyle Wright (Senior Interactive Marketing & Analytics Manager, The Shubert Organization) about the rapidly growing opportunities to welcome the hearing and visually impaired to the theatre through technological advancements.


Leadership Required to Navigate Change
An enormous amount of change has been discussed throughout the day – some of this change is already in process and some of this change is just getting started. Leaders inside and outside the industry including Rachelle Pereira (Co-Founder, EQUALibrium Group) and Robyn Goodman (Tony Award-winning producer) help us understand the leadership that will be required to navigate this change.
Additional speakers to be announced at a later date.
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News from DKC

Ernest Shackleton Loves Me Now Streaming on BroadwayHD

 BroadwayHD, the global online streaming service where you can watch live theater content from the comfort of your home, is now streaming Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, winner of the 2017 Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical, starring Wade McCollum (Wicked) and GrooveLily's electro-violinist Valerie Vigoda (Striking 12).

Ernest Shackleton Loves Me is a wildly inventive musical adventure that tells the story of a sleep-deprived single mom who struggles to balance her family and career as a video game music composer. Late one night, while posting a dating video, she receives an unexpected response from the polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), one of the most iconic leaders of the 20th century. Shipwrecked and stranded on an iceberg in the Antarctic, Shackleton reaches across space and time to share his heroic journey with her. Against all odds, they discover that their greatest inspiration lies within each other.

Founded in 2015 by Tony Award® winning producers Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane, BroadwayHD is the only online streaming service of its kind, offering “Broadway Your Way” through an unprecedented in-hand theatre experience that delivers premium live productions to theatre fans globally. In addition to exclusive live streamed content of the world’s best productions, BroadwayHD offers subscribers unlimited on-demand access to a library of more than 200 theatre productions from the comfort and convenience of their own homes – or wherever streaming is possible. It’s the Broadway you know and love, curated from the stage to your screen. 

Seven high-definition cameras captured the production at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre and aired as a live stream on Wednesday, June 7, 2017.
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News from DKC/O & M

SCISSOR SISTERS’
JAKE SHEARS
AND
PENTATONIX’S
KIRSTIN MALDONADO
TO MAKE THEIR BROADWAY DEBUTS IN
KINKY BOOTS

SHEARS TO DEBUT AS “CHARLIE PRICE”
BEGINNING MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2018

MALDONADO TO DEBUT AS “LAUREN”
BEGINNING FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018

J. HARRISON GHEE RETURNS AS “LOLA”
BEGINNING MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2018

Kinky Boots producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig announced that Jake Shears, lead singer of the glam pop group Scissor Sisters, will make his Broadway debut as “Charlie Price”, succeeding Stark Sands beginning Monday, January 8, 2018. He will play for a limited run through Sunday, April 1, 2018. That same day, January 8, returning to the cast as “Lola” is J. Harrison Ghee, who succeeds Billy Porter.

The producers also announced that Grammy Award-winner Kirstin Maldonado, of the hit acapella group Pentatonix, will make her Broadway debut as “Lauren” beginning, Friday, February 2, 2018 for a limited run through Sunday, April 8, 2018.  She succeeds Delaney Westfall.   

Tony Award-winner Billy Porter and Tony Award-nominee Stark Sands are currentlyperforming in the show in the original roles they created as “Lola” and “Charlie”, respectively. They will play their final performance on Sunday, January 7, 2018. 

The performance schedule for Kinky Boots is as follows: Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday at 2pm and 8pm, Thursday at 7pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm (see KinkyBootsTheMusical.com for variations). There is a general ticket lottery each day; lottery entries will be accepted online (lottery.kinkybootsthemusical.com) beginning at the curtain time of the previous performance up to 3.5 hours prior to curtain of the desired performance, and names will be chosen at random, for a limited number of $37 tickets. See KinkyBootsTheMusical.com for details and restrictions.

For more information visit www.kinkybootsthemusical.com
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News from Karen Greco PR

What's On At the Wild Project

January 5
NEVER TALK IN COSTUME
 written and performed by Josh Lay, featuring Branson Reese, directed by Joanna Simmons and Cory Cavin
Schedule: Friday at
8pm
Tickets: $14

Josh Lay, a former collegiate and professional mascot, is breaking the cardinal rule of thecostume, and giving you a look behind the mask so he can finally move on with his life.


January 6
DOUBLE HEADER: 'cuz Two is Better! with Samantha Fontana & Jill Pangallo
Produced by The Wild Project
Schedule: Saturday at 8:30 pm
Tickets: $10
 
One night only! Downtown performers/stand-up comedians Samantha Fontana and Jill Pangallo present:DOUBLE HEADER: 'cuz Two is Better!  Two gals, one night… of stand up comedy! Two half-hour sets, back to back! Get yourself to The Wild Project on January 6th for some inspired stand-up without a darn drink minimum!
 
