Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) presents their popular Writer-Producer Speed Date on Sunday, March 4, 2018. In deference to Oscar night, the event will start one hour earlier than usual: from 4:30pm - 8:00pm at NOLA Rehearsal Studio, 244 W 54th St., 11th floor. Application is free, and you must apply prior to purchasing your spot, on sale February 24, 2018. If accepted, there is a participation fee of $70 for TRU Members ($85 for non-members, $25 for each collaborator), and your pitch slot can be purchased at https://truonline.org/events/speed-date-03-04-18/.
Learning to pitch effectively is crucial to a writer's career. You meet a producer at a party, and have two minutes to interest him in your work. Do you have the skill to sell yourself? This is a chance to practice pitching with real producers who are open to and looking for new work. They probably won't option your work on the spot, but there will be the opportunity to meet them and start a relationship. And that's what this business is all about. Relationships.
Application is available at http://truonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/WriterSpeedDateApp-85-70.doc. Please fill out and email to TRUStaff1@gmail.com (PLEASE - put "Speed Date" in the file name). There will be eleven producers lined up, from both the commercial and not-for-profit worlds, all with an interest in new projects; there may also be eleven aspiring producers from our Producer Development program. Confirmed Producers include:
• Luis Reyes Cardenas & Sarah Rosenberg, co-founder/co-artistic director, Open Hydrant Theater Company
• Rashad Chambers - producer (It Happened in Key West, Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting, the world premiere of The Erlkings)
• Jane Dubin - producer (Tony winning The Norman Conquests, Farinelli and the King, Bandstand, Peter and the Starcatcher, An American in Paris, Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey, The 39 Steps, Ann)
• Gene Fisch, producer (High with Kathleen Turner), founder of the New York New Works Theater Festival
• William Franzblau, producer (upcoming Rocktopia, TONY Nominated Best Play Say Goodnight Gracie, American Buffalo and Wonderland on Broadway, the tour of Little House on the Prairie the Musical; off-Broadway This One's for the Girls, Sistas, Jewtopia, Evil Dead the Musical, Illuminate)
• Alexa Kelly, artistic director Pulse Ensemble Theatre
• John Melo, theater and film producer (On the Town)
• Shaun Peknic (artistic director) & Vinny Eden Ortega, (asst. artistic director) Planet Connections Festivity
• Lawrence D. Poster/Asparagus Entertainment - producer (Rags, Forbidden Broadway Comes Out Swinging, Fingers and Toes)
• Frank Zuback - producer (Taking Leave, American Soldier, Roof of the World)
• 1 more TBD
Come with a willingness to learn, because the real value is the chance to practice your pitching, and get invaluable coaching from experts. Wine and snacks to follow.
