THE 24 HOUR PLAYS on Broadway to Honor Tony Nominated Director Leigh Silverman

On November 14, 2016, distinguished artists from across the nation's entertainment industry will come together for the 16th annual gala production of The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway, an intensive theatrical endeavor where they will write, direct, and perform six original short plays within 24 hours. Now in their 21st year, The 24 Hour Plays bring together extraordinary artists to create time-limited theater around the world, raising millions of dollars for charity.

This year, The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway will honor Leigh Silverman -- director of MCC's current production of Neil LaBute's All The Ways to Say I Love You starring Judith Light and The New Group's upcoming production of Sweet Charity starring Sutton Foster -- with the Artistic Inspiration Award.

Funds raised at the event support The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, an annual program which brings together young actors, writers, directors and producers from around the country for a series of intensive workshops, panel discussions, and finally their own original production of The 24 Hour Plays in a Manhattan theater.

The cast for this year's The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway event will be announced in the coming weeks. Previous performers have included Jennifer Aniston, Elizabeth Banks, David Cross, Billy Crudup, Rosario Dawson, Rachel Dratch, America Ferrera, Seth Green, Scarlett Johansson, Ashton Kutcher, Anthony Mackie, James McAvoy, Eva Mendes, Julianne Moore, Tracy Morgan, Rosie Perez, Chris Rock, Andre Royo, Sarah Silverman, Julia Stiles, M. Ward, Naomi Watts, Olivia Wilde and many more.

"Leigh Silverman is one of the great theater artists of my generation," said Mark Armstrong, Executive Director of The 24 Hour Plays. "Her work demonstrates something that we emphasize with the young artists who participate in our programs, which is that building strong, vibrant creative communities can sustain an artist over the course of her career. Leigh is a champion of new plays and she has been singularly inspiring to us and to the alumni of The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, who will present her with our Artistic Inspiration Award on November 14."

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.

"For 21 years, The 24 Hour Plays have galvanized creative communities around the world," said Armstrong. "But New York City is our home and we can't wait to be back at the American Airlines theater for our flagship event, which raises money to support our professional intensive for young theater artists. Each year, The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals is the joyful, passionate sound of a generation in the theater finding their voice together," said Armstrong.

In recent years, young artists have participated in team-building exercises and panel discussions with artists including Kevin Spacey, Claire Danes, Aasif Mandvi, Annie Baker, Thomas Kail, Liesl Tommy, Denis O'Hare, Leigh Silverman, Adam Rapp, Christopher Shinn, Austin Pendleton, Warren Leight and many others.

"The Nationals present a great opportunity for young artists to meet their peers and begin building the relationships that will serve them throughout their careers," says founder and current board member Tina Fallon, who created The 24 Hour Plays in 1995. "Each year, we seek the very best of the next generation of theater artists and we will arm them with what they need to find their way in this business-which is to say, each other."

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

THE 24 HOUR PLAYS ON BROADWAY is set for November 14, 2016 at 8 p.m. at 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. Special access packages are available at www.citiprivatepass.com.

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. For more, visit www.24hourplays.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride