Online theater company launches sixth season

Kristine Handgen will be a vocalist for the “Celebrate UP Online Cabaret Variety Show” on Jan. 17. [Submitted photo]

Big things are happening with the Unboxed Productions live online theater company.

Beginning Jan. 17, the team will launch its sixth season with a “Celebrate UP Online Cabaret Variety Show” fundraiser and also make its first ever Unboxy Awards presentations. On Jan. 24, open auditions will be held for two productions. In April, the company’s original play “Almost All About Eva” will debut at the Fertile Ground Play Festival in Portland, Oregon.

Unboxed Productions was founded by playwright Kim Sandstrom from Belleview and Jan Thomas of Indianapolis, Indiana, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Since then, almost all online theaters that were started have closed. Unboxed Productions not only remains open, we are growing in audience, actors and recognition. We have expanded to include four to five shows a year, added online monologue and scene study classes and have helped local groups such as GWFC of Ocala,” Sandstrom noted in the news release.

The GFWC of Ocala is a long-time women’s community nonprofit that raises money for other nonprofits locally, such as Honor Guard, Project Hope, the Rock, The Lost and Found Club, Vets Helping Vets and is led by president Deb Ivey. Unboxed Productions wrote and will be producing this year’s annual murder mystery fundraiser in April, Sandstrom added.

The production company’s board of directors includes professionals from Florida, California, Michigan, Louisiana, New Jersey and Texas. Local board member Bruce Seaman edits recordings of the online live shows to be film-like for UP’s YouTube channel.

The “Celebrate UP’s Cabaret Variety Show” will be emceed by Seaman and board member Diana Grogg. Seaman is the author of “To Succeed Where Others Failed: The Untold Story of the Marshall Plantation Raid,” and has been nominated for an Unboxy Award for best actor for Socrates in “Plato’s Apology” and Earnest in “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Grogg has been nominated for an Unboxy Award for best actress as Lady Bracknell in “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

The “Celebrate UP’s Cabaret Variety Show” will begin at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, Jan. 17. One of the vocalists will be Kristine Handgen, from Mexico.

“Because our acts come from all over the United States and even Mexico, and our audience is from all over the U.S. and United Kingdom, paying attention to time zones is very important. One of our singers lives in Mexico and our co-host and director of Celebrate UP is from California,” Thomas said in the release.

“Our annual Ed Sullivan-style variety show is a fun, easy going online event and we have a silent auction this year, featuring an original painting donated by actress Karen Black’s daughter. And we will be hosting the first ever Unboxy Awards, honoring our talent and tech over the last two years,” Sandstrom shared.

Live auction items will include a Reader’s Book Basket with six books, a candle and snacks; a Diane Bay original painting; a new Coach purse; a basket of six vintage evening bags valued at $200; a handmade wooden bird house; and many giveaways for audience members.

In April, Sandstrom will travel to Portland for the Fertile Ground Play Festival to see her original play, “Almost All About Eva” be performed.  “Almost All About Eva” was selected out of more than 60 applicants to be included in the festival.

“Fertile Ground is an annual original play marathon and the plays are juried and adjudicated on a scale. ‘Almost All About Eva’ met every metric for inclusion. Only 20 plays make the cut,” Sandstrom proudly shared.

Traveling to Portland with her to see the play at the Hillsboro Artists Regional Theater will be Sandstrom’s cousin Sabrina Johnson, from Davenport, Florida, who plays the role of Eva. Local Portland actors will be cast in other roles. Unboxed Productions board member and technical director Ty Nunez will co-direct.

The sixth Unboxed Productions season will include Moliere’s “The Imaginary Invalid” in late March and “Almost All About Eva” on April 11, which will be streamed live from Portland. The rest of the season tentatively includes “The Lady With All the Answers” in late May, J.M. Barrie’s “The Admirable Crichton” in late July and a play yet to be decided on in October.

Open auditions for the Portland production of “Almost All About Eva,” as well as “The Imaginary Invalid” will be online only on Jan. 24, for two hours, starting at 4 p.m. EST and 1 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. All actors will receive a gift/stipend. Interested actors should email a photo and bio to [email protected].

Tickets for regular season shows are $15. The suggested donation for the “Celebrate UP Online Cabaret Variety Show Fundraiser” is $20.

Links are now open at unboxedproductions.org to secure tickets and also to vote for Unboxy Awards. To learn more about the group, cast members and events, visit youtube.com/@unboxed.productions and facebook.com/groups/742753242937232