THE 24 HOUR MUSICALS Come to Broadway Ft. Kate Rockwell, Jordan Roth, and More

Today, The 24 Hour Plays announced that they will bring The 24 Hour Musicals to Broadway for the first time. The evening, which is in partnership with The Lillys, will pay homage to the women who are changing the landscape of American Theatre. The 24 Hour Musicals will take place on Monday, October 29th at 8:00 PM at the American Airlines Theatre in Times Square.

The 24 Hour Musicals will feature 4 brand new musicals written and performed in the span of just 24 hours. Initial list of talent includes composers Aimee Mann and Kirsten Childs, writers Ashley Nicole Black and Jonathan Marc Sherman and performers including: John Mulaney, Lea DeLaria, Kate Rockwell and Jordan Roth.

The marathon process for The 24 Hour Musicals begins at 9 p.m. the night before the performance. Writers, composers, directors, choreographers, actors, music directors, musicians 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, as well as some singing and dancing. At 11 p.m., the composers and writers get to work crafting 15-20 minute musicals overnight; at 9 a.m. the next morning, the actors receive their roles and the directors, choreographers and musicians arrive to begin rehearsal. Less than 12 hours later, they must be ready to perform in front of a live audience.

"Our annual Broadway event has been a Manhattan institution for eighteen years, while The 24 Hour Musicals has been wowing audiences Off-Broadway, in London, and in Los Angeles for the last ten years. For the first time, we're combining these signature events into one incredible Broadway evening to support our partners at The Lillys," said Mark Armstrong, Executive Director of The 24 Hour Plays. "In addition to recognizing the work of women theatermakers and their advocates for ten years, The Lillys have developed an entire economic infrastructure to support their work. We're excited to put our annual event's fundraising ability toward the growth of these game-changing initiatives."

"The Lillys have become so much more than Awards for women in theater," said The Lillys executive director Julia Jordan, "Our commissions, apprenticeships, the Lorraine Hansberry statue coming to Manhattan, our new critical review coming soon and the National Count are changing the face of the American arts landscape. We are so grateful to the 24 Hour Plays for recognizing and supporting our work to bringing gender and racial parity to the American Theater. We are two like-minded organizations working together and getting results."

Highlights of The Lillys outstanding accomplishments and mission will be presented by a variety of individuals throughout the evening:

• Lynn Nottage will represent the Lorraine Hansberry Statue, sculpted by Alison Saar.
• Lisa Kron will represent The National Count - the largest and only on-going survey of who and what is being produced on our nation's stage. The second three-year installment will be released this fall.
• The Childcare Initiative will be represented by SPACE at Ryder Farm, Emily Simoness. The Lillys founded the Family Residency at and with SPACE and have gone on to found a childcare fund at New Dramatists.
• The Review, which will be represented by Todd London and Sarah Ruhl, is an online magazine of timely reviews by notable artists and cultural figures who are diverse in their identities and interests.
• The Musical Theatre Award, created by Stacey Mindich and presented by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, gives $25,000 to a female composer, accompanied by a residency at The New York Songspace donated by Kara Unterberg.

Proceeds from The 24 Hour Musicals on Broadway benefit The Lillys' work supporting women in theater and promoting gender parity, as well as The 24 Hour Plays' programs, including The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals (a professional intensive for young artists).

Tickets for The 24 Hour Musicals on Broadway are available for purchase at www.24hourplays.com or by calling (212) 868-4444. Premium tickets are available that include a cast and VIP afterparty, as well as event sponsorship opportunities at www.24hourplays.com/sponsorship.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos