Review: 24 HOUR PLAYS: LITTLE ROCK at CALS Ron Robinson Theater

Article written by Sandee Pinkstaff

First!  Thank you, Theresa Harvey Bertram, for giving me the opportunity to review The 24 HOUR PLAYS: LITTLE ROCK.  You are dear to me and I love the way you always make me giggle.  Theatre in Little Rock, and all of Arkansas, has grown closer because of your voice and documentation of the countless shows you review.  We are constantly amazed and inspired by your dedication and determination to share every gorgeous detail of live Arkansas theatre.  We love you!

Okay, now to business.  Homecoming.  That’s what this past Monday night at CALS Ron Robinson felt like for me.  A delightful homecoming where you literally love and adore all your kinfolks.  When Theresa invited me to review 24 HOUR PLAYS: LITTLE ROCK, I gladly accepted.  Heck!  I already had my ticket to attend.   If you were there and want to recap, if you wanted to be there but had an emergency appendectomy, or if you have never attended but are 24-HOUR-PLAYS-curious, stay right here.  This is a long one, but so worth it.

When The 24 HOUR PLAYS was established in 1995 in New York City, the goal was to bring together creative communities to produce 7- 10 minute plays and musicals written, rehearsed, and performed in 24 hours.  With their radically-present approach to theatre, they make work that responds immediately to the world around us, builds communities, and generates new artistic partnerships.  

The 2025 24 HOUR PLAYS: LITTLE ROCK marked the third year of production.  It’s apparent that the skilled producers, Ashlie Atkinson, Brandon Paul Eells, Wyatt Hamilton, and DeLance Minefee have the experience and passion to persevere and flourish within the demanding rigors of such an undertaking.  Their notes in the playbill reported that Monday night’s performance was the culmination of “six brand new plays that have been written, rehearsed, and performed in only twenty four hours!  Crazy?  Absolutely.  Fun?  Absolutely-er.  This evening you’ll see what over seventy-five brilliant, sleep-deprived artists can accomplish in only 86,400 seconds.  We think you’re going to love it.” They thought right!

Each year, 24 HOUR PLAYS, along with their like-minded sponsors, pick a worthy organization to receive 100% of net proceeds from the event.  This year’s benefactor was Be Mighty, a city-wide anti-hunger campaign aimed at connecting kids, teens, and families to free meals, cooking and nutrition education, food security resources, and opportunities to eat, play, and learn.  At the close of the evening, we were all thrilled to learn that a whopping TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS had been raised during the course of the event.  Just before the show started, Dr. Chris Jones came on stage, extolling the virtues of the CALS Be Mighty program and reminding us that we are bound together by a community grounded in love, justice and mutual care.  To learn more about these incredible folks, go to cals.org.  Let’s hear it for CALS and all that our public libraries are doing.

Sunday night, all cast and crew circled up on the RRT stage for brief introductions.  Each actor brought a random prop and threw it in a pile.  Playwrights and directors chose a prop from the pile to serve as a springboard for the play’s theme and then chose their four actors. The actors went home and TRIED to rest.  (How could they, right?) (And probably thought, please, for the love of all things good, I hope I don't get a long monologue!)  Dramaturgs Ben Barham, Kevin Delaney, and James Mainard O’Connell came in shifts throughout the night, assisting the playwrights with their witty ways.  Scripts were all perfected and copied by early Monday morning to be dispersed to the eager actors, directors, and crew.

Back to homecoming.  Even before the show started, there was a communal energy and life that permeated The Ron Robinson Theatre.  Hearing the stories from various volunteering local playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, and crew of their experiences leading to this performance was mesmerizing and a workshop in itself.  One of my favorite quotes came from director Chris Klinger saying, “There is no time for ego”.  Everyone is just out there, baring themselves of any pretense.  That’s the womb for powerful storytelling and artistry.  

The stage was stark and almost bare. Just plastic bins containing props; metal chairs and a small table; gear for musician extraordinaire, Jimbo Mathis (more on Jimbo later); a wooden bench draped with plaid fabric; and a lone mic on a stand.  Boom.  That's it.   

Jimbo Mathis, this year’s musical guest, performed an original song in a minor key, INCINERATOR,  that he wrote during the same 24 hours.  He said he loved seeing the writers and actors working as if under a crucible, his inspiration for the new song.  He also served as a sort of foley artist by using his keyboard and other instruments to accompany the different plays, bringing even more humor and definition. 

The first play, SPACE-EX, was written by Rhett Booher, directed by Wyatt Hamilton, and Assistant Directed by Kaye Knight.  Actors were Reese Von Storch as Margo, Peter Grant as Allen, Coburn Goss as Dad, and Mark Hansen as Sci-Fi Nerd.  The play explored the challenges of the couple, Margo and Sci-Fi loving Allen, who “just don't have much in common”.  Margo is advised by her loving and Sci-Fi savvy dad and the alien-like and absurdly hilarious Sci-Fi Nerd to help them along their way.  The feelings of awkwardness before the impending ending of a relationship were relatable. Jimbo interjected synthesized mini midi keyboard effects which added to the eerie nature of all things aliens. 

