This week, justArts spoke with Jessie Eichinger ’17, who is co-directing the 24-Hour Musical that will be performed this weekend.

justArts: How has it been preparing for the 24-Hour?

Jessie Eichinger: Well, there is very little we can do over the summer, because we are not all in one place, so we’ve had a ton of meetings this weekend, and we have another one later today. So a lot of meetings with your own group, to prepare who is going to do what. And it’s chaos, because we know anything we teach them will go in one ear and out the other.

JA: So, stressful?

JE: And fun!

JA: What has been the most rewarding part?

JE: Everything? The fact that you’re with the best group of people that just loves it and is so excited about it. I’ve only been in one 24-Hour, and I’ve never directed, and the other two directors have done stuff here and there, and so it’s crazy. But it’s so much fun, because you’re with the best group of people, and you’re putting together this crazy thing. But I’ll probably know the most rewarding thing once its done.

JA: What has been the most challenging part?

JE: Feeling like you’re fumbling around in the dark? Because I’ve never done something like this before; most of us haven’t.

JA: This is your first time?

JE: Yeah, the whole production staff changes each year. Everyone is in new positions, doing new things, [and] doesn’t know what’s going on. 24-Hour is such a blur, so you can’t have clear memories of how it was run.

JA: What are you most excited for?

JE: Seeing everyone mess up. I think that’s the same thing everyone looks forward to. Spending 24 hours putting together this train wreck and watching everyone make stuff up as they go along. That’s so much fun, to see people put in that position as they go on stage.

JA: What do you hope the participants get out of the experience?

JE: I hope they make a lot of friends! I made a lot of friends when I did the 24-Hour. And we did a lot of shows together that semester and hung out all the time. And I think that’s the one thing you end up remembering from 24 -Hour: friends.

JA: Anything you wanted to add?

JE: AUDITION!

—Jerry Miller