THE 24 HOUR PLAYS to Tribute Nicky Martin And Spencer Cox

The 24 Hour Plays announced that they will once again partner with Bennington College in a one-night-only benefit, The 24 Hour Plays: A Bennington Tribute to Nicky Martin and Spencer Cox on Monday, January 21st at 8:00 PM at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York City.

A cast and crew of Bennington alumni and friends-six writers, six directors, and 24 actors- will create, produce, and perform six short plays in just 24 hours. Proceeds from the benefit will support the Nicky Martin Memorial Scholarship for Performing Arts and the Spencer Cox '90 Field Work Term Fellowship for Student Activists at Bennington College.

Nicky Martin, who died in 2014, was a Tony-nominated and Obie winning theatre director and beloved former faculty member at Bennington College. Martin was at Bennington from the late 1970's to the mid-1980's and inspired a younger generation of directors and actors who he continued to work with throughout his career at the Huntington Theatre Company and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. "No one else in my life experience has been as much of a champion of young people and fledgling artists as Nicky Martin," said Alexander Dodge, Tony-nominated scene designer. "Nicky inspired us to step up to the plate and he often knew what we were capable of before we did ourselves. I am among many who are so grateful for his trust and encouragement."

Bennington alumnus, Spencer Cox, who died in 2012, was a pivotal member of ACT UP, the direct-action advocacy group with a mission to end AIDS. He played a defining role in the formation of the Treatment Action Group (TAG) to focus on accelerating AIDS treatment research. "Spencer Cox was so smart and so imaginative and so filled with passion for our cause," said Larry Kramer, founder of ACT UP. "I'm glad Spencer's memory lives on with evenings such as this one. He made major contributions to the history of drug development that eventually would save the lives of a lot of us."

The marathon process for The 24 Hour Plays begins at 9 p.m. the night before the performance. Writers, directors, actors and production staff 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. At 11 p.m., the writers get to work crafting 10-minute plays overnight; at 9 a.m. the next morning, 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.

Writers include Mohammed Ali, Jill Eisenstadt and Jane Drinkard, Sarah Gancher, Lily Houghton, Jonathan Marc Sherman, and Maia Villa. Directors include Tara Elliott, Lorca Peress, Loren Segan, Julie Tucker, Elizabeth Williamson and special guest David Drake.

Actors include Bahar Baharloo, Aadya Bedi, Chris Boscia, Danielia Cotton, Julia Crowley, Dominik Eisenschmidt, James Habacker, Deidrea Hamid, Colin Hinckley, Maya Macdonald, Joel Marsh Garland, Melinda McGraw, Eben Moore, Gregory Nanopoulos, Mercedes Olea, Julia Prud'homme, Jane Ray, Rob Sedgwick, Molly Tarlov, Nathan Thompson, John Wills Martin, and Brandi Nicole Wilson.

**participants subject to change

"There is so much creativity and drive in the Bennington community," said Mark Armstrong, Executive Director for The 24 Hour Plays, "and we're proud to partner with them on a third event to celebrate the extraordinary lives of Nicholas Martin and Spencer Cox, while raising needed funds for student scholarships."

The Nicky Martin Memorial Scholarship for Performing Arts at Bennington College is awarded on an annual basis to a continuing (third or fourth year) outstanding student with financial need who has an academic concentration in the performing arts (including theater, dance, music, and film) and who has a demonstrated history of, and a passion for, creative and high caliber work in the performing arts. The Scholarship is named in honor of Nicky (Joel) Martin the Tony-nominated and Obie Award-winning theater director and beloved former faculty member at Bennington College.

The Spencer Cox '90 FWT Fellowship is awarded on an annual basis to an outstanding Bennington student in their junior or senior year with a passion for social activism and demonstrated commitment to socially conscious action. Recipients are those who bring a fearless spirit and incisive intellect to bear on pressing social issues in the ways that Spencer demonstrated in his lifetime. Spencer, who died in 2012, was a pivotal member of ACT UP, the direct-action advocacy group with a mission to end AIDS.

THE 24 HOUR PLAYS: A BENNINGTON TRIBUTE TO Nicky Martin and Spencer Cox '90

January 21, 2019 at 8pm

Lucille Lortel Theatre

121 Christopher Street

New York, NY 10014

Tickets for The 24 Hour Plays: A Bennington Tribute to Nicky Martin and Spencer Cox are available for purchase at www.24hourplays.com or by calling (802) 440-4597.

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