Out of the Box members prepare for next show, focus on goals

Out of the Box’s next show will be The Submission by Jeff Talbott.

The show will have performances at 10:30 p.m. Nov. 10-11 in room 405 of the Clara E. Jones Administration Building.

Taylor Blackman, acting senior, will direct the show, making his OOTB directorial debut. Helen Han, music theater senior, is assistant director. Cast members include Laura Kariuki, acting sophomore; Tyler Malinauskas, acting junior; Chris Heron, music theater junior, and Tyler Ronca, music theater senior.

The play follows “Danny,” a young white playwright whose play about the dramas of an African-American family is selected for a prestigious play festival. However, he submitted the play under a pen name, so he has to hire “Emilie,” a black actress, to stand in as the author.

This is the second OOTB show of the season, along with OCUEdge staged readings and the Out of the Box drag show.

“I don’t feel quite at liberty to give exact amounts, but the drag show was a very successful fundraiser,” said Dawson MacLeod, acting junior and artistic director for OOTB.

Even with all of the company’s success, there are still more goals to achieve, MacLeod said.

“Goals we have right now are solidifying the playwright in residence program into our permanent programming,” MacLeod said. “We also want to work on improving the technical aspects of our shows, such as adding lighting and sound capabilities.”

Callie Dewees, acting junior, said she is excited for The Submission, as well as the future of OOTB.

“I’ve heard a lot of good things about The Submission from the cast, and it looks like it’ll be a great show,” Dewees said. “I’m excited for all of the other events they’re doing this year like the Playwright in Residence program and the fundraisers they do every semester.”