The 24 Hour Plays

The 24 Hour Musicals, January 21st - click here for tix!

2007-12-19T14:09:00.000-05:00

Here's the link for tickets to The 24 Hour Musicals:
www.exchangenyc.org/24

What are The 24 Hour Musicals, you ask?

read our press release below!

Press Contact for THE 24 HOUR PLAYS: Brett Oberman, Keith Sherman & Associates, (212) 764-7900 / brett@ksa-pr..com

The 24 Hour Company and the Exchange

PRESENT THE 1ST ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF

THE 24 HOUR MUSICALS

ONE-NIGHT-ONLY BENEFIT FOR THE ORCHARD PROJECT AND THE EXCHANGE

MONDAY, JANUARY 21st AT JOE’S PUB

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS INCLUDE

Celia Keenan Bolger Kerry Butler Victoria Clark Gavin Creel

Cheyenne Jackson Moises Kaufman Nellie McKay

Denis O'Hare Mo Rocca Claudia Shear Ted Sperling

Tracie Thoms Rita Wilson David Yazbeck

On January 21st, 2008, The 24 Hour Company will team with the Exchange to produce The 24 Hour Musicals. Presented in association with New York magazine and Joe’s Pub, four brand new musicals will be written, cast, rehearsed and performed at Joe’s Pub in a single day, featuring with an all-new all-star line up of Broadway performers, great composers, writers, directors, choreographers and musical directors. Led by creative director Ted Sperling (musical director of Light in the Piazza, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and South Pacific and director of the Public’s See What I Wanna See and Striking 12), the participants will be a who’s who of American musical theatre, all working under one roof in the smallest amount of time.

Featuring Celia Keenan Bolger (TONY nominee, SPELLING BEE, LES MIS), Kerry Butler (XANADU, HAIRSPRAY, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS), Victoria Clark (TONY winner, LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA), Gavin Creel (TONY nominee, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE), Cheyenne Jackson (ALL SHOOK UP, XANADU), Moises Kaufman (LARAMIE PROJECT, I AM MY OWN WIFE), Nellie McKay (singer/songwriter, THREE PENNY OPERA), Denis O'Hare (TONY winner, TAKE ME OUT), Mo Rocca (SPELLING BEE, NPR, DAILY SHOW), Claudia Shear (TONY nominee, DIRTY BLONDE), Ted Sperling (TONY winner, LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, STRIKING 12, SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE), Tracie Thoms (RENT - THE MOVIE, COLD CASE), Rita Wilson (CHICAGO, SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, RUNAWAY BRIDE), David Yazbeck (composer, FULL MONTY, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS)

The creative process for THE 24 HOUR MUSICALS will begin at 10PM on Sunday, January 20th – the night before the show – when a group of four writer-composer-lyricist teams, four directors, 16 performers, and a production staff gather at Joe’s Pub. After casts and crews have been briefed, each writer is tasked with composing a 15-minute play by 7 AM the following morning, when the directors return to read and select their piece. The casts will meet for the first time at 8 AM and, over the next 12 hours, the plays are rehearsed and produced for a live presentation. At 8:00 PM, ink barely dry, the six new plays – interspersed with six musical acts – will be performed for a live audience.

Proceeds from The 24 Hour Musicals benefit the Exchange, a NYC not-for-profit that develops new theatre work through productions and its development center for innovative theatre companies and artists in the Catskills, the Orchard Project.

The exclusive print media sponsor for The 24 Hour Musicals is New York Magazine.

The 24 Hour Musicals is presented in association with Joe’s Pub.

To enquire about tickets and tables to this event, visit http://www.24hourplays.com/ or contact the 646-502-7453.

