ABOUT THE 24 HOUR PLAYS

The 24 Hour Plays (est. 1995, Mark Armstrong, artistic director; Madelyn Paquette, managing director) bring together creative communities to produce plays and musicals written, rehearsed, and performed in twenty-four hours. Through our radically present approach to theater, we make work that responds immediately to the world around us, builds communities and generates new artistic partnerships that extend throughout the arts and entertainment industry. Our events include The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway and The 24 Hour Musicals, as well as partner productions in Athens, Denver, Dublin, Finland, Florence, Germany, Little Rock, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco, Savannah and more.

Each summer, we bring together early-career actors, directors, playwrights, producers, composers, designers and stage managers for our annual free professional intensive culminating in their own production of The 24 Hour Plays in an Off-Broadway theater. The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals have introduced audiences and collaborators to a new generation of artists changing the game in theater, television, and film.

Beginning March 17, 2020, The 24 Hour Plays: Viral Monologues generated over 600 new free-to-view theater pieces, featuring over 1000 artists, viewed millions of times worldwide and archived in the Library of Congress. The 24 Hour Plays are an enduring New York City institution, while our licensed affiliates and partners produce The 24 Hour Plays and Musicals in theaters and schools worldwide, impacting everyone from celebrities to students and strengthening creative communities worldwide — one day at a time.