Theater Resources Unlimited in partnership with Streaming Musicals announces the 2025 TRU Voices New Musicals Reading Series Winner América Tropical will be available On Demand, premiering Sunday, May 4, 2025 at 3PM ET. “Think of it as a pre-Cinco de Mayo celebration, filled with Mexican-inspired music, rhythm and a rich cultural heritage,” says TRU executive director Bob Ost. The initial performance will include the video of the “dollars and sense” talkback with six Broadway and indie producers offering insights into the future development of this wonderful and timely show. After the 3pm viewing party, the online presentation will become available for a limited time – only 4 days, from May 4 at 6pm until May 8 at 6pm. To reserve a ticket for the premiere, visit https://truonline.org/events/america-tropical-on-demand/.

América Tropical is produced by Prince fellowship recipient Jamila Ponton Bragg, directed by Jason Aguirre with book by Joel S. Bailey and Gina Gallego, lyrics by Joel S. Bailey, music by Jan Roper. The cast features Monika Peña, Angel J. Sigala, April Ortiz, Carlos Encinias, Devin Anthony Cortez, Frank Zagottis, Caye Navarrete, Ashley Adler, Taylor Joseph Rivera, Catherine Fries Vaughn, with stage directions read by Howard Hoffman.

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.

At the premiere on May 4th, the performance will be followed by TRU’s renowned “Dollars and Sense” industry talkback and can be accessed for the 4 days of On Demand as an add-on bonus purchase. The talkback features 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 & new works developer, from fringe festivals to Broadway (recent: 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 based on Josephine Baker).

ALL PURCHASES WILL BE CONSIDERED DONATIONS TO THEATER RESOURCES UNLIMITED, A 501C3 NOT FOR PROFIT. Your donation will be earmarked for the future development of other promising new musicals.

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 about the arts and monthly Town Halls about current social issues; 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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