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| MICHAEL SHANNON, RACHEL DRATCH, JOSH CHARLES, EBON MOSS-BACHRACH, TAVI GEVINSON AND MORE TAKE CENTER STAGE IN 6 ORIGINAL PLAYS AT THE 24 HOUR PLAYS ON BROADWAY | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 06:12 pm EDT 10/31/17 | |
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| MICHAEL SHANNON, RACHEL DRATCH, JOSH CHARLES, EBON MOSS-BACHRACH, TAVI GEVINSON AND MORE TAKE CENTER STAGE IN 6 ORIGINAL PLAYS AT THE 24 HOUR PLAYS ON BROADWAY THE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER WAS HELD OCTOBER 30TH AT THE AMERICAN AIRLINES THEATRE http://24hourplays.com/ Favorites of stage and screen took to the stage of the American Airlines Theatre in Times Square last night for the 17th-Annual 24 Hour Plays on Broadway. Michael Shannon, Rachel Dratch, Josh Charles, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Tavi Gevinson were just a few of the exceptional group of artists who joined forces to write, direct and perform six original plays within 24 hours. The evening honored Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Marsha Norman. Proceeds from the one-night-only performance benefitted the Company’s program supporting theatre professionals 25 and under through The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals and The Lilly Awards Foundation's work supporting women in theatre and promoting gender parity. The evening began with “Self-Titled,” written by Leslye Headland and directed by Carolyn Cantor, which was a satirical look at a status-obsessed elite progressive couple (Brett Gelman and Michelle Gomez) preparing to meet their adopted son, Evelyn’s, (Justice Smith) new millennial girlfriend, Kris, played by Tavi Gevinson. The group bonds over their love of Whitney Houston. The next play, “Freak Encounters,” was written by Chisa Hutchinson and directed by Warren Leight. The play is set in a hospital waiting room, where mother Emily (Amy Hargreaves) and daughter Rachel (Genevieve Angelson) both show up when they get a call about their mother/grandmother, respectively. They question why each is there, revealing family tension. On the other side of the waiting room, a bickering couple (Jennifer Esposito and Yul Vázquez) try to work out their relationship troubles after a romantic birthday gift goes terribly wrong, leaving the third party in the emergency room. As each pair finds themselves healing their personal relationships in the wake of the tragedy, Gram (Lois Smith) is revealed as the surprising link between the two parties in the waiting room. The third play, “Happy Like a Dane,” fades in on a brother (Josh Charles) and sister (Rachel Dratch) on the one-year anniversary of the brother becoming a widow. The sister is divorced, and they find themselves both struggling with trying to heal and start over by beginning to date again. The sister thinks the brother should date their Danish neighbor, Gunda (Nina Hellman). She lures her to their home by killing squirrels that litter Gunda’s yard. During an altercation about the dead squirrel issue, Gunda explains to the brother and sister why the Danish people are so happy all the time and passes on that knowledge. The play, directed by David Lindsay-Abaire and written by Kate Whoriskey, ends with the brother asking Gunda on a date. “Feeling Words,” the fourth play of the evening, reveals Abby (Miriam Shor), the oldest sister in a struggling family, leading her father and siblings in a family therapy session. Abby shares that after their mother’s death, she feels she is taking on too much and is failing at keeping the family together. After the therapist’s (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) traditional methods to open communication are met with silence from Abby’s brother (Orlando Pabotoy), younger sister (Lola Kirke) and father (John Doman), he results to methods he resorts to unconventional methods, bringing out children’s musical instruments. The therapist asks each family member to express their feelings through the instrument, which results in a full-out jam session that brings the family back in unison for a few minutes. The play was written by Molly Smith Metzler and directed by Jessica Stone. The 5th play of the evening, “The Ledge,” takes place on the evening of two weddings taking place in the same venue. A distraught gentleman in a suit (Jonathan Marc Sherman) is balancing on the ledge of the top floor of the building, preparing to jump to his death. He is delayed by the appearance of the building’s janitor (Michael Shannon), who spills leftover rum on the gentleman’s suicide note when cleaning the floor. After a few minutes of the janitor questioning why the gentleman is deciding to end his life, a bride with a black eye (Jackie Cruz) runs by looking for a woman in a wedding dress and threatens her life by handing the gentleman a skull as a symbol. The woman the bride is seeking (Elizabeth Rodriguez) appears on the ledge shortly after, dressed in a wedding dress covered in blood. The group of strangers bond over the common human struggle with love. The play was written by Martyna Majok and directed by May Adrales. The final play of the evening, “Zumba Del Culo,” takes place in a Zumba exercise class. A new member named Cody (Joel Marsh Garland) finds himself uncomfortable in a class full of seasoned pros (Lela Loren, Mia Katigbak and Raúl Castillo). The instructor (Russell G. Jones) helps Cody find his inner confidence through a little tough love and the art of dance. The play was written by Fernanda Coppel and directed by Shelley Butler. This year’s musical guest, who kept the audience laughing between set changes, was Shaina Taub. The marathon process for The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway begins at 10 p.m. the night before the performance. The writers, directors, actors 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. Using these items as inspiration, the writers spend the night developing 10-minute plays. At 9 a.m. on the morning of the event, the actors receive their roles and the directors arrive to begin rehearsal. Less than 12 hours later, they must be ready to perform in front of a live audience. ### ABOUT THE 24 HOUR PLAYS® 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, The University of Minnesota-Duluth 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 just about everywhere you can find a curtain and a stage. www.24hourplays.com |
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