It was a special evening on The Great White Way at the American Airlines Theater.

Some major actors like  Justin Bartha, Leslie Bibb, Katrina Bowden, Mark Consuelos, Laverne Cox, Peter Dinklage, Rachel Dratch, Michael Ealy, Melanie Griffith, Taran Killam, Justin Long, Annet Mahendru, Stephen Merchant, Diane Neal, Rosie Perez, Jay Pharoah, Leven Rambin, Sam Rockwell, Amanda Seyfried, Pablo Schreiber, Sebastian Stan, Cecily Strong and Tracie Thoms donated their time for a great cause by performing in The 24 Hour Plays benefitting The Urban Arts Partnership. Montblanc served as presenting sponsor of the unique event for the ninth year. The evening was a one of a kind theater experience where six short plays were written, rehearsed, directed and performed in a 24-hour period. 

Whether it’s a first-grader with autism making eye contact for the first time, a fifth-grader  sharing his recent immigration story and new American Dream with an audience of applauding classmates, or a high school senior dashing across the stage to claim her diploma, Urban Arts Partnership is proving, child by child, that the arts are our most powerful tool for closing the achievement gap.  Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston also came to show their support.

 

Directors who participated included Sherri Barber, Ari Edelson, Peter Ellenstein, America Ferrera, Leigh Kilton Smith and Kathy Najimy. Writers who participated included David Lindsay Abaire, Christina Anderson, Bekah Brunstetter, David Cross, Jiehae Park and Jonathan Marc Sherman. Musical Guests Andra Day and Bryan Terrell Clark performed some of our favorite songs in between each play.

A fabulous party followed at B.B. King. Guests in attendance enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and premium cocktails from Hanger 1 Vodka and Jose Cuervo Silver while listening to a DJ set by Samantha Ronson. Guests were gifted with Montblanc Femme Individuelle perfume and their Legend cologne.