'24 Hour Creative' Issues Theatrical Challenge

How’s this for laying it on the line? Starting Friday night, six writers, six directors and 20 or so actors will risk their reputations by creating an evening of theater in only 24 hours.

The special theatrical event, called 24 Hour Creative, involves six short, all-new plays being written, cast and rehearsed and then finally performed Saturday night on Stage II at Camino Real Playhouse.

“This is the first time that we are doing 24 Hour Creative,” said Beverly Blake, vice president of Camino Real Playhouse. 24 Hour Creative has been done for several years on Broadway and in major metropolitan areas, but we are the first to bring it to Orange County.”

Jennifer Hartline and Bruce Alexander are the creative directors behind the event who have organized the writers and directors. Both Hartline and Alexander were winners in the original playwriting and directing festival ShowOff! 2011. Hartline served as director of the second-place winner, Death of a Salesman—The Musical (written by Alexander under the pseudonym Leslie Shelly Orsino). Alexander also wrote Eureka, which took third place. 

“24 Hour Creative is going to be a real high-wire act for the writers, the directors and the actors—especially for the writers, since we’re writing all night Friday, and I bet it’s been a long time since any of us pulled an all-nighter,” Alexander said. “It’s going to be real exciting, and everyone should come see it.”

Showtime is 8 p.m. Saturday for the one-night-only event. Tickets are $18 each. Purchase tickets online at Camino Real Playhouse's website or by calling the box office at 949-489-8082.