The 24 Hour Play Festival: An Orientation Must
Orientation 2014 is almost here and I couldn't be more excited. In just a few days I get to move in early, put on a bright yellow shirt, and welcome the freshman class to one of the best places on Earth. As move-in day approaches, I can’t help but think back to my own orientation experience. Among the many wonderful memories that come to mind—meeting my roommates for the first time, participating in Wilson Day, attending the Celebrate Diversity dance performances—one event surfaces to the top: the 24 Hour Play Festival. Participating in the festival was by far my favorite part of orientation and I envy the lucky members of the Class of 2018 who will be able to participate this year.
Here’s why I (highly) recommend getting involved in this event:
1. It’s an awesome concept.
The 24 Hour Play Festival is not 24 hours of play performances. It isn’t even a single 24-hour-long performance (as cool as that would be). No, the 24 Hour Play Festival is an event in which a group of enthusiastic freshmen come together with some upperclassmen thespians to write, cast, rehearse, and perform a series of short plays all within 24 hours.
It’s awesome.
2. There’s something for everyone.
Whether you were born for the spotlight, have a gift for wordsmithing, like to tell people what to do, or prefer sticking behind the scenes, the 24 Hour Play Festival has something for you. Even those with zero theatre experience can have a great time being a part of this event as an actor, writer, director, or stagehand. Everyone gets to be involved, and anyone who auditions for a part gets one.
3. You get your first all-nighter under your belt (maybe).
Nervous about those infamous college all-nighters? Well, if you participate in the 24 Hour Play Festival, you’ll be an all-nighter vet by the time your first big exam rolls around and will get to show your peers how it’s done. After the plays are written, auditions take place, and casting decisions are made, actors and directors work through the night rehearsing to make sure their plays will be absolutely perfect (or at least entertaining) for the performances the following evening. If you’re lucky, your director might even give you a couple hours to get a bit of shut-eye before breakfast.
4. You create something unforgettable.
The productions that come out of the 24 Hour Play Festival (much like the productions that come out of the Rochester theatre community in general) can be unpredictable. Last year we had very serious plays mixed with hilarious comedies. And then there was my play, Driving in the Fast Lane at Teakettle Junction, which had me staring as “Bambi”—fate disguised as a talking slam-poet walrus with a taste for pot. My co-stars included an insecure animal rights activist (rescuing me from the zoo), a pansexual cop, and “Tina the Turtle Terminator.” No matter what your play ends up being (or if you play a part in making all of them come together backstage), being a part of the 24 Hour Play Festival is a unique and memorable experience, sure to inspire many a fond memory.
5. The goal is fun, not flawlessness.
In the words of many Rochester theatre regulars, “The 24 Hour Play Festival plays are supposed to suck.” While I wouldn’t quite put it this way, it is true that expectations are fairly low (no orientation event should be stressful). With only 24 hours to put together a production and actors (sometimes inexperienced ones) functioning on minimal sleep in the midst of an already exhausting week, the plays tend to be a little rough and usually contain a few misspoken lines (especially when you’re like me and are expected to speak only in philosophical rhymes). Nevertheless, the plays are always a hit with those who get to the theatre early enough to get a seat.
No matter how incredible (or incredibly bad) your play ends up being, you’re guaranteed to share many laughs both before and after the curtain call—and that’s really what it’s all about anyway.
6. You actually bond with your peers.
Not that other orientation events aren’t great for meeting people, but there’s just no way you’ll get as close to your classmates in a half hour session of lawn games as you will spending 24 hours creating a play together. A couple of the people I met during the festival remained my close friends for the rest of the year. Oftentimes the people you meet during orientation don’t end up being part of your ultimate friend group. After sharing a few laughs at the party on the quad you don’t see them again, you forget their name, and forget what they look like as you become closer with your hallmates and fellow club members. But with the 24 Hour Play Festival, this isn’t the case (at least in my experience). After undergoing such an incredible journey with someone, it’s easy to feel committed to keeping in touch, even when you don’t have classes, housing, or extracurriculars in common.
7. You get a foot in the door with the UR theatre community.
Maybe you’ve been acting since before you could walk and can’t wait to be adopted into the Rochester theatre family. Perhaps you’re a closet theatre lover excited to get involved for the first time. Either way, the 24 Hour Play Festival can get you connected to the people you need to know and give you a feel for Rochester theatre. The festival combines the freedom of student-run theatre (like The Opposite of People) with the advanced tech and performance spaces of academic theatre (the International Theatre Program), giving freshmen the best of both worlds. While participation in the 24 Hour Play Festival is not a requirement for getting involved in the theatre community, it is a great way to get started. And really, if you love theatre, why wouldn't you want to?