About THE 24 HOUR COMPANY
Founded by the creator of The 24 Hour Plays, The 24 Hour Company is a group of artists and producers that has mounted over 300 short plays since 1995 --all written, cast, rehearsed and performed in a single day. Paper Magazine wrote “the quality of the plays is remarkable,” and the Village Voice adds, “Here was the energy missing from the Ludlow scene... theatricality as life, as subversion, even survival.” The rotating cast and crew of The 24 Hour Plays have performed for sold-out houses at the American Airlines Theater, The Old Vic, Atlantic Theater, Minetta Lane Theater, 45 Bleecker Theater, the NY International Fringe Festival and other downtown venues in New York, as well as in Chicago, Los Angeles and London. Participants have included diverse talents from all levels— from Tony, Oscar and Pulitzer Prize winners to emerging talent and high school students. For more information, visit http://www.24hourplays.com/.

About the EXCHANGE
The Exchange reinterprets classic texts and supports development in order to create the classics of the future. Unlike other theatre companies, the Exchange supports the work of a number of other artists and companies through its renowned Orchard Project retreat in upstate New York (www.orchardproject.com) and with initiatives such as the Kesselring Fellowship, a writing award it presents in partnership with the National Arts Club.

Listings information for THE 24 HOUR MUSICALS

THE 24 HOUR MUSICALS on Monday, January 21st at Joe’s Pub (425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003). Cocktails and dinner at 6pm, performance at 7pm. This year’s participating artists include Denis O’Hare, Victoria Clark, Tracie Thoms, Cheyenne Jackson, and Rita Wilson. (All participating artists are subject to change.) Via Subway, take the 6 to Astor Place, or the N/R/W to 8th Street/Broadway. Tickets are available at visit http://www.24hourplays.com/, or (646) 502-7453.

Why blog when The New York Times does it for you?

2007-10-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway? Here ya go:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/24-hour-plays/

Oops - jumped the gun there...

2007-09-10T17:12:00.000-04:00

Apparently, our pals at Playbill.com copied the info about the October 22 show and posted it on their site (which gets a few more hits than ours!!). And tickets aren't even officially on sale yet. So I'm sorry to everyone who tried to get tickets! We'll let you know soon...

The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway: October 22, 2007

2007-08-31T13:18:00.000-04:00

Yes, folks, it's that time of year. We're gearing up for another star-studded extravaganza, in the lovely American Airlines Theater. This time out, we'll welcome some first-timers to the fold, including Edie Falco, Jeremy Sisto and Kerry Washington. They'll be joining a crack squad of alumni (see below) to create a staggeringly overqualified talent pool. Tickets are available at www.smarttix.com - get 'em now (last year we sold out a month in advance...)!

The 24 Hour Plays On Broadway
Monday, October 22, 2007

24 celebrities risk their sanity and their reputations in 6 short plays, written and rehearsed in a single day!

Length: 2 hrs 00 min
Intermission: Yes
Seating: Assigned by SmartTix
Seat are assigned by SmartTix based up best availablity at the completion of your order.

Montblanc proudly announces the 7th annual performance of The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway. Six brand new plays will be written, cast, rehearsed and performed at the American Airlines Theatre in a single day, featuring an all-new all-star line up of 24 performers, six writers, six directors and one musical guest. This year's performers will include renowned theatre and film luminaries: Elizabeth Berkley, David Cross, Billy Crudup, Michael Ealy, Edie Falco, Mariska Hargitay, Anthony Mackie, Julianna Margulies, Matthew Lillard, Rosie Perez and Kerry Washington

Proceeds from The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway benefit Working Playground, a not for profit cultural organization, that uses the arts to educate, inspire, and enrich the lives of youth in over 40 underserved New York City Schools. Through a dynamic range of dance performance, documentary and film, music, poetry, theatre and visual arts programs, Working Playground empowers youth to develop the creative and analytic impulses that will serve then as students, professionals and citizens. www.workingplayground.org.

For over 100 years, Montblanc has embraced the traditions of lasting value and exquisite craftsmanship. The company's uncompromising principles of design, style, quality and workmanship have allowed them to create heirloom collections that are passed from generation to generation. The iconic Montblanc Star is a symbol of excellence - the pinnacle of luxury writing instruments, timepieces, jewelry and leather - and the brand has made an enduring commitment to encourage excellence through cultural advancement. This year, Montblanc pays tribute to Hollywood's legendary femme fatale, Marlene Dietrich, whose seductive gaze and incomparable voice made her a luminary of the golden age of film. Montblanc is pleased to partner with the 24 Hour Company and Working Playground, Inc. to bring arts and culture to the city's youth.

