Since 2005, The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices project for 18 to 25 year old actors, directors, producers and writers has launched the careers of over 150 practitioners. The challenge is to create, rehearse and perform seven new short works on The Old Vic stage in just 24 hours. Hugely energising, and creatively inspiring, the event acts as a powerful educational and showcase opportunity for the industry's best young talent.

Previous participants include actors Charity Wakefield (Sense and Sensibility, BBC) and Joanna Christie (Equus, West End), writer Mike Bartlett (My Child and Contractions, Royal Court and Artefacts, The Bush), director Mike Longhurst (Dirty Butterfly, Young Vic Jerwood Directors' Prize) and producer Jo Danvers (Producer, The Gate Theatre).

This year, over 2,000 practitioners from across the UK applied, with just 100 making it through to the final auditions. An industry panel including Sebastian Born, Laura Wade, Sue Emmas, Anne McNulty and David Liddiment then made the final selection of just 7 writers, 7 directors, 7 producers and 30 actors.

Following the selection process, we ran a series of preparatory workshops for the group to ready them for the challenge of our 1000-seater auditorium. Established practitioners such as Tim Roseman, Aschlin Ditta and our artistic director, Kevin Spacey, put the group through their paces.

The final event in March was a huge triumph, hosted by Jeff Goldblum and Laura Michelle Kelly. The Old Vic's auditorium heaved with a heady mix of casting directors, agents, producers, directors, friends and family. Seven new works sprang seemingly effortlessly to life spanning a diverse range of content and themes - from dealing with over-bearing supernatural guardians to exploring the perils of auditioning.

We believe this group to be the future of British Theatre. For more information about the company, and about our ongoing support of their careers through the New Voices Club, click here.

The 24 Hour Plays: Old Vic New Voices is a co-production with The 24 Hour Company