Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) proudly brings back the TRU Voices New Musicals Reading Series after a 4-year shutdown-imposed hiatus. Jamila Ponton Bragg, a Harold Prince/Theatre Leadership Project Fellowship recipient in the Columbia MFA program for theater, will present América Tropical on Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 4pm streaming online at StreamingMusicals.com. This staged reading is produced in association with Streaming Musicals and Create Theater with the generous support of the Leibowitz/Greenway Family Foundation. Reserve your ticket and receive a link for the reading on StreamingMusicals.com. 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 against 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. América Tropical is directed by Jason Aguirre with lyrics by Joel S. Bailey, music by Jan Roper, and book by Jason S. Bailey and Gina Gallego.

The performance will be followed by a renowned “Dollar and Sense” industry talkback. Participants will include Broadway producers Ken Waissman (original producer of Grease, Torch Song Triliogy, Agnes of God) and R.K. Greene (Harmony, Peter and the Starcatcher, Farinelli and the King and the upcoming musical Beau). Please consider making a donation in addition to your ticket purchase to support future TRU Voices Musical Readings.