Get Out This Weekend: 14/48 at CHAC

We've got less than totally positive feelings about the sate of theater today. In fact, last time the subject came up in the Seattlest newsroom, we were vociferous in our belief that it's a dead art form. But whenever we take such a dramatic and unwavering stance on one side of a debate, we're reminded that the world is not black and white and is actually shades of gray.

So we'll admit it here and now. Theater may not be a totally irrelevant art form. But people have to push it and themselves to explore the limits of the form for it to have any value. Otherwise, we're going to the movies.

The biannual 14/48 festival is an excellent example of not-dead theater. It is always interesting because everyone are pushed to their limits.

Here's what happens. On Thursday at 8 pm, 80 people get together and come up with a bunch of possible themes for a night of seven short plays. They toss them all in a hat and choose one. Seven writers take that theme and write a play about it. That play has to be turned in by 8 am on Friday at which point seven directors choose their casts by pulling names out of a hat and start rehearsals. At 8 pm, all seven plays receives their premieres, with a live band. At 10 pm, they choose a theme for the next night onstage and then perform the plays again, for the last time.

We first went to see 14/48 years ago when a guy we met in a bar told us he was involved and we were drunk enough to buy a ticket. What we got was not necessarily a good play, but man was it fun to watch knowing that it was all related to the past 24 hours.

One of the guys we share an office with is taking part this weekend. We can't tell you if what he or any of the other writers will do is going to be good, since we have no idea what they'll be writing about, but you should go nonetheless. Whatever comes out will be relevant, that we can say for sure.

14/48 takes place this Friday and Saturday nights at 8 pm and 10:30 pm at the CHAC Showroom, 1621 12th Ave. on Capitol Hill. Tickets are $15 at Brown Paper Tickets.