NEW YORK CITY: The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Musicals will stream tonight on IGTV @24hourplays and on here. A group of 12 actors will perform brand new original pieces, written especially for them by a talented writer and composer team.
“After several years of producing the 24 Hour Plays on Broadway, we were up for a new challenge and we created the 24 Hour Musicals,” said artistic director Mark Armstrong in a statement. “So it was only natural that after several weeks of producing the 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues, we’d be ready to have performers break into song in this new format as well. With this array of talent lined up, I have a feeling we’re about to pull off something very special, but you’ll have to tune in tonight at 6 p.m. and see for yourself.”
Last night at 6 p.m., 12 actors shared brief orientation-style videos to allow the creative teams to get to know them better. By 7 p.m., the writers and composers were paired with actors. Actors received their scripts this morning at 10 a.m., are filming their performances throughout the day, and at 6 p.m. their performances begin to be released, completing the 24-hour cycle. One new musical will be released every 20 minutes from 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. ET.
The performers include Jelani Alladin, Nick Blaemire, John Clay III, Daveed Diggs, John Gallagher Jr., Lora Lee Gayer, David Hull, Ana Nogueira, Larry Owens, Sarah Steele, Natalie Walker, and Libby Winters. The teams of composers will include Rachel Axler, Eli Bolin, Faye Chiao, Jonathan Coulton, Kristoffer Diaz, Tasha Gordon-Solmon, Adam Gwon, Julia Jordan, Michael Kimmel, Josh Koenigsberg, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Aimee Mann, Michael Mitnick, Kate Nash, Christopher Oscar Peña, Mike Pettry, Lauren Pritchard, Matt Schatz, Jonathan Marc Sherman, Rona Siddiqui, and Libby Winters.
Methuen Drama will publish the 24 Hour Plays Book of Viral Monologues in print and digital form. Howard Sherman, who inspired the 24 Hour Plays to develop the Viral Monologues, will serve as the editor. A release date is forthcoming.
