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"  The contents of my rather scant theatrical resume include an introductory acting course at NYU, some private classes held in a makeshift space above a deli in my hometown when I was 13, and a couple of criminally minor roles in my high school&amp;#039;s musicals. So when I was invited by At Play Productions to participate in The 24-Hour Plays Off Broadway\u2014in which professional actors, writers, and directors gather to create six ten-minute works from scratch in one day\u2014I was understandably a little daunted. The process was as follows: Everyone arrived for a meet-and-greet at the Atlantic Theater Sunday night at 9pm, armed with costumes and props (which included a six-pack of Miller Light, a surgical mask, a pair of pirate hats, a baby doll, and other assorted items). The writers were then left to conceive plays based on these offerings overnight. Monday at 7am, the directors returned to review the scripts, and 8am was call-time for the actors. My fearless fellow performers included host Nikki Blonsky (Hairspray), Max Casella (The Sopranos), Laura Breckenridge (Gossip Girl), and Joey Slotnick (Nip/Tuck).  The mini-play to which I was assigned, &amp;quot;Like,&amp;quot; followed a tense dinner with an irritatingly cutesy couple and a friend determined to stop staying the titular word. My role, as a frazzled waitress, included a comic monologue towards the scene&amp;#039;s end. I spent the day running lines with my director Zack, and castmates Stefanie, Roarke, and Olivia. While Zack provoked thoughtful discussion on each character&amp;#039;s development, the biggest challenge was memorizing the script by sundown. But even amid the chaotic circumstances, everyone had just about nailed the dialogue by the 8pm curtain call. Fortunately, our group went first, so we were free to watch the five remaining plays, which included &amp;quot;Wax Party&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;The Forrest of Imagination: A Tribute to the King of Pop.&amp;quot; Despite my initial trepidation, the show was as much fun to perform in as it was to watch\u2014especially the finale, in which Blonsky invited the actors back to the stage for a spirited rendition of &amp;quot;You Can&amp;#039;t Stop the Beat.&amp;quot; Check back tomorrow for video footage from the show and rehearsals. And for information on future productions, visit atplayproductions.com. \u2014Erin Clements  The producers: Kelcie and Carly  Casella demonstrates special talent at the meet-and-greet  Running lines outside with the other cast members  Rehearsing onstage Photos: Kelly Stuart "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elle.com/culture/news/a2106/my-off-broadway-debut-in-the-24-hour-plays-2403/>