Review: 24-HOUR PLAY FESTIVAL at Contemporary Theater

It's been 18 years that Contemporary Theater Company has been putting on this 24-hour play festival, an amazing concoction of stories and actors and action that just can't be compared to anything else because, frankly, there is nothing else like it.

The 24-hour period kicks off the night before at 11 p.m. when the writers receive "madlib" descriptions for their plays. Two hours later, they receive an object that must be incorporated in the story. By 6 a.m., stage managers show up to print scripts; 7 a.m. is for directors and stage managers to arrive with actors coming on at 8 a.m. The whole group works out the whole day, practicing each of the six plays that will be performed this one night. That's right, all this effort, for one riotous audience, all in one night. Each of the six plays had to incorporate a number of lines in the play no matter what. Some examples include "What could you have possibly done to smell the way you smell right now" or "Well, I'm not the one who came in here and started touching things." But the challenges this night don't only come for the writers...there's challenges for everyone include stage managers, actors and directors including "have a character freeze the action and give some backstory or gossip about something that was just mentioned".

As you can probably assume by now, the six actual performances are highly creative and amazingly so well acted that you have to wonder how they handled all these hurdles in a few hours time. The first play, "I will Kick that soccer ball if it kills me", written by Reed Reed and directed by CATIA and wonderfully acted by Brayden Fanti and Omar Laguerre-Lewis, had to work their humorous performance with a prop thrown in-a harpoon and it was amazing what they did with it. The second play, my favorite of the bunch, "The Codes or Whatever", written by Andy Hoover and Directed by Maggie Cady, features an incredible Sophie Pearson and Olivia Merritt as hilarious Russian spies with Devon Andrews and Paul Kassabian helping with the laugh-tract. Play 3, "Grain Co. Banana Flakes Presents: The Thrilling adventures of Noodles the Campy Clown", my wife's favorite of the night and one she never stopped laughing or breathing at was written by David Marchetti and directed by Valerie and Frank Tarantino featuring a wonderful cast of Laura Kennedy, Ryan Sekac, Matt Fraza, Chelle Kassabian and Susie Chakmakian. After a brief intermission, play 4 kicked off with "A New Leaf" written by Brandon Michael Lowden and directed by Paula Glen featuring Tina Moore, Spencer Curry and Ezri Acton. "Mz. Terre Music" was the fifth play, written by Jaybird Walker and Directed by Witt Tarantino and featuring Elizabeth Tarantino, Autumn Jefferson and Jared Nobrega. The wonderful night was capped off with "Body and Spirit" written by Maggie Papa and Directed by Tammy Brown and featuring Max Rosmarin, Katherine Moore and William Moore.

It's hard to review six different plays, each with its own gift but it's amazing what these talented writers, directors, stage managers, actors and extras can all pull off in one night. You never know what to expect and that is the beauty of the whole thing. It was a lot of humor, amazement, maybe a little bit of cringe but a whole lot of fun for one amazing night. Here's to next year's attempt and make sure you plan the night in advance because it will sell out as well it should. It will likely take you the whole year in between before you stop talking about the incredible things you saw that started less than 24 hours before.

A complete schedule of shows and more information is available at www.contemporarytheatercompany.com or by calling 401-218-0282.

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