Sandbox Theatre

Many voices coming together to create a community and tell our stories.

2024 will mark 20 years of Sandbox practicing a new way to play. 

Sandbox is a collective of multidisciplinary artists who, along with an ever-expanding circle of collaborators, are driven to create new plays from scratch, and to lift up our communities by creating the worlds we want to see.

We hold space for a playground because we believe collaborative play is part of wellness. We want to invite more people to play, because it matters when stories are not controlled by one voice but are an overflow of all of us.

We practice wellness through play;

We practice collaboration;

We practice trusting your gut;

We practice full body listening;

We practice vulnerability;

We practice telling more than one story - together.

Stories we told this year

This last August, Sandbox returned to the MN Fringe Festival with the ensemble-created show "Yes No Maybe (please explain)." Our amazing team of 8 artists created a wacky, multi-media production with original music (!) using Kristina's actual passed notes from high school! This production was a love letter to our teenage selves with plenty of 90's nostalgia and musical numbers.

Photos by Alex Wohlhueter

Up next. The Trans Voices Cabaret: Minneapolis Edition lead by Sandbox Company Member, Hal Sansone. Join us this December for a musical theatre cabaret of trans and non-binary artists on the stage of Mixed Blood Theatre!

The Trans Voices Cabaret was started in NYC back in 2017, by transgender performer Donnie Cianciotto (he/him). Cianciotto saw a lack of transgender voices in the theater world and wanted to create a space to not only celebrate transgender talent, but to highlight and showcase it for the world to see. This production has expanded across the country, and we are thrilled to bring it to Minneapolis. Although we are working with preexisting material, in many ways the Trans Voices Cabaret supports new ways to play and a commitment to expanding our community. Our approach to the songs are original and uplifts voices typically left out of musical theatre practices. Further, this event is entirely, and proudly, trans run and operated. Come out to celebrate and support trans individualism, community, and joy!

Get Tickets for the Trans Voices Cabaret Here

Your giving makes these practices sustainable.

Part of our new way to play is dedication to making our playground as accessible and robust as possible. From free aerial theater classes (so artists can cross gravity off their list of barriers), to intentional joy-filled trans-focused spaces, to creating economic access to both the people making this work and receiving it.

When you support us you support us continuing these practices:

• Aerial insurance so we can keep making aerial theater (it’s expensive!) and aerial workshops

• Creating trans-focused work: getting space and paying artists

• Accessibility Funding

  • Childcare

  • Hourly pay

  • ASL interpretation / live caption

  • Working in accessible spaces

  • Removing transportation barriers

  • Economic accessibility for audiences
    
    

From the community- 

Sandbox is:

Sandbox is "a true collaboration, a rich experience that allowed me time to dream. Such a luxury."  -Designer

Sandbox is "growing into a new relationship with my own faith in my own body. Thank you for this opportunity. It feels like electricity."  -Workshop Participant

Sandbox is "a playground for adults. This is the type of intentional community I've been looking for " -Workshop Participant

Sandbox is "a freaking feast for the eyeballs" -Audience Member

Sandbox is “where I can let the truly weird parts of my imagination and creativity come out to play.” -Collaborating Artist

Sandbox is possibility. Sandbox is a place that grows.  -Company Member

Sandbox is "one of the most connected / safe and good feeling spaces I've been in. I see all the work you are all doing to make it welcoming and accessible." -Workshop Participant

Sandbox is where you and some people that you may or may not know throw all your toys into the sandbox, then jump in and start sharing them and using them in different ways. After a few weeks or months, you come up with a polished routine on your newly built jungle gym and invite your friends over to watch.  -Collaborating Artist