The 24 Hour Plays Gala To Honor Kathy Bates in Partnership with LE&RN

Today, The 24 Hour Plays announced that Academy Award-winning actor Kathy Bates will be honored at its 19th Annual The 24 Hour Plays Broadway Gala, as part of the organization's partnership with The Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN). The event will take place on Monday, November 18th, at 8:00pm at the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre in Times Square.

"Kathy Bates is an iconic American artist, renowned for her extraordinary achievements in film, television and theater," said Mark Armstrong, Artistic Director for The 24 Hour Plays. "We are looking forward to hosting an evening that celebrates her passionate activism offstage, in her capacity as the public voice of the Lymphatic Education & Research Network."

Honored numerous times for her work, Kathy is a force on stage, screen and television. On screen, Bates won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her portrayal of obsessed fan "Annie Wilkes" in Rob Reiner's 1990 hit Misery, based on Stephen King's novel. More recently, she garnered rave reviews and her second Emmy award as the deliciously evil "Madame LaLaurie" in American Horror Story: Coven. Bates first gained the attention of critics and audiences on the New York stage, earning two Obie Awards for her performances in Athol Fugard's The Road to Mecca and in the original off-Broadway production of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.

When Bates was diagnosed with lymphedema in 2015, she was determined to use her voice to help others who were suffering. She became LE&RN's National Spokesperson, and has been deeply committed to the role ever since. Founded in 1998, LE&RN has been working to accelerate the prevention, treatment, and cure of lymphatic diseases worldwide.

"When I began working with LE&RN, I realized that the disease I struggled with, lymphedema, was a constant battle for up to 10 million Americans and 250 million people worldwide," said Bates. "Only those who struggle with lymphedema (LE) and lymphatic diseases (LD) know what it's like to battle these diseases every day. We want a cure - and a cure that not only prevents progression, but that reverses LE and LD. Until then, we need greater awareness in the medical community and more money for research. Maybe if people can put my face on lymphedema, then more people will be willing to come out of the shadows and talk about it."

The 24 Hour Plays bring together extraordinary artists to create time-limited theater around the world. Proceeds from The 24 Hour Plays 2019 Broadway Gala support LE&RN's work to fight lymphedema and lymphatic disease through education, research, and advocacy.

The rotating cast for The 24 Hour Plays has included Leslie Bibb, Jason Biggs, Billy Crudup, Hugh Dancy, Daveed Diggs, Peter Dinklage, Rachel Dratch, Jesse Eisenberg, America Ferrera, John Krasinski, Aasif Mandvi, Javier Muñoz, Retta, Amanda Seales, Justice Smith, Amber Tamblyn, Tracie Thoms, Olivia Wilde and many more.

The marathon process for The 24 Hour Plays begins at 10:00pm 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 this as inspiration, the writers spend the night developing 10-minute plays, with rehearsals set to begin at 9:00am the following morning for an 8:00pm performance on November 18th.

Tickets for The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway will be available beginning September 5 for purchase at TodayTix.com. Early access and sponsor packages are available now at 24hourplays.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos