The 24 Hour Plays® 2017: A Bennington Tribute to Spencer Cox
On February 20, 2017, Bennington College presented a one night–only benefit to support the Spencer Cox ’90 Scholarship for student activists. The performance took place at The Pershing Square Signature Center in New York City.
A talented cast and crew of Bennington alumni and friends—six writers, six directors, and 24 actors—created, produced, and performed six short plays in just 24 hours. The production was done in tribute to alumnus Spencer Cox '90, artist, performer, and activist.
Proceeds from the benefit have helped to establish the Spencer Cox Scholarship for student activists at Bennington College. Spencer, who died in 2012, was a pivotal member of ACT UP, the direct-action advocacy group with a mission to end AIDS. He played a defining role in the formation of the Treatment Action Group (TAG) to focus on accelerating AIDS treatment research and lent creative intellect and intense focus to help fight one of the most pressing social and public health crises of our time.
Take a look through these photos and the video below capturing the 24 hour process, from rehearsals to performances. To learn more, follow #Bennington24 or read the press release.
Participants
Special Guests: Peter Staley and Carly Sommerstein
Writers: Susie Felber ’93; Modesto Flako Jimenez ’06; Maya Macdonald ’07; Sean-Patrick O'Brien '14; Jonathan Marc Sherman ’90; special guest David Drake
Directors: Chris Boscia ’87; Paul Cello '92; SJ Chiro ’87; William Lipscomb ’87; Lorca Peress ’79; Julie Tucker ’89
Assistant Directors: Patrick Harnett-Marshall '16; Deidrea Hamid ’12; Ben Mankoff' 11; Jodi Marchowsky '98; Mae Mitchell '12; Kelly Nichols-Hoppe ’14
Actors: Aadya Bedi '01;Jim Cairl ’98; Tenara Calem ’15; Christina Campanella ’89; Danielia Cotton ’90; Nick DiLeonardi '15; Lex Friedman '07; Joel Marsh Garland ’97; James Habacker MFA '94; Anne Hubbard ’89; Laurel Johnson ’12; Carla Klein ’89; Maya Knell ’16; Marion Markham ’77; John Wills Martin ’88; Lesley McBurney ’92; Eben Moore '96; Andrew Plimpton ’14; Julia Prud'homme ’87; Kian Ross '13; Eissa Saeed '12; Brandi Nicole Wilson ’00; Max Wolkowitz ’09; Mark Woodcock
Producer: Blaine Graboyes ’95
Managing Producer: Ed Needham ’88
Consulting Producer: Jeff Segal '89
Light Designer: Braden Williams '16
Stage Managers: Emily Grayson '15, Angelique Kenney '86, Alice Perlmutter '83
Production Designer: Lauryn Axelrod '86
Writers
Maya Macdonald ’07
Sean-Patrick O'Brien '14
Directors
Chris Boscia '87
Paul Cello '92
SJ Chiro ’87
William Lipscomb ’87
Patrick Harnett-Marshall '16
Ben Mankoff '11
Jodi Marchowsky '98
Mae Mitchell '10
Actors
Aadya Bedi '01
Jim Cairl ’98
Tenara Calem ’15
Christina Campanella ’89
Danielia Cotton '90
Nick DiLeonardi '15
Lex Friedman '07
James Habacker MFA '94
Annie Hubbard ’89
Laurel Johnson ’12
John Wills Martin ’88
Lesley McBurney ’92
Andrew Plimpton ’14
Kian Ross '13
Eissa Saeed '12
Max Wolkowitz ’09
Mark Woodcock
Production
Jeff Segal '89
Lauryn Axelrod '86
Emily Grayson '15
Angelique Kenney '86
Braden Williams '16
About Spencer Cox
Spencer Cox ’90 an artist, performer, and activist who studied drama and literature at Bennington, lent creative intellect and intense focus to help fight one of the most pressing social and public health crises of our time. Read more about Spencer Cox and the Spencer Cox '90 Memorial Scholarship.
Have a memory of Spencer to share? The Alumni Memory Project is currently collecting memories and stories of Spencer's life both while at Bennington and after. Share a memory by calling 802-440-4790 or emailing alumni24hourplays@bennington.edu.
few [people] were as startlingly original and productive as young Spencer. Larry Kramer, playwright and activist
Produced in association with The 24 Hour Company.