OUTREACH
24 Hour Musical
“We believe everyone can use their unique talents to make a tangible difference in our community, which is why we partner with local charities each year for our 24 Hour Musical fundraiser.”
The 24 Hour Musical exists to better our community through theater arts. We believe that theatre can (and should!) be used to make a difference in our world. So that's what we do, and we do it while creating unifying, uplifting community experiences and introducing exciting new challenges for theatre artists.
Since 2014, the annual 24 Hour Musical has put together a full-scale, Broadway-style musical production in only 24 hours. We bring together a diverse group of theatre artists and volunteers from around the Upstate to make this possible. Funding for the event comes entirely from donations, sponsorships, and fundraisers. Tickets to the show are free, with donations accepted, and all proceeds from the show go directly to our charity partner.
Throughout the month of May, actors submit audition videos online. The creative team notifies those who are cast in the show. The title of the show remains a secret until just 24 hours before showtime. The cast, creative team, and sponsors come together for a Kick-Off Party on the night before the show. The show is revealed, and the actors’ roles are announced. Rehearsals begin immediately, running through the night, while teams of volunteers simultaneously locate props, make costumes, and built sets.
THE NEXT 24 HOUR MUSICAL WILL TAKE PLACE in AUGUST 2024.
DATE & AUDITION INFO ARE TYPICALLY ANNOUNCED IN MAY-JUNE.
+ 24 Hour Musical History
Inspired by the efforts and format of likeminded theatre artists in Chicago, Noah and Carlie Taylor founded Anderson’s 24 Hour Musical as an independent non-profit organization in 2014, before The Market Theatre Company even existed.
24 Hour Musical founders and team members also founded The Market Theatre Company in 2016. In 2018, the boards of directors of each organization decided that both organizations could further their missions by officially joining forces. The two organizations merged, with 24 Hour Musical and Shakespeare in the Park becoming part of The Market’s annual mainstage season.
August 9, 2014 • $1,530.50 raised for the Anderson Free Clinic
Year 2: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
July 11, 2015 • $2,346.65 raised for the Cancer Association of Anderson
Year 3: The Wizard of Oz
August 6, 2016 • $2,032.75 raised for The Champions Center for Special Children (formerly DCEC)
Year 4: High School Musical
August 12, 2017 • $3,505.02 for Meals on Wheels of Anderson
Year 5: Beauty and the Beast
August 4, 2018 • $3,928.00 raised for the Anderson County Foster Parents Association
Year 6: Footloose
August 10, 2019 • $5,595.00 raised for The LOT Project
Year 7: The Little Mermaid
August 7, 2021 • $6,127.80 raised for Foothills Alliance
Year 8: Godspell
August 6, 2022 • $6,258.71 raised for Calvary Home for Children
Year 9: Peter Pan
August 5, 2023 • $9,067.00 raised for the Cleo Bailey Experiment
Year 10: To Be Announced
August 2024
Funds Raised to Date: $40,391.43
Mobile Production Unit
“The MPU is a touring show that travels to underserved parts of our community to perform, engage, and fulfill our fundamental belief that “the arts are for everyone”. Touring locations include homeless shelters, food pantries, correctional facilities, libraries, low-income housing, nursing homes, and community centers. ”
The 2021-2022 MPU show was Every Brilliant Thing, a stirring one-person show by Duncan Macmillan and Johnny Donahoe. With audience participation throughout, the script is both extremely moving and incredibly funny. This extraordinarily approachable piece of theatre addresses depression and hardship with the potential to transform trauma and unlock understanding.
Every Brilliant Thing was directed by Market Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director, Drew Whitley.
The MPU production performed free of charge at locations including The LOT Project, the Anderson County Library System, Greenwood Community Theatre, and the Jo Brown Senior Center.
Free Outdoor Theatre
“The arts are for everyone. Market Theatre is committed to creating accessible theatre through free performances like our annual Shakespeare in the Park.”
Each summer, The Market partners with the City of Anderson to produce free Shakespeare in the Park in Carolina Wren Park. This annual tradition draws hundreds to downtown Anderson and makes classical theatre freely accessible to the public.
Expanding on the success of Shakespeare in the Park, the City of Anderson and Market Theatre have partnered to produce other free outdoor shows such as the play Lepers in Wren Pavilion, a Broadway in the Park concert, and Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods.
