In a year full of cancellations, it’s no small accomplishment that fifteen NASH theater students will deliver a performance Saturday night for the 29 Hour Show.

Since 2004, North Allegheny students from The Actors’ Society has performed the 29 Hour Show as a benefit show. Inspired by SNL, cast members have to generate their own ideas, script, rehearse, and perform all within the 29–hour deadline.

In previous years, students were required to stay after school on a Friday in January, where they had to script and rehearse all their skits. That night, they would sleep in the auditorium and wake up early Saturday morning to rehearse more before the show later that night.

“This year, we had to take the show completely virtual with prerecorded skits,” faculty advisor Mr. Truesdell said. “It is the best solution in a difficult situation.”

Although this year will differ from years past, participating students are using their resources to continue a North Allegheny tradition.

“I think the greatest setback was really figuring out how this was all going to work,” junior participant Hannah Oldham said. “It took a lot of cooperation, communication, and brainstorming. There were no weak links—we all worked on developing the concepts, despite the odds stacked against something like this being able to happen. It took a lot of trial and error, but we pulled it off.”

With the different adjustments made to this year’s production, students have had to pull different resources for this Saturday’s show.

“Because of COVID-19, this was obviously not a viable format.,” Oldham said. “Instead, we have spent the past month meeting virtually, coming up with ideas for skits, and even musical guests from NASH’s own student body. The bits are almost entirely individually shot, with proper precautions taken if more than one person had to appear in the same shot. By keeping distance and maintaining our collective work ethic, we have been taking the time to ensure having a unique, refreshing experience.”

Regardless of the difficulties, participants have still been able to make the most out of this year’s performance.

“Usually, those who are interested in theater performance in a play or musical are the actors,” Oldham said. “But the responsibility of writing, directing, producing, casting, and acting all fall on the participants in the 29 Hour Show. I think that’s the most difficult and simultaneously fun part of it. Nowhere else is there this much freedom, with the ability to adapt to a totally new set of circumstances and requirements.”

A link to the livestream of the performance will be made available on Blackboard, with the show scheduled to start at 7:00 PM tomorrow.  Though the show is free, viewers will be invited to make donations.