Wayne Brady and More to Take Part in THE 24 HOUR MUSICALS: LOS ANGELES Benefit

On July 17, 2017, distinguished artists from across the nation's entertainment industry will come together in Los Angeles for a gala production of The 24 Hour Musicals: Los Angeles, an intensive theatrical endeavor where a team of more than 100 (including artists from Broadway, film, television and music) will come together to write, compose, rehearse and perform four original musicals within a 24-hour time span at the beautiful The Theater at Ace Hotel. For 22 years, The 24 Hour Plays have brought together extraordinary artists to create time-limited theater around the world, raising millions of dollars for charity.

In this historic theater (built in 1927 by United Artists), The 24 Hour Musicals: Los Angeles will celebrate and support the work of the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund, a nonprofit arm of the Dramatists Guild of America, which advocates for the freedom of expression on behalf of all who are confronting censorship on stages across America.

Actors scheduled to participate in this year's event include Wayne Brady (Kinky Boots, Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Noah Galvin (The Real O'Neals), Michelle Visage (RuPaul's Drag Race), Garrett Clayton (Hairspray Live!), Janina Gavankar (True Blood), Alicia Witt (The Walking Dead) and Vella Lovell (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend). Additional cast members, as well as composers, writers and directors, will be announced over the coming weeks. Playwright and DLDF board member Lydia Diamond (Stick Fly) will be the event's featured speaker.

"We've staged many memorable evenings of The 24 Hour Plays in Los Angeles, while The 24 Hour Musicals have run off-Broadway for eight wonderful years," said Mark Armstrong, Executive Director of The 24 Hour Plays. "This event brings together the best of both worlds for a magical evening of musical theater in one of the country's most beautiful venues. We're particularly proud, in this moment, to support the great work of the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund, which supports playwrights and defends freedom of expression."

The marathon process for The 24 Hour Musicals begins at 9 p.m. the night before the performance. Writers, composers, directors, choreographers, actors, music directors, musicians and production staff-many of whom have never worked with or met each other before-gather for an orientation where they are asked to share one costume piece, one prop, a special skill, and to reveal something that they have always wanted to do on stage, as well as some singing and dancing. At 11 p.m., the composers and writers get to work crafting 15-20 minute musicals overnight; at 9 a.m. the next morning, the actors receive their roles and the directors, choreographers and musicians arrive to begin rehearsal. Less than 12 hours later, they must be ready to perform in front of a live audience.

"The DLDF is honored to be a part of the 24 Hour Musicals adventure," said John Weidman, President of the Dramatists Legal Defense Fund. "We are delighted to be aligned with, and supported by, this unique high-wire event which captures the creative impulse which drives writers to write, and which the DLDF exists to defend."

Following the July 17 gala, the annual production The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway returns to the American Airlines Theater on October 30, 2017. Additional events will take place in Denmark, Dublin, Mexico City, Minneapolis, Finland and elsewhere around the world.

IF YOU GO:

The 24 Hour MUSICALS

July 17, 2017 at 8pm

The Theater at Ace Hotel

929 South Broadway

Los Angeles, CA 90015

Tickets start at $175 and VIP access tickets are available.

Tickets for The 24 Hour MUSICALS are available for purchase online at www.axs.com/events/335872/the-24-hour-musicals-los-angeles-tickets?skin=acehotel

Special access packages are available at www.citiprivatepass.com.

The 24 Hour Plays brings together extraordinary artists to create time-limited theater around the world. In addition to The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway and The 24 Hour Musicals, regular events take place in London, Los Angeles, Dublin, Germany, Minneapolis, Athens, Helsinki, Mexico City and Florence. Through collaborations with organizations including The Old Vic Theatre, Dublin Youth Theatre, Urban Arts Partnership, Cornerstone Theater Company, The Orchard Project, Bennington College, Hennepin Theatre Trust and The Del Sole Foundation, The 24 Hour Plays have raised millions of dollars for charities. Each summer, The 24 Hour Plays partner with the New School for Drama to bring together the best actors, directors, playwrights and producers 25 and under for an intensive professional experience. Licensed affiliates have produced their own versions of The 24 Hour Plays in regional and professional theaters, colleges, and universities, and just about everywhere you can find a curtain and a stage. Visit www.24hourplays.com or follow @24hourplays.

The Dramatists Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization created by the Dramatists Guild of America to advocate for free expression in the dramatic arts and a vibrant public domain for all, and to educate the public about the industry standards surrounding theatrical production and about the protections afforded dramatists under copyright law. Go to www.dldf.org or follow @TheDLDF.

The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles is Ace's loving re-animation of the historic United Artists Theater. Built in 1927 for the maverick film studio founded by Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks, The Theatre stands as a monument to a group of seminar American artists - modern iconoclasts striking out on their own. Ace's restoration of this majestic space serves as a singular stage for art, film, dance and creative celebration in the heart of the Broadway Theater District's vibrant modern renaissance. View all upcoming events at The Theatre at Ace Hotel DTLA at theatre.acehotel.com.