On Sunday, February 8, Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) celebrated its second live gala since 2019, the 2026 TRU Love Benefit: CHANGING HEARTS…the power of theater. The gala honored theater legend Tonya Pinkins with the TRU Humanitarian Award for being an uncompromising advocate for change, using her art, heart, and talent in a lifetime pursuit of equality and acceptance for all. Producers Bonnie Comley and Stewart Lane of BroadwayHD were honored with the TRU Spirit of Theater Award for their dedication to community, their visionary work creating BroadwayHD, and the platform’s unwavering commitment to expanding across the transformative power of live theater. TRU also honored the memory of Advisory Board member, prolific Broadway and London producer, and friend Jack W. Batman.

The Online Auction remains open until Sunday, February 15, 2026. Auction items and bidding are available https://new.biddingowl.com/2026TRULoveAuction.

TRU is excited to be able to offer some pretty amazing opportunities! Show tickets to Broadway shows such as The Outsiders, Buena Vista Social Club, Operation Mincemeat, and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Off-Broadway shows and events gift cards, actor and artist services, and several physical items such as a signed Randy Rainbow poster and an unframed painting made by TRU honoree Tonya Pinkins.

If you’re still looking for that perfect Valentine’s gift or date idea, this is a great way to find what you are looking for and support TRU and theater and the arts at the same time.

Select List of Auction Items

Broadway: The Outsiders, Operation Mincemeat, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), Buena Vista Social Club

Off-Broadway/Regional Shows: Saw the Musical, Openings in Chicago and Dallas, and 4 year celebration opening in Philadelphia

That’s Love! The Dorothy Dandridge Musical at The Axelrod Performing Arts Center in New Jersey

Monte Cristo at The York Theatre

Pen Pals at DR2 Theatre

DATA at Lucille Lortel Theatre

The Drew Barrymore Show

The Socially Relevant Film Fest

Special Events/Dinners: Museum of Broadway, Tony’s Di Napoli, Serafina, Butter

Gifts: Original painting by Tonya Pinkins, Autographed Randy Rainbow poster, Yankees memorabilia seatback

And a good deal of creative, artistic and industry related services as well as health and wellness services.

The Benefit cast included an intersection of Broadway veterans and newcomers: Tina Fabrique* (Broadway: Ragtime, Glass Menagerie; TV: Blue Bloods, New Amsterdam, Reading Rainbow); Wendy Waring* (original Broadway cast of Follies); Jeff Williams* (National Tour cast of Follies); Brandi Chavonne Massey* (Broadway: Wicked, National Tour: The Color Purple); and a TRU-created, special ensemble group, the TRU Tones – Christopher Michaels* (National Tour of Blippi: The Wonderful World), Jaidyn Richardson (AMDA) and Renee Ross. Plus special appearances by Tony nominated Veanne Cox* and Robert Cuccioli* and TV, film and theater favorite Laila Robins.

*AEA (Actor’s Equity Association)

The Honoree Benefit Committee included Tony winner Chuck Cooper; Tony nominee and TV regular Veanne Cox; Tony nominee Robert Cuccioli; casting director and producer Mellicent Dyane; 4-time Tony nominee Gregg Edelman; legendary singer Nona Hendryx (of LaBelle); Tony winner Cady Huffman; Pulitzer Prize winning playwright-composer-lyricist Michael R. Jackson; actor, author and director Erik Liberman; theater and film star Mandi Masden; poet Harry Newman; theater, TV and film actor Jake O’Flaherty; theater and TV favorite Laila Robins; veteran actor, writer, director and producer Juney Smith; theater, film and TV actress and author Kim Sykes, Elly Tatum and 4-time Tony winning producer Cheryl Wiesenfeld.

The Benefit Producing Committee chaired by Cheryl L. Davis included producers Bob Ost, Janel C. Scarborough, and Sharon Weiss, along with committee members Jay Chacon, Merrie L. Davis, Ginny Hack, Rob Hofmann, June Ospa, Aisling Riley, Stephanie Schwartz, and Sandy Silverberg.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is the leading network for developing theater professionals, a thirty-one-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; 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, 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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