NEW YORK (AP) ― The stars were out in force on Broadway ― and they were frantic.

The coffee-fueled benefit performance of “The 24 Hour Plays” was held Monday at the American Airlines Theatre, an annual event in which two dozen actors ― this time including Jesse Tyler Ferguson, James McAvoy, Jason Biggs and Zachary Levi ― teamed up with six writers and six directors to write and rehearse a half-dozen plays over a single day.

The six playwrights include David Lindsay-Abaire, Jonathan Marc Sherman, Lynn Nottage, Theresa Rebeck, Rachel Axler and a sophomore from New York University who won a spot.

Some of the other stars who showed up included David Cross, Rachel Dratch, Rosie Perez, Tim Daly, Anthony Mackie, Jordin Sparks, Josh Lucas, Jay Pharoah and Maggie Q.