24 Hour Plays Savannah Digital Program 2025

Thank you to everyone who made The 24 Hour Plays: Savannah such a success! We plan on doing it again in 2026.

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The 24 Hour Plays (est. 1995, Mark Armstrong, artistic director) bring together creative communities to produce plays and musicals written, rehearsed, and performed in twenty-four hours! A group of writers, directors, actors, technicians, volunteers, and production staff met for the first time last night, Friday, September 26, at 8pm with blank sheets of paper and no idea what they’d be doing on stage tonight.

Since then, the writers have written, the directors have directed, the actors have rehearsed, the technicians have figured out how it’s all going to be done, and the entire team is excited to show you what they have come up with in 24 hours!

The 24 Hour Plays: Savannah benefits The Savannah Performance Alliance, a non-profit organization made up of local performers and theatre companies dedicated to promoting the performing arts in Savannah.

THE 24 HOUR PLAYS: SAVANNAH

For Savannah Performance Alliance
Chris Bass, Executive Director
Gwen Leahy, Managing Director
Ryan McCurdy, Consulting Producer
Rick Garman, Consulting Producer

For The 24 Hour Plays
Serena Berman
Kate Willard

The Tech Team
Alexander Holcey
Katie Schmitz

SEPARATION ANXIETY

Written by
Chris Bass

Directed by
DJ Queenan

Featuring
Chris Bass as Dr. Vincent
AJae Michele as Joyce
Elliot Szabo as Jim

THE CHOICE

Written by
Emily Bonifacio

Directed by
Nicole Borysowicz

Featuring
Molly Alexander as Sam
Kareem McMichael as James
Lucy Rushing as Nancy

SOMETHING IN THE WATER

Written by
Rick Garman

Directed by
Ryan McCurdy

Featuring
Carol Dines as Cassie
Scenarious Thurmond as Priscilla

METAL BIRD

Written by
Isaac Littleton

Directed by
Justice Maxey

Featuring
Gavin Bishop as Miles
Wade Gonsoulin as Victor
Luisa Nolasco as Clara

AN ALTERNATIVE HORROR

Written by
Thomas Houston

Directed by
Necol Ronda

Featuring
Richard Holman as Springfield
Danielle Houston as Talia
Malcolm Sturdevant as Marcus

THE MUSICAL INTERLUDES

Sam Stephens
Sam Stephens is a singer, songwriter, actor and veteran music journalist best known for her work as a longtime host and writer for Country Music Television and as the creator and host of Apple Music Country’s musical podcast Rhinestone Radio. In 2018, Sam released her label debut album Stargazer, recorded and released while she was touring as a backup singer with Grammy-winning Christian Contemporary artist Francesca Battistelli. After 15 wild and wonderful years in the hustle of the Nashville music scene, Sam officially “retired” and set off to pursue another passion: teaching. She traded in the judgey and jaded industry folks for an even tougher, yet more adorable crowd: elementary school students. Sam is proud to lead the music department at Southwest Elementary School, and to answer her precious students’ repeated question for you: no, she does not know Beyoncé.

THE ACTORS

Molly Alexander
Molly Alexander is a STEM-major sort of person who has been successfully infiltrating the musical and theatrical world for years. One day, the people in charge will realize that she has degrees in Wildlife and Veterinary Technology and never actually studied the arts, but they haven’t wised up yet so she keeps getting away with it. She has sung a capella with The Ecotones, presented the Bard’s works with Savannah Shakes, gotten spontaneous with Odd Lot Improv, and voice acted for various audio dramas. She currently spends most of her time doing simply the weirdest and silliest shows with Savannah Cabaret and will perform in Bay Street Theatre’s The Rocky Horror Show Live in October. For right now, she is just delighted to embark on a 24 Hour Play adventure!

Chris Bass
Chris Bass has been fortunate to perform in Savannah theaters since 2010. At the Savannah Theatre, he has had the opportunity to play Walter Hobbs in Elf the Musical and Harry Bright in Mamma Mia!, as well as smaller roles in productions such as Les Misérables and Annie (August 2025). Most recently, he appeared in A Few Good Men at the Savannah Theatre. His work with the Savannah Children’s Theatre has included playing Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, Mayor of Whoville in Seussical, Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Oliver Warbucks in Annie, King Triton in Disney’s Little Mermaid, and George Banks in Mary Poppins. He also enjoys voice acting and will appear in an upcoming animated feature this October. Chris is thrilled to be part of the 24 Hour Plays Savannah.

