ONE NIGHT STAND to Open 4/26 at NYC's QUAD Cinema

New York's QUAD Cinema has announced the New York Theatrical run of ONE NIGHT STAND (74 minutes), Elisabeth Sperling's and Trish Dalton's absorbing, adrenaline-pumping debut documentary, fresh off of its one-night-only screenings in 456 theaters across the country through Fathom Events.

A chronicle of the The 24 Hour Musicals this exhilarating back-stage action adventure teams up groups of A-list theater talent, including Cheyenne Jackson (Finian's Rainbow; Glee), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family; Spelling Bee), Richard Kind (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm), and Rachel Dratch (Saturday Night Live) along with major writers, composers and directors, such as Jonathan Marc Sherman (Clive), Pasek and Paul (Edges; A Christmas Story) and Sam Gold (Seminar), with 24 hours to write, cast, compose, rehearse and perform four short musicals culminating in a live benefit production at New York City's Gramercy Theatre.

This zany page-to-stage-story on steroids gives us a rare behind-the-scenes look at the creative process. The four teams of writers, composers and directors choose their casts on the spot and spend the night writing and composing their musicals, which must include at least two songs. In a dazzling first sequence, the actors introduce themselves with a fragment of a song and a prop that they've brought as inspiration for the musicals to come: a 1970's purple zoot suit worn by Kind on a Sesame Street episode inspires his Ponzi-scheming character in the musical Islands; a pop-up book about phobias provides the premise for a story of fearful fiancés in Multiphobia; an 80's prom dress triggers two doctor brothers to surmount their sibling rivalry over a lady-in-red on the operating table in Dr. Williams, featuring Jackson, Ferguson and Roger Bart; Dratch brings her droll comedic genius to the fourth musical, Rachel Said Sorry, a girls' night out Gone bad.

Also featured in ONE NIGHT STAND are Mandy Gonzalez (Wicked, In the Heights), Capathia Jenkins (Newsies, Chicago, Nine), Theresa McCarthy (Queen of the Mist), Nellie McKay (Three Penny Opera), Marnie Schulenburg (As the World Turns), Scarlett Strallen (Mary Poppins), Tracie Thoms (Rent), Tamara Tunie (Law and Order SVU) and Alicia Witt (Two Weeks Notice).

"The idea for this film was born at a holiday party," says Sperling, "I overheard a conversation between my brother, Ted [the Tony-Award winner Ted Sperling (Light in the Piazza; The Other Josh Cohen)] and Ari Edelson, the Director of The 24 Hour Musicals annual event. Intrigued by the unique opportunity to see how Broadway, television and film artists work together under pressure, I suggested filming the event and was granted behind-the-scenes access."

With a very low budget, Sperling and Dalton had only one week to prepare for the shoot and relied on lots of favors. Persuading friends to pull an all-nighter and lend their camera gear, they assembled a crew of 10 intrepid shooters, four production assistants, and three editors.

"Like the talent in the film, the crew plunged into the 24 hour event blind-having never met The Players, not knowing who would be important to our story line, not able to control lighting or sound conditions. Everything had to be improvised on the spot," says Dalton.

What emerges is an understanding that a major part of being talented (whether in the rehearsal room, law office, boardroom, or laboratory) is tolerating, and ultimately being able to thrive in conditions of uncertainty, tension and limitations-not to mention a lack of sleep.

Though they found it grueling, frightening and physically exhausting, most would do it again in a heartbeat. "Taking a risk, being in the moment, using your highest capacities to the fullest, and the elation of sharing that moment with others" says Sperling, "reminded us all of why we are artists in the first place."

The DVD release will include extended cuts of the performances as well as a twenty-minute sequence featuring interviews as stars in the film share their intimate stories of life on Broadway, how they "made it" and how The 24-Hour Musicals inspired them. ONE NIGHT STAND is slated for an iTunes release through The Orchard.

The theatrical event documented in ONE NIGHT STAND was organized by The 24 Hour Company www.24hourplays.com to benefit Ari Edelson's nonprofit theater company, The Exchange www.exchangenyc.org.

Directors/ Producers Elisabeth Sperling and Trish Dalton are available for interviews and Q & A at select screenings with special guest appearances to be announced; check the QUAD website for schedules and information at www.quadcinema.com/coming-soon.

For more about the movie, visit www.onenightstandthemovie.com.

ONE NIGHT STAND (74 minutes - Not rated) opens April 26 at NY's QUAD Cinema, 34 West 13th Street, New York, NY.