TRU Hosts Community Discussion on American Theater's Future with Industry Leaders

Breaking news to your phone. US mobile only. No password required.

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

West End / UK

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

Ctrl + K to open · Esc to close

Brett Bernardini and Cody Lassen will address concerns about the state of nonprofit and off-Broadway theater.

Most Popular

Get all the top news & discounts for Industry & beyond. No password required.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is in its sixth year of non-stop weekly Community Gatherings, having led over 300 consecutive conversations about aspects of theater and the arts. The series has offered the theater community information, inspiration, and unlimited camaraderie since April 17, 2020. TRU hosts these gatherings every Friday at 5pm ET via Zoom, originally presented to explore the creation of art and theater in the time of shutdown, and now to ensure that these crucial conversations continue going forward.

Click here to receive this Friday’s Zoom link. These gatherings are a service for the theater community and are offered free for TRU members; non-members may also attend for free, but we ask that non-members help keep us running by buying a $12 ticket, making a donation or joining as a member .

In the room: Brett Bernardini, founder of Spirit of Broadway musical theater in Norwich, Connecticut, which he ran for 21 years, former executive leader at Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, The Cape Playhouse and Theater Harrisburg and currently chronicling the cultural life of rural America; and Cody Lassen , Tony-nominated commercial producer (Broadway: How I Learned To Drive, Indecent, the Deaf West Theatre revival of Spring Awakening; Off-Bway A Commercial Jingle for Regina Comet), new works developer and live events consultant. The death knell just seems to keep tolling for the American theater, though that mournful sound has filled the air on and off for at least a century. More recently, in announcing that he was stepping down as artistic director of New York's Public Theater, Oskar Eustis suggested that the current cultural environment and economic trends have ended the nonprofit American theater movement. Meanwhile in other not-so-news, the off-Broadway producing model has long been declared untenable, and the skyrocketing costs of productions and the consequential ticket pricing (and audience drop-off) looks to many like a deadly vicious circle. Brett and Cody see things differently. Hear why they think we'll make it through. Click here to register and receive the link.

Nominate your favorite local productions and performers before the deadline on October 31, 2026.

Tamar Greene and More to Star in STARCADIA Workshop Premiere

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 9/13/26 - CHICAGO Jumps in Attendance as Reece Weaver Stars

Broadway Shows with Foreign Origins: A Deep Dive Into International Productions

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Receives Historic $60 Million Donation

When are you seeing ?

Get an Alert Each Time Stephi Wild Writes

BroadwayWorld TV

Breaking Broadway news & show discounts. No password required.

Breaking alerts by text. US mobile only.

POPULAR

Sign up for announcements and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows!

© 2026 — Copyright Wisdom Digital Media , all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

Episode

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/industry/article/Theater-Resources-Unlimited-to-Host-Community-Gathering-on-American-Theaters-Future-20260921)._