Daveed Diggs, Jenna Ushkowitz and More Sign on for THE 24 HOUR PLAYS on Broadway; Cast Complete!

The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway announced today additional cast members, playwrights, and directors for its anticipated annual production at American Airlines Theater on November 14, 2016.

The intensive theatrical endeavor brings together distinguished professionals from across the nation's entertainment industry to write, direct, and perform six original plays within 24 hours.

Proceeds from the one-night-only performance will benefit the Company's program supporting theater professionals 25 and under-The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals.

New cast members include: Daveed Diggs (Hamilton); Jenna Ushkowitz (Glee); Tracie Thoms (Rent); Paul Schneider (Parks and Recreation); Raúl Castillo (Looking); Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show);Olivia Washington (The Butler); Russell Jones (Ruined); Julie White (The Little Dog Laughed); Anson Mount (Hell on Wheels); and Ukweli Roach (Blindspot). In addition, The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway also announced, for the first time, the directors who will participate in the event: Dick Scanlan, Carolyn Cantor, Patricia McGregor, Elena Araoz and Lee Sunday Evans. Christopher Oscar Peña will also join as one of the six playwrights for the evening.

"As we continue to build this year's event, we're honored that these great artists have signed on to celebrate Leigh Silverman and help raise needed funds for our programming for young artists," said Mark Armstrong, Executive Director of The 24 Hour Plays. "For years, The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway has brought the performing arts community together to celebrate the creative process and support the next generation of entertainment industry professionals. We look forward to watching this year's cast and creative team connect with each other to create something new and profound. The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway has always provided an opportunity for many actors to try their hand at theater for the first time, while others return to the art form we all fell in love with."

Earlier this fall, The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway announced Tony-nominated director Leigh Silverman as the honoree for the evening. At the event, playwright Lisa Kron and actor Jayne Houdyshell will speak to Ms. Silverman's influential work.

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.

Following the November 14 gala, productions of The 24 Hour Plays are planned to take place in Denmark, Germany, Mexico and Dublin as well as in various theaters across the United States.

FULL CAST:

Justin Bartha (The Hangover)

Jason Biggs (Orange is the New Black)

Raúl Castillo (Looking)

Michael Cerveris (Fun Home)

Michael Chernus (OITNB)

Joanna Christie (Narcos)

Hugh Dancy (Hannibal)

Daveed Diggs (Hamilton)

Rachel Dratch (Saturday Night Live)

Grace Gummer (Mr. Robot)

Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent)

Russell Jones (Ruined)

David Krumholtz (Numbers)

Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show)

Anson Mount (Hell on Wheels)

Ukweli Roach (Blindspot)

Andre Royo (The Wire)

Thomas Sadoski (The Newsroom)

Paul Schneider (Parks and Recreation)

Justice Smith (The Get Down)

Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia)

Tracie Thoms (Rent)

Jenna Ushkowitz (Glee)

Olivia Washington (The Butler)

Julie White (The Little Dog Laughed)

Alicia Witt (The Walking Dead)

New York-based singer, songwriter, and playwright Ethan Lipton and his Orchestra will be the musical guests for the evening.

CREATIVE TEAM:

David Lindsay-Abaire, playwright

Hansol Jung, playwright

Warren Leight, playwright

Jonathan Marc Sherman, playwright

Christopher Oscar Peña, playwright

Bess Wohl, playwright

Elena Araoz, director

Carolyn Cantor, director

Patricia McGregor, director

Dick Scanlan, director

Lee Sunday Evans, director

IF YOU GO:

THE 24 HOUR PLAYS ON BROADWAY

November 14, 2016 at 8 p.m.

The American Airlines Theater

Tickets for The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway are available for purchase online at www.smarttix.com/show.aspx?showcode=16t752&ss=1 or call: 212-868-4444.

The 24 Hour Plays began in 1995 on New York City's Lower East Side, when Tina Fallon and a group of friends wanted to find a way to make theater with limited access to time, funds, and space. In 1997, The 24 Hour Company was created by Fallon, Lindsay Bowen and Kurt Gardner, all of whom remain on the company's board today.

Through regular productions-including The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway, The 24 Hour Musicals and additional shows in London, Los Angeles, Dublin, Athens and Florence-The 24 Hour Plays have brought together extraordinary artists to create time-limited theater around the world in order. Through collaborations with organizations like Urban Arts Partnership, London's Old Vic Theatre, The Del Sole Foundation and Dublin Youth Theatre, The 24 Hour Plays have raised millions of dollars for charity.

In 1997, The 24 Hour Company began licensing its trademark The 24 Hour Plays® along with the process, production handbook and other materials to select charitable and educational groups. Licensed affiliates have produced their own versions of it in regional and professional theaters, colleges and universities, and just about everywhere you can find a curtain and a stage. Now in its sixth year, The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals utilizes the company's unique process to bring together the next generation of actors, directors, playwrights and producers ages 25 and under. Visit www.24hourplays.com for more.