Gavin Bishop
Gavin Bishop is a 26-year-old from Chicago with a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Performing Arts, which he received from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He’s been performing in both on-stage and on-screen roles for fifteen years. He has performed in such shows as The Wizard of Oz as Professor Marvel and The Wizard, Guys and Dolls as Harry the Horse, and even some self-written works, such as A Letter to Comedy, where he played himself, and My Pistol as Marcus Fishner. This will be Gavin’s third time participating in the 24 Hour Plays event. He was in Halloween Party Disaster as Booger Paul in 2022 and played Eddie in Elephants & Flowers in 2024. Gavin’s next project will be at the New York Theater Festival at the Hudson Guild Theater. He’ll be playing DJ Marvel Professor and DJ Solar Flare in a funky cosmic reimagining of The Wizard of Oz called From the Other Side of Darkness (There’s No Place Like Home) by Levi Wise-Kenneth Catoe Jr. The show goes up on December 18th, 20th, and 21st. Gavin is excited to be a part of this journey again and can’t wait to share this and the stories that come in the future. As he likes to say, “No matter how big or small, we all have a story to share and perform.”

Wade Gonsoulin
This is Wade’s first time with the 24-hour plays in Savannah, but he did perform in one during his Theatre life in Houston, Texas. It was a lot of fun! Growing up in a thriving, theatre-rich community gave him opportunities to train with some very dedicated directors and performers, and he was able to take those experiences with him to Germany in 2017. There, he performed, directed, and also taught Theatre workshops to highschool ESL students. After returning to the US in 2023, he settled in Savannah and dug into the theatre scene as quickly as he could. His most recent performances have been in the Tybee Arts Association’s productions of Plaza Suites, Marvin’s Room, and Almost Maine. He has also taken part in staged readings with the Performers For Social Justice, which included Twelve Angry Jurors, and Raptured.

Carol Dines
Carol Dines is thrilled to be back for the 24 Hour plays again this year. A graduate of Boston University in Classical theater, Carol has spent most of her adult life in and around the theater and in TV and Film. For over 25 years, she has worked as an Audio Book Narrator and has recorded over 900 books to date. Carol enjoys sharing her love for her artform with students of all ages and has recently ventured into Directing as well.

Richard Holman
Richard Holman was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Favorite roles include Tom in The Glass Menagerie; Algernon in The Importance of Being Ernest; Sir Lucious in The Rivals; and a Bad Chemical in Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions.

Danielle Houston
A native of Savannah, Danielle is thrilled to be participating in the 24 Hour Plays, stepping back onstage after almost a year. Danielle has appeared and worked backstage on countless shows throughout the community, notably with Bay Street Theatre, Savannah Shakes, and Savannah Children’s Theatre. Favorite productions include Hair, Suessical, Much Ado About Nothing, Cabaret, Avenue Q, and Steel Magnolias. By day Danielle works as a cryptologist at Encryption Escape and Adventures, married eight years to her husband and bird mom to an adorable albino budgie Terry J.

Kareem McMichael
Kareem McMichael is an award-nominated actor and an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and director, as well as the founder of Karmac Productions. A Macon, Georgia native, he has showcased his talents across film, television, theater, and documentary storytelling—appearing in productions in Savannah such as Macbeth, Flyin’ West, The Adventures of Huck Finn, and short films including Best Friends and Trial. His Georgia Film Academy-produced documentary, Savannah Feed the Hungry, was recognized in numerous film festivals and at the Georgia State Capitol. A nominee for Best Supporting Actor at the International Christian Film Festival, Kareem also serves as Online Content Manager for Savannah State University’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, where he mentors emerging media professionals and co-founded the SSU Indie Film Festival. He serves proudly on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Southeast Emmy Chapter. He was honored by the Savannah Film Alliance for this work locally and was a 2024 Georgia Trend 40 Under 40 Inductee. Kareem continues to merge creativity, culture, and community by creating impactful stories across platforms.

AJae Michele
A.Jae Michele, is a local Actor, and Teacher, who has spent the last 20 years working and performing in Theatre and Film/Television. She received her Masters Degree in Performing Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), and has performed in over 40 Stage productions, Theatrical & Short films, and commercials. She recently won Savannah Connect Magazine’s “2025 Best Local Actress”. You can also spot her posted in your Locals Parkers. If you can’t find her on a stage or screen you can catch her teaching Theatre at Savannah State University. Earlier this year, A.Jae wrapped up working on Savannah Cabaret’s production of P.O.T.U.S. She would like to thank you all for coming and for your support of the local arts!

