Theater Resources Unlimited has returned to live monthly panels and discussions simultaneously streamed for artists outside New York City. The next Live Town Hall will take place on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 with networking at 6:30 pm and an open forum beginning at 7:00 pm ET. The event will be held at Polaris North Studio, 245 W 29th Street, 4th Floor, NYC. For more information and to register, please visit https://truonline.org/events/adding-accessibility/.

The Town Hall will be co-hosted by Carey Cox, actor (Rolling with the Punches, TV’s The Handmaid’s Tale); Jo-Ann Dean, founder and CEO of SIGNmation L.L.C. and Broadway SIGNs!; Nicholas Viselli, artistic director of Theater Breaking Through Barriers; Sundra Jean Williams, actress; Marc Winski, actor (Rolling with the Punches). Co-facilitated by Lynnie Godfrey, president of the League of Professional Theater Women, and TRU executive director Bob Ost.

TRU monthly conversations address issues of current cultural significance, with a particular focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. This month we consider an often neglected aspect of theater’s move towards greater inclusion: accessibility and accommodation for both artists and audiences with disabilities. For theater and all of the arts to truly reflect the human experience and represent our populations fully, it is important to be conscious of both the spectrum of disabilities and the limitless ability of artists.

Theater Breaking Through Barriers was founded in 1979 with an initial focus on showcasing the talent of blind artists and has expanded to include, as a matter of course, all artists regardless of physical challenges. For the rest of us, casting characters with disabilities by using actors who are similarly disabled is of course an ongoing goal, but breakout moments like Tony winning Ali Stoker in the most recent revival of Oklahoma! – as well as the Oscar win for deaf actor Tony Kotsur in CODA – suggests that physical limitation does not limit talent or the ability to shine in a wide range of roles. From ramps for wheelchairs and accessible bathrooms to the differences between open captioning and ASL for the deaf and hard of hearing community to the specific struggle of neuro-divergent artists, we will look at the steps we can take towards greater consciousness and accommodation. TRU offers this as an opportunity for everyone to learn from actual experiences and find ways to support each other while exploring initiatives that might bring us closer to genuine respect and acceptance. All attendees are welcome to participate in this conversation.

Doors open at 6:30pm for networking and roundtable introductions of everyone in the room – come prepared with your best 20-second summary of who you are, and what you need. The Open Forum will start at 7:00pm. Free for members of TRU, Polaris North and LPTW; $15 for non-members (with a $5 ticket option available to anyone who needs it). Please use the bright red reservation box here on our web page, or email or phone at least a day in advance (or much sooner): e-mail TRUStaff1@gmail.com