January 7
ESSEX by David Commander's Modern Toy Theater with HAPPY TO SEE YOU by Cara Francis
Produced by The Wild Project
Schedule: Sunday at 8 pm
Tickets: $15

In this modern toy theater piece, Commander draws a parallel between the 1819 sinking of the whaling-ship ESSEX by a spermwhale, and the dangerous backlash of overtaxing the Earth’s resources. Changing weather patterns, drought, famine and pollution whisper a promise to make us castaways set adrift in the only vessel we have.

Cara Francis’ HAPPY TO SEE YOU examines the complex relationships humans develop with online spaces and the artificial intelligence systems we engage with every day.
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News from Michelle Tabnick PR



Joanna Carpenter and Town Stages present

an evening titled A First View
featuring a new untitled short film about sexual harassment
produced and directed by Joanna Carpenter 
followed by Q&A
at Town Stages, 221 West Broadway, NYC
January 4, 2018 at 7pm

In an evening titled A First View, Joanna Carpenter and Town Stages present an untitled raw, unfiltered film aimed at furthering the discussion around harassment and assault in today's climate, on Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 7pm at Town Stages221 West Broadway, NYC. Tickets are $20 and are available at http://townstages.com/box-office/.

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PAUSE/PLAY
Saturday Afternoons at the 14th Street Y
Presented by Downtown Jewish Life




Family Fit Day
January 6, 2018 from 2-6PM

Downtown Jewish Life and the 14th Street Y present PAUSE/PLAY, an innovative Saturday afternoon of Shabbat programming at the 14th Street Y,344 E. 14th Street, NYC.

PAUSE/PLAY invites attendees to hit the pause button in their busy lives and experience all that the Downtown Community has to offer. All are welcome in the community, Jewish or not, to join for a day of relaxation and renewal. From family yoga and story time to whiskey tastings and open swim,PAUSE/PLAY events feature activities for the whole family. PAUSE/PLAY will also feature a Community Passport that families can decorate each month and bring to each event for access to monthly raffles for deals to 14Y programs and other great prizes.

Family Fit Day
January 6, 2018 2-6PM
Jump in to our Family Fit Day! Everyone's favorite bounce house and rock wall will be set up all afternoon in the Gym, with Family Swim and yoga for all ages downstairs. Funkytown Playground will have us moving to the music, while other games and crafts will keep going all afternoon. The day will end with a Disco Dance Party - the grooviest way to burn off those holiday calories!

Highlights of the rest of the PAUSE/PLAY season:
  • February will feature family Zumba, PJ Play! with WonderSparks, and partnerships with local synagogues like Town & Village. 
  • March will have a Spring Carnival and one last PJ Play! with WonderSparks.
  • Each month, you can spend time with local rabbi's at "Rabbi's on the Rocks" and this year, we are partnering with the In[heir]itance Project to  engage in community art projects and workshops in preparation for a festival of plays (inspired by the book of Genesis) coming to the theater in May. 
  • This year, PAUSE/PLAY is having a "Community Passport" that families can decorate each month and bring to each event. The more it is filled out, families can enter into monthly raffles for deals to 14Y programs or other great community prizes.
PAUSE/PLAY is open to all ages in this diverse downtown community.
Y Members: Free; Non-Members Advance Tickets: Children ($5), Adults ($10), Family Ticket (Up to 5 members $35); Day of Tickets: Children ($10), Adults ($15), Family Ticket (Up to 5 members $45).
PAUSE/PLAY is free for 14th Street Y members, but reservations are recommended. To become a member of the 14th Street Y, visithttp://www.14streety.org/



The PAUSE/PLAY season continues with:

Tu B'shvat (Going Green)
February 3, 2018 2-6PM
Celebrate the "Birthday for Trees" with the 14Y! Together we will grow our understanding and awareness of the world around us through art, games, PJ Play! and other fun activities. There will be wine tasting for adults and endless activities for the kids! 

Spring Carnival
March 17, 2018 2-6PM
Our PAUSE/PLAY season wraps up with our fantastic Spring Carnival! We'll have balloons, face-painting, tasty treats, and all your favorite activities including PJ Play! and family fitness classes,

Full Season Tickets and detailed information on shows available at: www.14streety.org/tickets

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Works & Process at the Guggenheim
presents
The New Group: Jerry Springer-The Opera
Works & Process at the Guggenheim presents The New Group: Jerry Springer-The Opera on Monday, January 8, 2018 at 7:30pm.

