• Intelligencer
  • The Cut
  • Vulture
  • The Strategist
  • Curbed
  • Grub Street
  • Subscribe to the Magazine Give a Gift Subscription Buy Back Issues Current Issue Contents
    Subscribe to New York Magazine
  • Subscribe
  • Profile
    Sign Out
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Comedy
  • Music
  • TV Recaps
  • Streamliner
  • Vulture Lists
  • Books
  • Theater
  • Art
  • The Gold Rush
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • About Vulture
  • How to Pitch
  • Newsletters
  • Games
  • Vulture Festival
  • NYMag.com
  • New York Magazine
  • Intelligencer
  • Vulture
  • The Cut
  • The Strategist
  • Grub Street
  • Curbed
Subscribe Give A Gift
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Comedy
  • Music
  • TV Recaps
  • Streamliner
  • Vulture Lists
  • Books
  • Theater
  • Art
  • The Gold Rush
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • About Vulture
  • How to Pitch
  • Newsletters
  • Games
  • Vulture Festival
  • NYMag.com
  • New York Magazine
  • Intelligencer
  • Vulture
  • The Cut
  • The Strategist
  • Grub Street
  • Curbed
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin It
+Comments Leave a Comment
November 17, 2015

Photos: Follow Taran Killam As He Helps Put Together a Play in 24 Hours

By Dolly Faibyshev

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin It
Photo: Dolly Faibyshev

They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they never say Rome wasn’t built in a play — wait, no, I mean they never say a play wasn’t built in day. That’s because of the 24 Hour Plays, a group of actors, writers, and directors who write and produce short plays in 24 hours, with the proceeds of the performances going to charity. Last night was the 15th annual 24 Hour Plays on Broadway, an event put on by the company to benefit the Urban Arts Partnership, a nonprofit that creates arts-integrated programs for underprivileged public-school students.

How it worked was six groups — each with its own writer, director, and ensemble — met at the American Airlines Theater at 10 p.m. Sunday. The writers, which included David Cross, Jonathan Marc Sherman, and Lucy Thurber, then worked overnight putting together a script that the directors and cast had started Monday morning. Each group then had all day to prepare their plays, leading up to the performance at 8 p.m. Monday back at the American Airlines Theater. Actors for this 24 Hour Plays included Rosie Perez, John Krasinski, Taran Killam, Edie Falco, Ben Foster, Cecily Strong, Rachel Dratch, Jay Pharoah, Amber Tamblyn, and Julia Stiles.

Vulture spent the day with Killam, from the orientation the night before to the final bow a full day later. This is how you put on a play in 24 hours.

View
1 / 12 Photos
Taran Killam entering the American Airlines Theater, 24 hours before he'll be performing an as-yet-unwritten play. Taran Killam entering the American Airlines Theater, 24 hours before he'll be performing an as-yet-unwritten play.

Taran Killam entering the American Airlines Theater, 24 hours before he'll be performing an as-yet-unwritten play.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
Killam says hello to David Krumholtz and David Krumholtz's cheek. Killam says hello to David Krumholtz and David Krumholtz's cheek.

Killam says hello to David Krumholtz and David Krumholtz's cheek.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
The orientation. The orientation.

The orientation.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
Killam takes a selfie with Alyssa “Lady Logic” Saunders, a formerly homeless poet/writer/performer who won a scholarship from the Urban Arts Partnership and performed a spoken-word piece before the 24 Hour Play performances. Killam takes a selfie with Alyssa “Lady Logic” Saunders, a formerly homeless poet/writer/performer who won a scholarship from the Urban Arts Partnership and performed a spoken-word piece before the 24 Hour Play performances.

Killam takes a selfie with Alyssa “Lady Logic” Saunders, a formerly homeless poet/writer/performer who won a scholarship from the Urban Arts Part...

Killam takes a selfie with Alyssa “Lady Logic” Saunders, a formerly homeless poet/writer/performer who won a scholarship from the Urban Arts Partnership and performed a spoken-word piece before the 24 Hour Play performances.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
Killam begins rehearsing his group's play, Waiting for Hello, written by Jonathan Marc Sherman, with co-star Molly Ringwald and director Thomas Kail. Killam begins rehearsing his group's play, Waiting for Hello, written by Jonathan Marc Sherman, with co-star Molly Ringwald and director Thomas Kail.

Killam begins rehearsing his group's play, Waiting for Hello, written by Jonathan Marc Sherman, with co-star Molly Ringwald and director Thomas Kail.

...

Killam begins rehearsing his group's play, Waiting for Hello, written by Jonathan Marc Sherman, with co-star Molly Ringwald and director Thomas Kail.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
Killam with co-star John Krasinski. Killam with co-star John Krasinski.

Killam with co-star John Krasinski.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
Killam rehearses on the American Airlines Theater stage, in front of the set of the current run of Harold Pinter's Old Times. Killam rehearses on the American Airlines Theater stage, in front of the set of the current run of Harold Pinter's Old Times.

Killam rehearses on the American Airlines Theater stage, in front of the set of the current run of Harold Pinter's Old Times.

Photo: Dolly Faib...