The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices - New York

2007-06-07T12:26:00.000-04:00

The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices offers emerging talent an extraordinary chance to test their skills in the ultimate theatrical challenge: The 24 Hour Plays. Since 2005, the program has brought together young professionals in London to perform on the legendary Old Vic stage. In 2007, The 24 Hour Company and the The Old Vic have teamed up once more to bring the concept to New York .

For the US debut, the final team of 40 writers, directors, producers and actors, aged 18-25, will have the unique opportunity to create six original plays for The Atlantic Theater stage, and perform them live after just one day's preparation.

To prepare for the daunting challenge ahead, the group will attend a series of workshops and panel discussions with established industry professionals, including The Old Vic Artistic Director Kevin Spacey, actors Hugh Dancy, Claire Danes, Rachel Dratch, Jonathan Groff, and Aasif Mandvi, and playwrights Warren Leight and Lucy Thurber. The sessions focus on skills crucial for the success of the event, including writing under pressure, vocal projection, speed-learning lines and building confidence and trust.

On July 2 at 8pm, the new company will have a chance to display their many talents on the Atlantic Theater mainstage.

for more information email tina@24hourplays.com.

24 Alum Alan Tudyk ("Prelude to a Kiss") sends his love...

2007-04-06T12:29:00.000-04:00

Hi, all. As most of you know (or have figured out), we've been on hiatus since the ginormous 10th Anniversary Season wrapped up in October. But big announcements are coming soon. The 24 Hour Plays will be better, stronger, faster. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, that sound you hear is a lil' thing Kurt found: Famous cool person and alumnus of multiple 24's, Alan Tudyk, talking about "The 24 Hour Plays" in his interview on "The next big hit: Broadway Bullet".

It's in the first 15 mins or so of the podcast, just press play on the little thingy below.

------------------
"BB: Now I know two years, in 2004 and 2005, you participated in The 24 Hour Play[s].
ALAN: Yeah.
BB: And you missed it last year, are you planning on doing it again? And tell us a little bit more about that.
ALAN: I'm fairly sure I'm going to do the 24 hour plays until I do one I hate. Isn't that awful? It's scary, it's so scary because you don't know what you're going to do, you don't know what you're going to do at all..."

Thanks for an amazing autumn season!

2006-11-11T15:30:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who made these past few months so memorable.

Please visit http://www.workingplayground.org - Working Playground's online auction closes soon!

The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway

2006-10-20T00:07:00.000-04:00

In our heads, we're already singing "Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go"...but in reality, we've all got a whole weekend to work through before welcoming everyone to the American Airlines Theatre for this, our 6th annual benefit for Working Playground, Inc.

As promised, here's the updated lineup: Performers Jennifer Aniston, Elizabeth Berkley, Erika Christensen, David Cross, Mos Def, Matt Dillon, Rachel Dratch, Michael Ealy, Edie Falco, Gaby Hoffman, Matthew Lillard, Julianna Margulies, Jesse L. Martin, Anna Paquin, Rosie Perez, Sam Rockwell, Paul Rudd, Liev Schreiber, Pablo Schreiber, Wallace Shawn, Fisher Stevens, David Strathairn, Catherine Tate, Nia Vardalos, and Lynn Whitfield will be directed by Miguel Arteta, Andrew McCarthy, Maria Mileaf, Bennett Miller, Ian Morgan and Josie Rourke in works by Adam Bock, Julia Cho, Tina Howe, David Ives, Terrence McNally, and Adam Rapp. This list, as always, is subject to change.

The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway will be performed on Monday, October 23rd at 8pm at the American Airlines Theatre, 227 West 42nd Street. The event is sold out.

Names and Dates and Times

2006-10-16T23:42:00.000-04:00

Helpful information for ticket holders:

The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway will be held at 8pm on October 23rd at the American Airlines Theatre, 227 West 42nd Street.

