NEW YORK CITY: The 22nd annual 24 Hour Plays on Broadway will return for their first in-person performance since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic at the Town Hall on Nov. 21.
The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway are an intensive theatrical endeavor in which artists write, direct, and perform six original short plays within 24 hours. The creative process begins the evening before, when the actors, writers, directors, and production staff gather for a meet and greet. With an hour to brainstorm, each participant shares a prop and costume, actors show off their special skills, and share something they’ve always wanted to do on stage. With this in mind, playwrights stay up all night writing world-premiere short plays. In the morning, the directors and actors return for a quick rehearsal process in preparation for an 8 p.m. performance of six new works.
“Throughout this unprecedented time, the 24-Hour Plays artistic community has grown even closer—and even larger,” said artistic director Mark Armstrong in a statement. “Now, as we come together within the same four walls once again (and the same 24 hours), we’re ready to share what extraordinary artists can do in a single day. We’re grateful to Town Hall for helping us bring this long-standing New York City tradition to a larger audience than ever before.”
The 22nd annual celebration will feature actors Justin Bartha, Julie Benko, Julia Chan, Lilli Cooper, Willa Fitzgerald, Kathryn Gallagher, River Gallo, Joel Marsh Garland, Mamie Gummer, Jin Ha, Amy Hargreaves, Rachel Hilson, Alex Moffat, Talene Monahon, Okieriete Onaodowan, and Sarah Steele; writers Mario Correa, Lily Houghton, Roger Q Mason, Michael Mitnick, Nikkole Salter, and Jonathan Marc Sherman; and directors Jake Beckhard, Victor Malana Maog, Kathleen Marshall, and Leigh Silverman. Additional cast and creative team members will be announced in the coming weeks.
The 24-Hour Plays were established in 1995 to bring together creative communities to produce plays and musicals written, rehearsed, and performed in 24 hours. Proceeds from the event support the 24 Hour Plays’ nonprofit activities throughout the year, including education programming with students from middle school to college, professional development for emerging artists in the 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, the free online series the 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues, and partner productions all around the world.