Next, SALLY, written by Steve H. Broadnax III, comprised an all woman cast:  Paula Isbell as Paula, Heather Dupree as Heather, Natalie Canerday as Ashley,  and Ashley Hood as Sally.  Here, three friends Paula, Heather and Ashley, return to the park they played in as children to “destroy her”.  “Her” is Sally, a life-size doll-like, disheveled woman with “real hair and real teeth” who appears frozen behind them.  So creepy and sooo hilarious. But there was a deeper message to this one.  I can't help but believe that Sally represents something deeper than a scary monster doll in the park.  The women dealt with Sally differently: Ashley and Natalie wanted to fight Sally and rationalized this by saying, “look, it’s not our fault, but it's our problem now”. Paula chooses flight when she “can’t take it” and that she has run from Sally all her life. We all handle hard things differently but Broadnax's play, directed by the talented Caelon Colbert and assistant directed by Jamie Boshears, was a perfect example illustrating that the only way to get out of a mess is to go through it.

Rounding out the first act was Rebecca Ortese’s THE VIDEO GAME.  Ann Muse directed and Portia S. Jones assistant directed this gem.  The actors Verda Davenport as Carol, Xander Udochi as Max, Alexandria Brown as Sissi, and Ken-Matt Martin as Geoff were all onesie-clad and returning from a cosplay convention.  The characters wrangled with existential themes like the end of the world, reality, higher powers, and video games.  Udochi’s physicality was highlighted when the characters “rewound” to try again to “get to the next level”.  Sounds pretty heavy for an 8 minute play but we gut-laughed throughout.  The surprise and poignant ending left us feeling wistful and warm.

For the second act, we had BACK IN BLUE written by Graham Gordy, directed by Quinton Sanders, and assistant directed by Mike Poe.  Case Dillard as Detective Neff, Willie Lucius as Detective Bunkers, Jennifer Pierce Mathus as Chief Stotts, and Jason Scott Morgan as Erbacher were the actors.  Gorgy wrote to the actor’s strengths here with Dillard, Lucius, Morgan, and Mathus’ hilarious interplay and physical humor as a messed up police interrogation going awry had us wailing. Each actor was unhinged in the most perfect way.  Jimbo’s chanting of, “Back the Blue” at the end was a perfect cream cheese icing to this delicious play.   

Playwright Lesley Dancer, director Cat Martin, and assistant director Sela Booher headed up QUICK, QUICK, SLOW, SLOW.  This funny and heartwarming play brought to focus the common human need for acceptance.   LaDarius Lamar as Steven and James Jackson as Alex are a couple who are learning to build a life together despite their different backgrounds and personalities. Paige Martin Reynolds as Helen, Alex’s mother and Daniel Rafeal Beltram as Blake, Helen’s boyfriend rounded out the cast.  Things are not as Alex thinks them to be when his Minnesota accented mother and her same-age-as-her-son “boyfriend” show up for a dancing lesson.  Light up cowboy hats and revealing secret pasts bring them what they want -- to see and be seen in their relationships. 

Closing the beautiful night was Dani Carney’s THE HOUSE ON MYSTERIA LANE.  Under the direction of Chris Klinger and assistant director Sascha Bass; Miki Gaynor as Arielle, Lucinda Paul Eells as Vera, Mary Hollis Inboden as  Ravenna and how-in-the-world-do-you-have-so-much-energy Brian C. Earles as B-ODD-E revealed how an eerie home owner and her angel-wing-clad real estate agent juxtapose to sell a not-so-desirable home to “sexy” vampire and robot companions. Earles’ moves, timing, and voice as a robot-type were impeccable and Inboden’s “experienced” vampire was spot-on. 

The performance wrapped but the night was far from over!  Everyone, cast, crew and audience, converged to the packed RRT lobby.  The roar stemming from joy and victory was loud.  Hugs were constant.  Individual hugs, group hugs, all the hugs. Group selfies galore.  Everyone there knew that they had been part of a very great thing. 

A list of the other selfless volunteers for the event follows:

Technical Personnel :  

The 24 HOUR Plays Producing Ambassador:  Sarah Ford

Technical Director:  Danny Grace

Assistant Technical Director/Lighting Programmer:  Ivy McGrew

Stage Manager:  Dariane LyJoi Mull

Assistant Stage Manager:  Katie Baker

Costume Designer:  Ty Volz

Costume Assistant:  Shea Barham

Props Master:  Larnie Hughes

Prop Assistant:  Guy Booher

Intimacy Coordinator:  Ken-Matt Martin

Stage Combat Coordinator:  Xander Udochi

CALS Ron Robinson staff:  Joey Cole, John Miller, and Mary Olsteen

Production Assistants/Run Crew

Cooper Petit, Cora Mattson, Jackson Ray, Jasmine Burns, Jazmine Denney, Lila M. Bass, Rachel Eells, Shaundraya Jackson, and Trystan Benson.

Ushers:

Caitlin Peterson, Evan Hauser, Natalee Miller, Noah Mergenschroer, Skylar Acebedo, and Armani Davis 

Follow 24 HOUR PLAYS: LITTLE ROCK on IG at @24hourplayslr or FB at 24 Hour Plays: Little Rock so you can get your tickets when it rolls around again next year. You’ll be glad you did!

We would like to extend a special thank you to Matthew Sewell Photography for the use of these fabulous photos. If you're seeking a professional photographer in the Little Rock area, Matthew Sewell is a top choice. As a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP), he brings expertise, creativity, and professionalism to every session. Matthew specializes in headshot photography, family portraits, event photography, and production photography, and is dedicated to capturing high-quality images that meet each client’s unique needs. Check out his website at msewellphotography.com.

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