The event will benefit Working Playground, Inc. (www.workingplayground.org)

The 24 Hour Plays SELLS OUT!

2006-10-15T19:28:00.000-04:00

It's true, friends. After 10 years, we've just decided it's time...

Nah. We wouldn't do that to you. But we did SELL OUT OUR BROADWAY SHOW! This is great news for us, and really great news for the event's beneficiary, Working Playground.

Our illustrious talent line-up includes actors Jennifer Aniston, Elizabeth Berkley, Erika Christensen (TV's 6 Degrees), David Cross, Rachel Dratch, Michael Ealy, Gabrielle Hoffman, Matthew Lillard, Anthony Mackie, Julianna Margulies, Rosie Perez, Sam Rockwell, Liev Schreiber, Pablo Schreiber, Wallace Shawn, Fisher Stevens and Catherine Tate (The Catherine Tate Show, Doctor Who), and Nia Vardalos, with directors Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl), Andrew McCarthy, Ian Morgan (The New Group), Josie Rourke and Indhu Rubasingham and writers including Adam Bock, David Ives and Adam Rapp.

Stay tuned for further updates. We'll let you know if any tickets open up, and who gets added to the line-up.
Reporting live from the hub of all things 2-4 (that would be Tina's dining room table), this is Sarah Bisman, intrepid 24 Hour Producer.

October Gala alert: The 24 Hour Plays in London and On Broadway

2006-09-21T19:01:00.000-04:00

Yes, folks, the rumors are true. We are indeed celebrating transatlantic-style with back to back celebrity gala benefit shows.
We kick off the season with our friends at the Old Vic on Sunday, October 8th. Hosted by the award-winning actress and comedienne Catherine Tate, and introduced by Old Vic Artistic Director Kevin Spacey, the evening will feature a host of well-known faces from stage and screen as they've never been seen before, and will never be seen again.
Cast includes
Clare Higgins, Patricia Hodge, Nichola McAuliffe, Tamzin Outhwaite, Clarke Peters, Greta Scacchi, Rachael Stirling, Dominic West and Alicia Witt.
Tickets £75, £125, £250, £600
For more information and to book, phone Susan Trinitz on 020 7981 0914 or e-mail twentyfour@oldvictheatre.com

To be followed on October 23rd by our B'way show (see below...)

The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway - October 23

2006-09-09T13:10:00.000-04:00

Tickets are on sale now for our annual benefit for Working Playground - The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway! Spankin' new plays by Adam Rapp and David Lindsay-Abaire, directed by Miguel Arteta (The Good Girl), and featuring Patrick Wilson, Rachel Dratch, Rosie Perez, Elizabeth Berkley-Lauren, Jennifer Aniston and a host of others.
We'll let you know as we add names. Or delete them. Note to producers: stop casting these great actors! Can anyone convince Law and Order to take a day off shooting so our favorites Jesse L. Martin and Mariska Hargitay can do the show?

The show is on Monday, October 23rd at 8pm, and the Roundabout's lovely American Airlines Theatre. Tix on sale now at:
http://www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?showcode=24H4 (no link - you have to paste this URL in...)

Final 10 shows of "24 is 10" this weekend!

2006-08-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

Hello, all,

It's been a helluva week, to quote a tagline from a Fringe show last year.

Today at 8;45 PM and tomorrow at 6PM are the last two shows of "24 is 10: The best of THE 24 HOUR PLAYS". Reviews of the other shows have been great (scroll down), and we've got great plays and artists (some of whom are toiling away as I write) for your viewing pleasure.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS or go to ticketweb.com and search for "24 is 10"

Saturday, August 26th at 8:45 PM
ALTITUDE SICKNESS, by Nicolas Locke
HARBINGERS OF TURPITUDE, by Robin Goldwasser
AND I DANCE, by Chris Ceraso, featuring Gbenga Akinnagbe (Barbershop, The Wire)
K,X,Z AND V, by Ian Williams, featuring Maggie Hoffman (Radiohole)
MARS HAS NEVER BEEN SO CLOSE, by Warren Leight, directed by Andrew McCarthy, featuring Andre Royo (The Wire), Micheal Mastro (12 Angry Men), and Pablo Schriber (Tony nominee, Awake and Sing)

