Tonight for the first time at the UA, community-generated stories will be transformed into comedic onstage performances for college students.

“”Who Fed the Magic Box?”” a comedy show conducted by the UA Blue Chip Leadership Organization Phase 4 Arts Team, consists of stories submitted by children that have been transformed into theatrical pieces. Event organizers collected submissions from seven Tucson elementary schools – 266 submissions alone from Wright Elementary School – as well as entries from UA students when the “”Magic Box”” was on campus last week.

Stories that Soar! – a non-profit organization promoting literacy and art education among children – helped sponsor the charity benefit event. All proceeds go to Mission Manor Elementary School, of the Sunnyside Unified School District, to try and encourage children to write for fun.

Lisa Gernak, a theatre arts senior and a member of UABCLO and STS, said the organizations hope to raise awareness of things that take place outside the university.

“”Children are such a big part of Tucson, and lots of times they get overlooked,”” said Gernak, who has been involved with the event the past three years. “”It’s so rewarding to watch the kids’ reactions to the show.””

Typically, STS puts the box in a classroom for two weeks for children to submit their stories. This year is the first time the event will be made into a theatrical presentation for college students.

Gernak said she and the seven to eight other actors have been playing with the innuendos of the stories to create a “”very humorous”” production, although it will be appropriate for most college students.

Jessica Samoy, a theatre arts senior and a member of UABCLO, STS and the Comedy Corner troupe, said the event is a great way to make writing fun for children.

“”It helps puts a voice in their words,”” Samoy said.

Katie Taylor, a political science senior and a member of UABCLO, said Comedy Corner will open the event with an improvisational-comedy segment before the contents of the “”Magic Box”” are exposed for all to see.

Samoy and Gernak, both actors in the event, said they have been rehearsing for the past two weeks in preparation for the show.

Event organizers hope to raise $4,000 dollars through ticket and concessions sales to equal the production costs. Each actor is paid $12 per hour, and STS also provides funding for props and other materials used in the production.

A prize drawing will be held at the event, with prizes ranging from Best Buy gift certificates to free haircuts. Tickets to the show are available at the door: $5 with a student I.D. and $8 for the general public.

“”Who Fed the Magic Box?”” will be performed at the Social Sciences building, Room 100, at 7:30 p.m. Organizers will be on the UA Mall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. selling tickets and snacks.