Rabbit Box

by Nikaela Frederick

Puppies and ponies: it doesn’t get much happier than that. Summertime is in full swing, and for its July show, Rabbit Box wanted to accent the summer fun with a feel-good, light-hearted evening. Decked out in his Bugs Bunny tie, community leader Alvin Sheats served as emcee and lifted our spirits even higher with his infectious good humor.

by Nikaela Frederick

Elders in the Athens community were the stars of Rabbit Box’s May show called Trying Times and Triumphs, Too, a collaboration with the Athens Community Council on Aging (ACCA). May is nationally recognized as Older Americans Month in the United States. Emcee Dr. Leara Rhodes, who has practiced and now teaches journalism, dug up some interesting facts for the show. Because storytellers hailed from various places — Jamaica, Argentina, India, and Japan — she shared how elders are honored in each of these countries to set the tone as each person took the stage.

by Nikaela Frederick

The themes of love, acceptance and “Yes, Queen!” reigned supreme in Rabbit Box’s April show Life in Drag. The glamorous and witty emcee Jacqueline Daniels (aka Rob Hagwood), who had a fantastic wardrobe change mid-show as a true diva should, gave the audience the treat of getting to know her as well as they got to know the storytellers. Long gone are the early days when she had to make her own costumes and squeeze her feet into shoes several sizes too small. She made sure that the audience left psyched about fun upcoming events in the cherished Boybutante AIDS Foundation’s 30th anniversary year of providing funds for agencies that support HIV/AIDs advocacy, education, outreach and/or direct client services in Northeast Georgia.

by Nikaela Frederick

Money itself doesn’t physically talk but it sure made an impression on the Rabbit Box stage on Wednesday, March 13th.

Host Matt Goren — with his great radio voice honed on his show “Nothing Funny About Money” — made a point between storytellers to let the audience know that they do not have to struggle because of money. While the performer and comedic writer side of him kept the audience entertained, his financial education consultant side made sure they were informed about financial resources available to them.

by Nikaela Frederick

On Wednesday, February 13th, on the cusp of Valentine’s Day, the show theme Swipe Left pulled in stories all about love and dating, bringing a strong representation of male perspectives to the Rabbit Box stage.

Emcee, educator, poet, spoken-word artist, author, motivational speaker, therapist, and life coach extraordinaire Celeste Ngeve brought her fun personality and charisma to the stage, keeping the energy high in the room. She kept the crowd chuckling throughout the night between storytellers as she reacted to the vignettes in which audience members answered the question “What makes you want to swipe left?”

by Nikaela Frederick

“Metamorphosis” is defined in Webster’s as a striking alteration in appearance, character or circumstances. This was a fitting theme for the first Rabbit Box of 2019 on Wednesday, January 9th. Ryder Crosby, a local business owner and memorable storyteller who shared his own story of transformation in the Rabbit Box “Skin Deep” show, was a fitting host.

by Nikaela Frederick

DJ’ed by Athens Latin and emceed by state representative Deborah Gonzalez, the special holiday edition of Rabbit Box was a riveting smorgasbord, as the theme suggests. To start the night off, host Deborah Gonzalez asked the audience to join her in singing the popular tune “Feliz Navidad.” Her inviting presence and relatable humor set a comfortable tone for community sharing.