Sunday, August 27th at 6:00 PM
SLEEPING CITY, by John Belluso, directed by Pippin Parker, featuring Robert Lavelle (Sly Fox)
TWO WORLDS, by Chris Shinn, featuring Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show)
VAUDEVILLE, POPULATION TWO, by Will Eno, featuring Christina Kirk
PLAY WITH FAUN, by Jeff Whitty
THREE GUYS AND A BRENDA, by Adam Bock

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday's shows all had big gooey fistfuls of classic moments, and were real successes. In fact, we have reviews to prove it.

First, the NY Times notice is like deja vu from our Voice review from the first-ever Fringe festival: "By creating their shows on the fly, the artists of the "24-Hour Plays," which are dependably messy, spontaneous and occasionally in bad taste, prove to be even fringier than the Fringe." Pretty cool for a company they describe as "the popular showcase that features some of the biggest names in the theater". Click and scroll to read the whole thing.

Backstage caught Tuesday's "People's Choice Night" and loved it. "...One can sense the theatrical excitement with which they were originally written and performed. It is precisely this burst of fresh energy that makes "24 Is 10" an ideal Fringe show." Read the full review here.

Broadway.com was there Wednesday, liked what they saw and wrote about it here. So did this fella.

24 is 10: The best of THE 24 HOUR PLAYS opens Tuesday, 8/22

2006-07-28T15:27:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/16/2006

Rachel Dratch, Elizabeth Berkley, Michael Mastro and Ally Sheedy in a 24 Hour “High Wire Act Without a Net” at the Fringe

Celebrity alumni join casts for one-night-only remounts of “The 24 Hour Plays” for "24 is 10: The Best of The 24 Hour Plays" at the New York Int’l Fringe Festival.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS or go to ticketweb.com and search for "24 is 10"

(New York) As a 10th Anniversary celebration of both “The 24 Hour Plays” and Fringenyc, the 24 Hour Company is remounting 24 classic shows for the first time ever. The plays feature original casts and other alumni, including boldface names Rachel Dratch, Elizabeth Berkley, Michael Mastro, Ally Sheedy, Andre Royo, muMs, and Brent Cox. The 10-year retrospective includes 10-minute plays by David Lindsay-Abaire, Warren Leight, Teresa Rebeck, Jeff Whitty, Christopher Shinn, Will Eno, Adam Bock, Mike Doughty, John Belluso, Elizabeth Meriwether, Michael John Garces and many more. Following The 24 Hour Plays tradition of “instant theatrical thrills” (NY Times), all rehearsals will begin the morning of the shows themselves, for what the NY Post has called “a high wire act without a net”. For full cast lists and more info, please see www.24hourplays.com.

All shows at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St., New York City
$15 Tickets at www.24hourplays.com, ticketweb.com, or call 1.866.468.7619

The 24 Hour Company
In 1995, a group of friends got together in a small theater on the Lower East Side to attempt something insane: write, rehearse, and present six new short plays, all in a single day. Originally intended as a one-off event, this season The 24 Hour Plays celebrated its tenth anniversary. Paper Magazine wrote “the quality of the plays is remarkable,” and the Village Voice adds, “here was the energy missing from the Ludlow scene... theatricality as life, as subversion, even survival.” The rotating cast and crew of The 24 Hour Plays have performed for sold-out Broadway and West End houses, as well as Off-Broadway, and in Chicago, Los Angeles, Montreal, and Bonn. Participants have included diverse talents from all levels— from Tony, Oscar and Pulitzer Prize winners to emerging talent and students.