Killam rehearses on the American Airlines Theater stage, in front of the set of the current run of Harold Pinter's Old Times.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
Lunchtime! Lunchtime!

Lunchtime!

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
Killam seeing what the audience will eventually see. Killam seeing what the audience will eventually see.

Killam seeing what the audience will eventually see.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
Killam rehearses with Kail and the entire Waiting for Hello cast: Krasinski, Ringwald, and Zuleikha Robinson. Killam rehearses with Kail and the entire Waiting for Hello cast: Krasinski, Ringwald, and Zuleikha Robinson.

Killam rehearses with Kail and the entire Waiting for Hello cast: Krasinski, Ringwald, and Zuleikha Robinson.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
Killam practices singing Adele's "Hello" before showtime. Killam practices singing Adele's "Hello" before showtime.

Killam practices singing Adele's "Hello" before showtime.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
All the casts and crews give a final bow. All the casts and crews give a final bow.

All the casts and crews give a final bow.

Photo: Dolly Faibyshev
1 / 12

Tags:

  • taran killam
  • saturday night live

More Galleries

photo essay Nov. 9, 2022
‘My Hometown Thought I Was a Freak’  Down and out in New York City’s 1980s hardcore scene. 
By Caryn Rose
live from the black carpet Aug. 28, 2022
See Every Red-Carpet Look From the 2022 MTV VMAs  Lil Nas X, Taylor Swift, Måneskin, Lizzo and more are hitting the black carpet. 
By Savannah Salazar
first person Aug. 17, 2022
The Voice of New York Is Drill  It’s the most captivating sound the city has heard in decades — and also the most misunderstood. Here, 19 NY drill artists set the record straight. 
By Camille Squires
gallery July 19, 2022
Bradley Cooper As Bernstein  On the town and on the set with the biopic version of Lenny. 
By Justin Davidson
gallery June 23, 2022
The Faces of The Tribeca Film Festival 2022  Megan Fox, Robert De Niro, J. Lo, and more smize for the camera. 
By Vulture Editors
scenes May 18, 2022
PinkPantheress Fans Only  Everyone’s a main character at the anonymous singer’s live New York debut. 
By Rebecca Jennings
life in pictures Apr. 12, 2022
Sexy Cyrano  Behind the scenes at BAM with James McAvoy as he brings a smoldering version of de Bergerac Stateside. 
By Pari Dukovic
grammys 2022 Apr. 3, 2022
See Every Red Carpet Look From the 2022 Grammy Awards  Doja Cat, BTS, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, and more. 
By Savannah Salazar
oscars 2022 Mar. 27, 2022
See Every Red-Carpet Look From the 2022 Oscars  As the cast of High School Musical 3 once said, “Tonight’s the night!” 
By Savannah Salazar
reasons to love new york Dec. 10, 2021
Snapshots of the City Where Movies Were Born  Because every street has a story to tell; all you need is a camera to tell it. 
By Vulture Editors
gallery Nov. 19, 2021
The Faces of Vulture Festival 2021  We welcomed Issa Rae, Henry Winkler, John Cho, and dozens of other stars (plus one good dog) to our photo studio. 
By Bobby Doherty
emmys 2021 Sept. 19, 2021
See Every Red Carpet Look from the 2021 Primetime Emmys  Michaela Coel, Elizabeth Olsen, Anya Taylor-Joy, and more grace the Emmys red carpet. 
By Savannah Salazar
met gala 2021 Sept. 14, 2021
See Every Celebrity Look From Met Gala 2021  Including Rihanna, Billie Eilish, and more. 
By Charu Sinha
vmas 2021 Sept. 12, 2021
See Every Red-Carpet Look From the 2021 MTV VMAs  Doja Cat, Kacey Musgraves, Lil Nas X, and more arrive on the red carpet. 
By Savannah Salazar
oscars 2021 Apr. 25, 2021
See Every Red-Carpet Look From the 2021 Oscars  Colman Domingo, Steven Yeun, Emerald Fennell, and more are gracing the red carpet of the 93rd Academy Awards. 
By Savannah Salazar
grammys 2021 Mar. 14, 2021
See Every ‘Red Carpet’ Look From the 2021 Grammy Awards  Check out Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby, and more in their red carpet looks. 
By Savannah Salazar
the gold rush Feb. 28, 2021
See Every ‘Red Carpet’ Look From the 2021 Golden Globes  Here’s to looking glam even at home. 
By Savannah Salazar
emmys 2020 Sept. 20, 2020
See Every ‘Red Carpet’ Look From the 2020 Emmys  At home and all dolled up. 
By Rebecca Alter
art June 29, 2020
See Peter Hujar’s Portraits of a Long-Ago Queer Downtown  Including a kittenish Fran Lebowitz. 
By Trupti Rami
psa Apr. 17, 2020
A Times Square Tribute to All of Us  Two dozen artists say thank-you. 
By Michael Kaler
More Galleries
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Comedy
  • Music
  • What To Stream
  • About Vulture
  • About New York Magazine
  • Newsletters
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • We’re Hiring
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Ad Choices
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Accessibility
vulture is a Vox Media Network. © 2023 Vox Media, LLC. All rights reserved.