Theater productions are often considered a lot of work. They require months of preparation, weeks of rehearsals and much time and effort. Now, imagine a production that is performed exactly 24 hours after the show and casting is revealed. At Luther, you don’t have to imagine this production; performing a musical in such a short time frame is precisely what Luther actors accomplished February 22 for SPIN Theater’s 1440 Minute Musical.
The 1440 is named as such due to the unique nature of the musical, where all the actors and tech crew members have exactly 1,440 minutes – 24 hours – to prepare and perform for a live audience.
This special performance is organized by SPIN, the student-led theater program at Luther. This year, the 1440 production was the musical “Grease”: a rock ’n’ roll show about high schoolers navigating life in the 1950s.
The tickets were sold out and the theater was packed with students and members of the Decorah community. This was the first year an online ticketing system was used, allowing students to buy tickets for the 1440 ahead of time.
Co-Director Rachel Meehan (‘25), a senior who has been on the production team for the past three years, spoke to the show’s continued success.
“[In past years,] if the show [opened] at 7:30, people [would] start lining up outside the door at noon to get tickets,” Meehan said. “The line [would] go all the way down the hallway, up the stairs, and then all the way down the hallway. Usually we have to turn away people because we can’t physically fit them in the theater. We’re very lucky to have so many people interested in seeing the work that we do.”
Here is how the cast and crew pulled together “Grease” in 24 hours:
First, the cast and crew gathered in the barefoot studio of the Center for the Arts (CFA) at 7:30 p.m. on February 21 – 24 hours before showtime – armed for the long night ahead with hoards of caffeinated drinks, snacks, blankets and pillows.
Then, the production team – including the directors and stage managers – unveiled the musical for the first time. Roles were assigned to actors, scripts were handed out and everyone got to work.
Some actors jumped straight into learning the choreography for the opening number. Other actors began reading over their lines or practicing singing their numbers. Members of the tech crew ran off and began the search for props. Other members of the crew drew concept sketches, began planning the lighting and sound and organized costumes.
Despite the daunting task ahead, the 1440 participants report being energized, enthusiastic and excited to perform a show even under these peculiar circumstances.
As the night wore on, actors and crew were constantly rehearsing and preparing. If they weren’t in the middle of learning choreography or building plastic cars, they were sprinting to the next thing.
The process was quick and high-stress, but the students made the best of it, keeping each other upbeat with laughter and anticipation for the show.
Closer to showtime, the tech crew began by doing a run-through of lighting and the sound. Then, the cast performed a stumble-through, running through the show for the first time. From there, it was dress rehearsals and meal breaks until the actual performance.
According to Meehan, actors make up 80-90 percent of their lines on the spot during the performance. This creates a fun atmosphere for both the audience and cast, who are remaking a popular musical into a chaotic show with improvised jokes and unexpected moments.
Meehan praised the 1440 for creating connections and making theater more accessible.
“I think what makes the 1440 special is that it brings so many people together that don’t usually do theater,” Meehan said. “Sometimes, [at] any college or university, theater can be hard to get into time-commitment-wise. But because this is compacted into 24 hours, it’s more accessible to more people, so we get so many people auditioning who have never auditioned for musicals before in their life.”
Meehan spoke highly of how the production also creates new theater fans at Luther.
“I’ve noticed that there are people who never come to music or theater productions at Luther, but they will come to this, and that’s really fun to see,” Meehan said.
Another quirk of the 1440 production is how the crew goes about assembling props and sets in time for the show. Unlike the actors, the production team is not limited to 24 hours to prepare for the show, but they do have to get creative with the props and set pieces.
“With a limited budget, we get really creative with our props and set pieces,” Meehan said. “You will see some fun shenanigans [like] a tinfoil-wrapped bucket as a disco ball [and] cardboard instruments. The 1440 is a short but incredible theater program put on by SPIN every spring at Luther College. It is accessible, low-stakes and a ton of fun.”
If you are interested in theater, SPIN is open for new members to join. As Meehan put it, “Take SPIN for a spin!”