SCHEDULE (All shows one-night only; casts subject to change)

Tuesday, August 22nd at 11pm
CRISCO, by Julie Stark
DREAM STATE, OR THE SUBCONSIOUS BURLESQUE, by Angel David
BUS STOP, by Candido Tirado, (featuring Brent Cox and Julie Wright)
THE RUMOR, by Dan Kois
TOBIAS, ANGEL OF HEAVEN, by Connor Ratliff, (featuring muMs)

Wednesday, August 23rd at 6:15 PM
THE OTHER PERSON, by David Lindsay-Abaire (featuring, Elizabeth Berkley, Rachel Dratch and Ally Sheedy)
SIZABLE TOWN, by Mike Doughty
DELIVER ME, by Teresa Rebeck
CUBA, by Michael Wynne
BE STILL, by Stephen Winter

Thursday, August 24th at 6:15 PM
VIKINGS!, by Greta Billinger
POOR BOB, by Elizabeth Meriwether
THE WOMAN, by Michael John Garces
A WEEKEND IN BRAZIL, by Ted Travelstead & Julie Wright
KARLA SAYS, by Mac Rogers

Saturday, August 26th at 8:45 PM
MARS HAS NEVER BEEN SO CLOSE, by Warren Leight, directed by Andrew McCarthy (feat. Andre Royo and Micheal Mastro)
ALTITUDE SICKNESS, by Nicolas Locke
AND I DANCE, by Chris Ceraso
K,X,Z AND V, by Ian Williams
HARBINGERS OF TURPITUDE, by Robin Goldwasser

Sunday, August 27th at 6:00 PM
TWO WORLDS, by Chris Shinn
SLEEPING CITY, by John Belluso
VAUDEVILLE, POPULATION TWO, by Will Eno
PLAY WITH FAUN, by Jeff Whitty
THREE GUYS AND A BRENDA, by Adam Bock

Press contact: Sarah Bisman at sbisman@24hourplays.com or 917-981-1075. Fringe Contact: Ron Lasko @ Spin Cycle 212-505-1700 x. 11
###

The Great Canadian Road Trip, the Orchard Project compound, and vote vote vote!

2006-06-22T23:33:00.000-04:00

Hi, all,
Crazy stuff is afoot this summer with The 24 Hour Plays as we wrap up the big 10th Anniversary Season. This weekend, we'll be co-producing TWO shows in Canada back-to-back. Saturday night, Lindsay and Kurt will be in Montreal, co-pro-ing at the Theatre de Ste-Catherine. Sunday morning, we'll drive to Toronto and sit in the audience and watch the show that Philip and Soulpepper Theatre. Tina has made us promise to post pictures in this new blog and Philip has mentioned doing the same.

July will be all about getting ready for an August 18th collaboration with The Orchard Project, a brand-new theater company residency program (band camp for grown-ups) that invites whole companies to get away from the bustle and work at their Catskill compound (think Hyannisport, not Waco). They're inviting 24 people from 24 different theater companies from every corner of the NY theater world and putting them on a bus to the mountains. When they get there, they will be forced to do our show. Naked. OK, maybe not naked.

Is that it? No! It's not! Two short days later, we'll be starting the biggest 24 in a decade: "24 is 10: The Best of the 24 Hour Plays". Details are below.
Check the upcoming shows page for details for all three shows.

And don't forget to vote for shows for the "Best of" on the poll here.

The long-awaited "Best Of" Show. It's a-comin'!

2006-06-08T23:20:00.000-04:00

Hey people:
For the first time, like, ever, we're bringing back the best plays from the past 10 years. Or, as we said in our lil' blurb:
"Adrenalin-fueled one-night-only classics from THE 24 HOUR PLAYS. Celebrate 10 years of the show that "redefines fresh and brings theater to a rock-and-roll audience" (Paper). It'll be the theater party of the decade!"
And so forth.... Anyway, as luck would have it, The NY International Fringe Festival is also turning 10 this year, and the nice folks asked us back as an alumni show.
Scroll down or click here to vote for your favorites.
And come to the shows! They'll be at the super-swank Lucille Lortel Theater on Christopher Street from August 20th - 27th (exact dates and times TBA) We'll have be an epic cast party that redefines carousing and brings mayhem to the rock-and-roll audience.
So, do us a favor and vote. We'll be asking for more favors to make sure this show is as memorable as it oughta be later on this summer.
Love, the 24HrCo (TinaKurtLindsayPhilipSarahLou)