Luisa Nolasco
Luisa is so happy to be able to join 24h plays for the first time! An actor and singer, originally from Brazil. She has been calling Savannah home for the past 9 years. With a B.F.A. in Performing Arts from SCAD. Some of her local credits include: The Savannah Musical Theatre Festival (Top Hand of the Lone Tree Ranch & Plastic Bottle Genie), Into The Woods (Lucinda), POTUS (Jean), A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love and Murder ( Woman #1), Rocky Horror Show Live (Phantom), Spelling Bee (William Barfée), Once (Baruska), The Full Monty (Joanne), Dracula (Mina), and The Metromaniacs (Damis). Luisa is also a member of the Samba Savannah Band.

Lucy Rushing
Lucy is a high school freshman who has been doing theatre for the past 5 years, her most recent production being Legally Blonde over the summer. When she’s not doing theatre, Lucy enjoys watching horror movies, listening to music, and spending time with friends.

Malcolm Sturdevant
This is Malcolm’s first 24 Hour Play experience. Most recently Malcolm has played Bert Healy in Annie and Mr. Pinky in Hairspray, both at the Historic Savannah Theater. Previously, you may have caught him in Ragtime, The Full Monty, or A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Other roles include the title role in William Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, Limping Man in Fuddy Meers, and Hal McLeavy in Loot. Malcolm thanks his long suffering wife Heidi and their cacophony of fur babies for their love and ongoing support.

Elliot Szabo
Elliot Szabo has been acting for the past five years, performing on both stage and screen. Theater highlights include Rumors and Almost, Maine, where he enjoyed exploring both comedic and dramatic sides of storytelling. On camera, he appeared in Snapped: Notorious as the Happy Face Killer, a role that challenged him to bring depth to darker material. Elliot approaches each role with a focus on collaboration and authenticity, drawing on his background as a musician and songwriter to bring a strong sense of rhythm and emotional connection to his performances. He is passionate about ensemble work and the unique energy that comes from live theater. He is excited to join the 24 Hour Plays and looks forward to the challenge of creating something new in such a fast and dynamic environment. In his free time, Elliot enjoys competitive bird watching,

Scenarious Thurmond
Scenarious is a performing artist and writer. She recently moved to Savannah and is excited to be making her Savannah theatre debut. She is a recent graduate of Columbia University’s MFA Acting Program. Her recent Credits include Calpurnia in Julius Caesar and Aunt Ethel/Normal Jean/Topsy in Colored Museum. You can check out more of her work at scenariousthurmond.com

THE DIRECTORS

Nicole Borysowicz
Nicole Borysowicz has a B.A. in musical theatre from Coastal Carolina University. As an actress, she has been seen in many productions around the Savannah community, most recently as the Witch in Into the Woods (Tybee Arts Association) and Bernadette in POTUS (Savannah Cabaret). She has also worked as a director and choreographer for Savannah Children’s Theatre.

Justice Maxey
Justice Maxey is a theatremaker and cultural organizer from Nassau, Bahamas. Justice holds a B.A. in History from Wake Forest University with minors in Theatre and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, alongside graduate work in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities at the University of Texas at Austin. Since her first community theatre production in 2004, Justice has contributed both admin and artistry to over 70 productions at notable artistic entities such as Horizon Theatre (Atlanta, GA), Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma and Theatre Crude Fringe Festival (Oklahoma City), Mosaic Theatre (D.C.), and Cohen New Works Festival (Austin, TX). Here in town, Justice works with several arts and advocacy organizations such as Deep Center, Savannah Music Festival, and Savannah Repertory Theatre in addition to Savannah Children’s Theatre, where Justice served as Tour Manager for the original musical, Backpack of Power (2022-23). Justice is also an Executive Committee member for the regional arts-service organization, Alternate ROOTS. This is Justice’s third year directing the 24 Hour Plays in Savannah and she is overjoyed to be a part of the process once again!

