Pascal, Perez, Huffman, Peet and Others Headline 24 Hour Plays, Oct. 24
By: BWW News Desk Oct. 20, 2005
Dozens of film and theatre luminaries will race around the clock to create theatre in The 24 Hour Plays on October 24th. The one-day event will be held at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway.So
far, performers Amanda Peet, Rosie Perez, Kate Burton, Ben Shenkman, Ally Sheedy, Andrew McCarthy, Terrence Mann, Elizabeth Berkley, Anthony Mackie, Rachel Dratch, Fisher Stevens, Anthony Rapp, S. Epatha Merkerson, John G. Connolly, Tracie Thoms, Adam Pascal, Ashlie Atkinson, Alan Tudyk, Kathryn Erbe, Cheyenne Jackson, Charlotte D'Amboise, Andre Royo, Cady Huffman, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Margaret Colin, David Moscow and William Sadler, as well as
playwrights such as David Lindsay-Abaire, Dael Orlandersmith, Greg Kotis, Adam Bock, Betty Shamieh and Warren Leight, have signed on the participate in The 24 Hour Plays. Indhu Rubasingham, Christopher Ashley, Hal Brooks and Maria Mileaf are the confirmed directors. More performers, writers and directors will sign on, as well.The
process consists of 24 actors, 6 writers, 6 directors and a production
staff who compress the normal writing, casting and staging procedures
into just one day. On Sunday, October 23rd at 10 PM, the artists
involved will meet at the theatre before the writers take off for a
hotel to pen 6 10-minute plays the same night. On October 24th at 7 AM,
the directors will come to the theatre and cast the plays that they
read, with the cast going into rehearsal at 8 AM. A tech rehearsal will
be held from 5 PM to 7:30 PM before the play goes up at 8 PM.
Proceeds from the 2005 production of The 24 Hour Plays will go to Working Playground, a
not-for-profit cultural organization that
"brings the arts to children and school communities that are lacking
the opportunity and resources to study an art form." In addition, twenty percent of the ticket price for the event
will also be donated to a special program that will aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.The 24 Hour Plays have become an increasing presence in the theatre world, with the first benefit having debuted at the
Minetta Lane Theatre on September 24, 2001 (though the 24 Hour Company
had been putting on the short plays since 1995). The plays have even
crossed the pond; Brooke Shields, Gael Garcia Bernal and others
appeared in a 24 Hour Plays at the Old Vic this June. This year's 24 Hour Plays will be presented by Glamour Magazine, Lycra and Moxie Pictures in association with The 24 Hour Company and Planet Impact.
Tickets to The 24 Hour Plays
are $125 and $250, with the latter tag (or which 50 are available) allowing access to the post-show
cast party. They are available by calling (212) 868-4444.
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