The world’s quickest theater festival — “14/48 Vashon” — has long been a favorite annual stop for adventurous audiences on the island.

The fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants event — featuring the creative magic of seven writers, seven directors, over 25 actors, plus a slew of designers, musicians, and technical wizards — is now set for two completely different shows on Jan. 19 and 20, at Open Space.

Each evening, there will be shows at 7 and 9 p.m. featuring plays created overnight by local writers.

Here’s how it works, year after year: on the Thursday night before the festival, a group of fearless creators gathers and throws themes into a hat. A theme is drawn and then seven writers head home to write seven brand-new 10-minute plays, overnight — all of them expressing that singular theme.

The next day, seven directors draw the play they will direct, their cast, and get to work. Those seven new plays are rehearsed, designed, and scored throughout the day and performed twice on Friday night … and then the whole process happens again on Saturday.

And thus, 14 new plays are born and performed in just 48 hours.

Islander theater scene stalwart Maria Glanz, who has long participated in “14/48” both in Seattle and on Vashon, calls the festival “the most creative pressure cooker” ever.

“The pressure of “14/48” helps every artist say ‘yes,’” she said. “Yes to their first crazy impulses, yes to collaborators, yes to the pressurized timetable, yes to everything. It’s exhausting, and there are always moments where I wonder why in the world I agreed to do this big, stupid, hard thing. And then this giant creative joy reminds me why. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

This year’s list of artists is a who’s who of Vashon talent such as Glanz, plus some accomplished friends and collaborators from across the water.

Based in Seattle since 1997, the 14/48 Projects is an internationally known organization that uses “unconventional structures to create events that strengthen the artistic community and transcend audience expectations.”

The festival will be presented at Open Space for Arts and Community Grand Hall at 7 and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 19 and 20.

Tickets to 7 p.m. shows are $25 for each night. Tickets for both 9 p.m. shows are $15. Youth attend for free. Unless sold out in advance, tickets will be available at the door. Visit openspacevashon.org to learn more and get your tickets today.