Successful 24 Hour Theater program returns

Abrams Spotlight Productions (ASPI) will present a series of spooky skits at its second annual 24 Hour Theater event.

Individuals ages 14 and older are invited to participate in this Halloween-themed creative event on Oct. 25-26 at the Nancy Byng Community Theater, 5852 Maple St., Abrams.

Within 24 hours, participants will write and produce a 60- to 90-minute performance from scratch. The production will consist of a series of short plays. There’s no cost to participate, and no experience is necessary. In fact, 24 Hour Theater offers the perfect opportunity for people to try something new.

In its inaugural year in 2023, the event attracted 10 participants ranging in age from 15 to 65. One participant, Gail Irwin, described the event as an exhilarating, yet exhausting 24 hours.

“In my busy schedule, 24 Hour Theater was perfect,” she said. “The compact, mixed-age experiment in creativity and improvisation felt like a grown-up play date with a bunch of friendly strangers. The fact that it was free and open to all ages made it accessible to anyone with the guts to try it, regardless of experience.”

Mike Eserkaln, ASPI director and owner of Comedy City De Pere, coordinates and oversees 24 Hour Theater.

The event begins at 7 p.m. Oct. 25, when participants gather at the theater in Abrams. The creative process begins with ice-breaking activities before organizers randomly assign writers to work with two to five actors and a director. The writers draft short plays until 7 a.m. Oct. 26.

From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 26, participants memorize lines, find props, choose costumes, rehearse and manage technical aspects like lighting and sound cues. At 7 p.m., participants present the skits they created. Admission to the event is $5, and tickets can be purchased at the box office on the day of the event.

Registration is recommended, with sign-up at www.abramstheater.com.