The 24 Hour Plays will present the newest round of The 24 Hour Musicals June 10 at Classic Stage Company, and several more artists have been added to the starry lineup. The intensive theatrical endeavor sees artists write, rehearse, and perform four new musicals in just 24 hours, a feat of artistic agility.
Newly announced artists include George Abud (Lempicka), Sherz Aletaha (Merrily We Roll Along), John Carrafa (Urinetown), Kayla Davion (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), Olli Haaskivi (Oppenheimer), Emily Xu Hall (Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile), Andrew Leeds (Zoe’s Extraordinary Playlist), Ryan Jamaal Swain (Pose), Will Swenson (A Beautiful Noise), and Natalie Walker (White Girl in Danger).
They join the previously reported Carolyn Cantor (Sell/Buy/Date), Jesse Eisenberg (Happy Talk, The Social Network), Kathryn Gallagher (Jagged Little Pill), Josh Koenigsberg (Orange Is The New Black), Gabrielle Ruiz (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), and Heath Saunders (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812).
The 24 Hour Musicals will also be partnering with Tony-winning designer David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group for scenic and video design. The creative team also includes sound coordinator Kai Harada, lighting designer Elizabeth M. Stewart, costume designer Katja Andreiev, and props design by Courtney Kupferschmidt.
The process begins the night before the performance, when writers, composers, directors, choreographers, actors, musicians, and production staff gather for a short orientation. Four writer and composer teams then craft short musicals overnight, while actors and directors get some rest before receiving their scripts in the early morning. After a flurry of rehearsals, the brand new musicals take the stage for a one-night-only production, complete with an audience and live band.
Tickets start at $99 and are available at 24HourPlays.org/Musicals. Proceeds support the organization's non-profit activities throughout the year, including educational programming for students of all ages, professional development for emerging artists through The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, and partner productions all around the world.