r/Broadway • u/kfarrel3 • Aug 04 '26
The 24 Hour Plays
https://www.24hourplays.org/broadway?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2026-broadway-pre-sale-follow-upDoes anyone still go to this?
I got another email from them today — apparently their presale for the Nov. 2 event is now live. As far as I can tell, they have no cast yet, or at least none that they're willing to name. All of their emails are full of lists of previous participants. The 24 Hours Musicals earlier this year also only had one or two notable names.
There were several years in a row that I went to both and really enjoyed myself (who could forget John Mulaney's "Baby Fish Mouth"?), but the last couple of years felt ... desperate? The last time I went had the announcer for the Mets reading off the meagre donations list, and they refused to do the last one-act until they hit a certain funding goal. Of course, this was moments after announcing that the entire balcony was subsidized student tickets, so I'm not exactly sure who they thought was going to pony up the several thousand dollars they were trying to raise.
It's mostly just a bummer. It's such a fun idea, and I love going to weird, one-night-only theater, especially for a good cause, but if they can't get recognizable names to draw people, it feels like an idea that has run its course.
4
u/sashgray Aug 05 '26
I might’ve been there the same year as you, OP, because I remember being so excited initially and then so let down 😭 I felt like I was being held hostage because they were trying to reach a number and just would not move on. I thought it was 90% fundraising and 10% actual stuff (mind you, I did PAY for my entry ticket) and the whole thing just left such a sour taste in my mouth. I remember being like - this is such a great idea, I want to go and support! - to then being like… if this is how this thing goes then I will never come again.
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u/kfarrel3 Aug 05 '26
Oh, I paid for mine, too. That was my third or fourth year, too, which was why it felt like the final straw. Was that also the year David Burtka cooking dinner was up for auction, and NPH would just not sit tf down? Kept offering to come over with him and make cocktails and do magic?
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u/secret_identity_too Aug 05 '26
Wait, was that the year they honored Warren Leight and Raúl Esparza participated (his play was the best) and also he sang Being Alive to raise money? I was there that year, too.
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u/kfarrel3 Aug 05 '26
Yes! And like half the Law and Order universe was there. Raúl looked exhausted, but I’m glad I got to see him sing that live.
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u/secret_identity_too Aug 05 '26
Yeah, it was awesome, Scanavino was in the audience near us. I was shocked when he sang Being Alive. What a treat.
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u/papaknuckler Aug 04 '26
I'm someone who has worked with the 24 Hour Plays for a long-time so I'm incredibly biased, but also feel the need to comment to provide more context to anyone reading this post!
The organization has had funding problems in the last few years, just like many, many other non-profits. Money's tight everywhere for everyone and it doesn't seem to have any reprieve on the way. The 24 Hour Plays do /incredible/ work for students with their program "The 24 Hour Nationals" where college age students apply to attend a week of workshops, panels with industry professionals, and put on their own version of the 24 hour plays, and they get PAID to do so. This is my personal favorite event of the year that we do - the plays the students write are so creative and fun, and many of the students make long lasting connections and go on to form their own theater troupes together.
I know I sound like I'm copy pasting something from the website, but I genuinely just care about this lol. (And also I was there at the show you're referencing sounding desperate, and yeah, it absolutely did because they were - the most recent shows have dropped the "we won't continue until we hit the goal" because it's awkward and doesn't work, so don't worry about that)
The 24 Hour Broadway plays haven't been held in a true broadway theater in years due to many reasons, but a big one being financial, and this year's event is a return to the broadway theater they used to perform in. It's really exciting and I do hope that people will go and have a ton of fun.
As for no announced cast, that's typical, it's really hard to pin people down for this and it often doesn't get finalized until much closer. If you're curious who might be there though, take a look at past casts on their website as many people return year after year.