Working against the clock:
The 24 Hour Plays is a theatrical fundraising event, wherein six short plays are written overnight, and rehearsed, teched, and presented all within 24 hours. The finished plays are presented at the Abbey Theatre for a live audience and for one night only.
Each play has its own writer, director, assistant director, and a cast of professional actors. At 9am, rehearsals begin, and throughout the day a backstage team of producers, lighting, sound and costume designers, stage managers and assistant stage managers, and theatre technicans work tirelessly to ensure these shows are teched and ready for curtain at 7.30pm, live on the Abbey stage!
To date, The 24 Hour Plays: Dublin has produced 54 new plays over its 9 year history, including three all-singing, all-dancing musicals. We look forward to seeing what mini-masterpieces are created in 2023.
Casting:
The process for assembling the cast and creative team for The 24 Hour Plays: Dublin begins months in advance of the annual production.
The team is put together by show producer Eva Scanlan and Aisling O’Brien, who strive to bring together a mix of writers, directors, and actors from Ireland’s stage and screen, across a wide range of ages and levels of experience. Over 400 of Ireland’s top theatre artists have taken part in the production since 2012, so there will be a few returning alumni every year, plus some brand new participants eager to join in with the fun.
There is no casting call or auditions for the show, nor is the casting team at the Abbey Theatre involved in the process (though they very kindly pass on emails!).
If you wish to be considered for the cast or creative team, please send a message through the link below. Due to the voluntary nature of the entire process and the very busy period in the run up to the production, it’s quite likely that you won’t get a direct reply for a few weeks. Please be patient on this front!
Behind The Scenes:
Since 2012, we’ve had countless behind-the-scenes theatre artists work on the production, with a core stage management, design, and production team returning year-on-year.
If you are interested in working on the show in a backstage or technical capacity, please reach out at the link below.
Raising funds for Dublin Youth Theatre:
All box office proceeds from ticket sales, donations, and cash sponsorship go directly to Dublin Youth Theatre. Everyone involved on the production donates their time, energy, and talent, taking part on a pro-bono basis in order to ensure the biggest financial return for DYT.
Since the first show in 2012, over €120,000 has been raised for Dublin Youth Theatre, and the delivery of their programme of work. For more about DYT please visit their website, at this link.
There are multiple ways to support Dublin Youth Theatre, including by becoming a Friend or donating directly.
Buying a ticket to The 24 Hour Plays: Dublin is a great way to support DYT directly, and guarantees you a seat in the house for one of the most exciting nights on the theatrical calendar! Tickets start at €35.