Ryan McCurdy
Ryan would like to take this opportunity to recommend several Savannah-area restaurants to you. The pizza at Hop Atomica is to die for, the Roasted Chicken & Goat Cheese quesadillas at Kayak Kafé are the cure for what ails you, a chicken burrito at Java Burrito with an iced coffee is a tonic for malaise, the salmon bowl at Coco and Moss has encouraged return visits, any burger with any combination of ingredients is going to be great at Green Truck Pub, and what the heck are they even doing with the chicken at Brochu’s Family Tradition because it’s exceptional. These are only a few of the culinary marvels of this coastal town. Also, theater has the ability to heal and theater has the ability to hurt, but the magic trick is the intention of the person who produces it. Healing theater made by hurtful people will hurt and hurtful theater made by healing people will heal. It’s a trick playwrights have been employing for years, slipping their spoonfuls of medicine into crowd-pleasing dopamine boosts by carefully selecting their collaborators and producers. The 24 Hour Plays remind us that at our best we are a community of healers, and that we deserve more than we might have been told. You actually can do the thing. You actually are deserving of praise. Your divergencies and perspectives are valued. Trust the way people make you feel more than what they might say. Make your words jump off the page. Enjoy the show.

DJ Queenan
DJ Queenan has been teaching and directing theatre since 1985. Founder & Artistic Director for Bangers & Mash Theatre Works, some of his favorite projects have been Agnes of God (BMT), Lips Together, Teeth Apart (BMT), Once on this Island (CAT), Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida (CAT), Six Degrees of Separation (CAT), Into the Woods (TAA) and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night (SCDS). This is DJ’s second time directing for the 24Hour Plays and he is grateful to be invited back!

Necol Ronda
Necol hails from sunnier skies and is the proud auntie of five (soon to be six) niblings. She spends the days traveling alongside her favorite companion, her siamese cat, George. She is addicted to desserts, loves to dance, and enjoys a strong fruity drink. She has been involved in every aspect of theatre over her entire life, is an Emory University alum, and this is her second Savannah 24 Hour!

THE WRITERS

Emily Bonifacio
Emily Bonifacio is a Savannah native who graduated with a BFA in dramatic writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2022. Her screenplays have reached the quarterfinals in screenwriting competitions, and she’s written for major online publications like BroadwayWorld. While she writes for many different media, her passion is the stage, and she is thrilled to participate in the 24 Hour Plays event. This is her second time writing in a 24-hour play competition, but it isn’t any less nerve-racking. However, she does have the famous theatre motto, “the show must go on”, tattooed on her, and she couldn’t be more excited for the challenge

Rick Garman
Rick Garman grew up in Iowa but moved to Los Angeles as soon as he was old enough to be sure that his parents couldn’t send a sheriff to bring him back. He studied theater at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and made his writing debut with a stage production 17 Days which was produced in Los Angeles and in small theaters around the country. His second play Mountains won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Los Angeles Theater Production. Rick has written more than 40 movies for the Hallmark Channel and other networks including the Christmas on Cherry Lane series (airing in their entirety on Sunday, October 26 from 2-10pm); A Shoe Addict’s Christmas; Falling Together; The Groomsmen: Second Chances which won the GLAAD Media Award in 2025 for Outstanding TV Movie, Cable or Streaming; and the upcomning Oy to the World, airing on Hallmark Channel Sunday, December 16 at 8pm. He currently resides in Savannah and is thrilled to be producing the Savannah Cabaret including the upcoming production of Christmas in Mistletoe Falls 3: The Chrismurdering.

Thomas Houston
Thomas is a longtime Savannah native with an extensive history of performance on and off stage. Thomas has also written in various forms or formats over the span of many years, including short stories, plays, and even a musical or two. While known primarily for his comedic talents, he has been known to pull a heartstring or two at times. He looks forward to seeing what strange web will be woven for this event.

Isaac Littleton
Isaac Hobbs Littleton is an award-winning filmmaker from Dallas, Texas. He is currently studying Film at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), where he has been honing his craft as both a writer and director. Storytelling has been a passion for him for as long as he can remember, and his work often focuses on the evolution of relationships and the ways people connect, fracture, and grow. Though primarily rooted in film, Isaac is excited to be making his first step into theater through the 24 Hour Plays. He looks forward to exploring playwriting further and bringing his passion for honest, emotional storytelling into this new medium.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The producers, production team, cast, and crew wish to thank Civis and J. Wilson Morris for their generous donations making this event possible; Asbury Memorial and the entire staff for inviting us into their home, and the Savannah Cabaret for providing costumes and props.

The 24 Hour Plays® is presented under a license and with the participation of The 24 Hour Plays®.