My freshman year here, getting to participate in SOT’s own rendition of the “24 Hour Play Project” was the best thing to happen to me at the time.
Not being in the casting pool for that first year seems like such a bummer when you’re in the thick of it all (although in retrospect I’m glad to have waited), and I know that I was itching for a chance to do that acting thang we do. Not only did I get to be involved in my first “show”, but I got to work with some amazing sophomores (holla Kate, Bridget, and Dan you seniors you) and experience what it’s like to create something in under 10 hours. Although for the playwright, the process began the night before. It was hectic, it was crazy, it was incredibly nerve-wracking, but it was oh-so-amazingly rewarding. If only for the fact that I got Matt Ketai’s stamp of approval that night when he introduced himself to me and said “I don’t talk to people I don’t like. So hello”.
However, the most important thing I think I learned from that experience was that time-crunches are the instruments by which we tell the stories we’ve dreamed of telling, but never forced ourselves to finish. It gives everyone involved such an amazing opportunity to get right down to work and discard the theorizing, the dilly-dallying, the excess conversation. It’s straight-up work. But the time-lock is exhilarating and exciting and adds a sense of danger to the whole process. Now, one might say that because of the short span of time the emphasis is more on product than on process. Well, maybe, but who cares? Even if one’s emphasis is product, don’t you still learn something through the PROCESS of getting there? I love that our mantra at this school is Process over Product. It’s been really helpful for me as an artist because I’ve had to reflect on all the journeys that have brought me where I am now. Like my experience with the 24 Hour Play Project which I wouldn’t trade for the world. But also…I want my product to be good. And I think that’s really okay. If I didn’t want my product to be good, good as in moving, meaningful, helpful, cathartic, life-changing, than what am I doing here?
I started thinking about these 24 Hour Play Projects while perusing the good book (of faces) and coming across a picture that a close family friend had posted. Peter Ellenstein, or Uncle Peter to some, is the current Artistic Director at the William Inge Center for the Arts in Independence, Kansas and he has had the good fortune of participating in the 24 Hour Plays in NYC for the last several years. The 24 Hour Play galas in New York, LA, and London each invite celebrities to participate and raise money for the Urban Arts Partnership which fosters inner city kids to transform their lives artistically. Today, Peter posted a picture with the caption “Really Fun Cast!” that included Justin Long, David Cross, Gabourey Sidibe and I thought to myself, who are you and how do I lead your life? I started this post with the intention of posting that picture, but I think in good form I will not as it is not mine to share. However the picture above is from the 2007 24HrPP from the piece Peter directed called “Tenure” by Michael Lew. It starred Elizabeth Banks, Aasif Mondvi, and for their first-but-not-last encounter, David Cross. Basically he directs famous people and I do not. Yet. I also got this photo from facebook but I feel like enough time has passed that all is appropriate with the world.
Last year we didn’t do the 24 Hour Play Project and I hope it does not happen again. It is such a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together and create! Seniors…register us please here. We can win things like fame and fortune and notoriety. Let’s do it!