Prior to the Off-Broadway premiere of Jerry Springer-The Opera, co-creatorRichard Thomas (Music, Book, Lyrics; Book & Additional Lyrics by Stewart Lee) and director John Rando discuss the process behind this gleefully profane musical that outrageously celebrates the ritual of public humiliation and redemption. Cast members perform highlights, illuminating the chaos and unrestrained id of our times. 
TICKETS & VENUE
$45, $40 Guggenheim Members and Friends of Works & Process
Box Office (212) 423-3575 or worksandprocess.org
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Rotunda

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Theater Resources Unlimited
present new episodes of TRUpods:
"Women Producers: What They Uniquely Bring to the Table,"
"Understanding Off-Broadway: Defining and Achieving Success" and "Beyond Broadway: A Broader Perspective on 
Developing New Musicals"

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) releases their latest podcasts through TRUpods: October's panel  "Women Producers: What They Uniquely Bring to the Table;" November's "Understanding Off-Broadway: Defining and Achieving Success;" and December's "Beyond Broadway: A Broader Perspective on Developing New Musicals." TRUpods also hosts a selection of the last two years of TRU panels and selected workshops, including modules from three popular Producer Boot Camps: "Recognizing Commercial Potential," "Weekend Intensive for Showcase Producing" and "Essentials of Self-Producing." Podcasts are free for members of TRU, $10 per podcast for non-members. Memberships can be purchased online at https://truonline.org/membership for $95/year for individual membership, $130/year for a group or company. Podcasts are available at https://truonline.org/pay-per-view


WOMEN PRODUCERS: WHAT THEY UNIQUELY BRING TO THE TABLE
The October podcast asks: Is theater a welcoming environment for women producers? Has that changed over the years? Do women producers offer a different esthetic from their male counterparts? Moderated by TRU Vice President and Co-Founder Cheryl Davis. Presented in association with Women in the Arts & Media Coalition. Speakers include Pat Addiss, producer (Desperate MeasuresGigi, TONY Award for Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike and Spring AwakeningA Christmas Story, The Fantasticks off-Broadway); Sue Frost, founding partner at Junkyard Dog Productions (Come From Away, TONY Award-winning MemphisFirst Date); Baayork Lee, co-founder & executive artistic director and Nina Zoie Lam, co-founder & advisory board member of National Asian Arts Project; Kristin Marting, executive director of HERE Arts Center; Lorca Peress, artistic director of MultiStages; and Cheryl Wiesenfeld, 4-time Tony winning producer (Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, All the Way, Porgy & Bess, Elaine Stritch: At Liberty; plus A Steady Rain, Play Dead, The Exonerated, In the Continuum).
UNDERSTANDING OFF-BROADWAY: DEFINING AND ACHIEVING SUCCESS
The November podcast asks: Are there still ways to make use of this essential component of our theater culture? Can it provide a useful step in a development plan for new works, and a fertile ground for creating important works of theater? And who is the off-Broadway audience? Featuring Peter Breger, entertainment attorney and chairman of the Off-Broadway Alliance; Charlotte Cohn, actress/writer/producer (Church and StateHandle with Care, Rated P for Parenthood); Jack Cummings III, founding artistic director of the Obie Award winning Transport Group (Strange InterludeInge in Rep, Lysistrata Jones, Once Upon a Mattress, The Audience, Normal); William Franzblau, producer (Sistas, This One's for the Girls, Evil Dead the musical, ILuminate, Jewtopia); Ed Gaynes, owner/manager of St. Luke's Thatre and The Actors Temple; and Meredith Lucio, producer (Tony award winning Porgy and Bess, Rooms: a rock romance, The 39 Steps, Bedlam Theatre's St. Joan/Hamlet; upcoming: Absolutely Filthy).

BEYOND BROADWAY: A BROADER PERSPECTIVE ON DEVELOPING NEW MUSICALS
The December podcast asks: Is there something to be gained from developing new works beyond the commercial pressure of Broadway? Where do the most innovative and unconventional works come from? What are some of the other viable markets worth pursuing for new works? Are there any current trends? How do audiences differ outside of New York? Featuring Ken Cerniglia, Dramaturg and Literary Manager, Disney Theatrical Group; Jason Cocovinis, Director of Marketing, Music Theatre International (MTI), one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theaters from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond; Michael Colby, librettist/lyricist (Drama Desk nominee for Charlotte Sweet, Tales of TinseltownMeester Amerika in the TRU Voices series, upcoming Dangerous), founding member of the Stuart Ostrow Foundation/St. Clement's Musical Theatre Lab; and Betsy King Militello, executive director National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), whose 160 organizational members and 40 individual members, located throughout 31 states and abroad, are some of the leading producers of musical theatre in the world.

For more information about TRU membership and programs, visit www.truonline.org or call 212 714-7628.
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And that's the scoop. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.

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