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Embracing the Unlimited: A Celebration of Inclusion in the Arts

honoring
TRU Spirit of Theater Award recipient
theater/film producer (revivals of Hughie, The Gin Game, A Streetcar
Named Desire and Porgy & Bess, A Gentleman's Guide..., Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike) 
Ron Simons

TRU Humanitarian Award recipient
transgender activist, producer of The Musical Theatre Factor, actress ("Difficult People")
Shakina Nayfack

TRU Entrepreneur Award recipient
theater historian, programming director for Feinstein's/54Below
Jennifer Ashley Tepper

Pre-show cocktails at 6pm in the lobby,
performance and awards at 6:30 in the Bruno Walter Auditorium

Co-hosted by TV/film/theater star Joe Morton (Emmy Award for Scandal) and Tony nominated musical star Valisia LeKae (Motown)
directed by Jeff Whiting
featuring appearances by Tonya Pinkins, Alexis Field, Em Gosland, Alicia Hall Moran, Joe Iconis, Bre Jackson, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Jeff Kready, Lisa O'Hare, Sam Salmond, Julianne Wick Davis, Lauren Worsham 

Reception at 8pm in the 2nd floor exhibit hall with cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres
amid the Performing Arts Library exhibition of costumes
from Olivier and Tony Award winning musicals,
Curtain Up: Celebrating 40 Years of Theatre in London and New York.

 The Performance will include a LIVE AUCTION of tickets to Hamilton, plus an $8000 Azamara Cruise to anywhere in the world, and a $10,000 Uniworld River Cruise to any of their worldwide destinations, plus a raffle of a Royal Caribbean 5-day cruise.  Reception will also feature a Silent Auction with prizes that include tickets to Falsettos, Fiddler on the Roof and the upcoming Significant Other, Come from Away, White Rabbit Red Rabbit,  Shear Madness plus consultations, coachings and lots more to be announced.

CLICK HERE to purchase an ad in the benefit journal.

TRU SPIRIT OF THEATER AWARD
Ron Simons, theater and film producer (Hughie with Forrest Whitaker, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, The Gin Game with Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones, revivals of A Streetcar Named Desire and Porgy & Bess, Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, Turn Me Loose with Joe Morton) for expanding opportunities for African-American artists in commercial theater, and encouraging narratives that dig deeply into the under-represented communities' struggle for dignity and acceptance. 

TRU HUMANITARIAN AWARD 
Shakina Nayfack, transgender activist, actor (TV's "Difficult People") and producer, for giving the transgender community a strong, eloquent political voice, as well as for her work nurturing and developing other artistic voices through the Musical Theater Factory.

 TRU ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
Jennifer Ashley Tepper, theater historian, producer, Director of Programming at 54 Below, author of The Untold Stories of Broadway historical series (Volume 3 released the week of our benefit). For being a leading force in bringing the discussion of Broadway histories and traditions to contemporary musical theater and successfully tapping into the cultural zeitgeist.

Event Chair & Producer: Denise Gray

Honoree Benefit Committee:
Daniel Beaty, Patricia Cruz/Harlem Stage, Van Dean, Eric Falkenstein, Tom Hulce, Joe Iconis, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Michael Mayer, Joe Morton, Tonya Pinkins, Bailie Slevin, Cheryl Wiesenfeld

TRU Benefit Host Committee:
Carly Bauer, Adam Boncz, Carol Danoff, Cheryl Davis,
Dan Irwin, Wendy Leopold, Tom Polum, Cheri Wicks