Ed Eblin on the Founding of Imagine Productions and Where It’s Going Next
Ed Eblin (left) as Mal in Imagine Productions’ The Addams Family, 2024
Ed Eblin is a founding member of Imagine Productions, which hit its 15th anniversary in July. Ed and the rest of Imagine Productions will perform in Imagine That! 15th Anniversary Cabaret on Oct. 10. We asked him about his vision all those years ago and how he and the Columbus community can shape the next 15.
Katie: When was Imagine Productions founded?
Ed: July 11, 2011. Our first production was The Wedding Singer.
Imagine Productions’ Wedding Singer, 2011
Katie: Tell us a bit about why Imagine was created.
Ed: A previous community theater group, Center Stage Players, was closing up and preparing to disband. I served as CSP’s artistic director from 2003 to 2011. The CSP board (except for me) were interested in ending with the final production being in the spring of 2011. However, a few of us decided that there was still interest in keeping the group going, under a new name and in a new venue. So, we reorganized a new board and reached out to the local lesbian bar, Wall Street Nightclub, about putting on performances in their space. The first couple of seasons were a challenge — we needed to restart and rebrand as a non-profit arts organization within the greater Columbus theater community.
Katie: What has been the greatest change you’ve seen in Imagine over the last 15 years?
Ed: I would say the biggest change has been our performance spaces. From our inception in 2011, we challenged ourselves to appear in a more conventional stage. First at Northland PAC, then later at CPAC. Money could be a hurdle in that endeavor (theater is expensive!). Obviously, the COVID pandemic completely shuttered most venues over a particular seat threshold, making it difficult to produce shows efficiently. Imagine was dormant for about 18 months, but we bounced back and have performed shows in Club Diversity, District West and both stages at the CPAC since.
Imagine Productions’ Chicago, 2013
Katie: What is your favorite production Imagine has done?
Ed: I have three shows which were my personal favorites. All three are productions I personally directed, so my answer is a bit biased. Spring Awakening in 2012 was our first time doing a serious subject matter story, and premiered in Columbus. Chicago in 2013 was just plain fun to put on! And finally, The Rocky Horror Show, produced in 2011, 2012 and 2016 respectively. I have the closest connection to this one, in particular.
Katie: What is your personal favorite show? Would you like to see Imagine do it if they haven’t already?
Ed: I think Spamalot would be a great title to produce. I think Imagine could have a lot of fun with that one.
Katie: What do you do outside of your work with Imagine?
Ed: I am an adjunct math instructor for Columbus State Community College. My work is part-time now. I was a high school math teacher for 33 years at Eastland Career Center before retiring in 2025.
Katie: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Ed: New Zealand, Australia and Antarctica!
Katie: What is your dream role?
Ed: I’d love to play John Adams in a production of 1776, or Harry Macafee in Bye Bye Birdie.
Imagine Productions’ Spring Awakening, 2012
Katie: Is there an organization that you would love to see Imagine work with?
Ed: I take the non-profit aspect of Imagine Productions very seriously, and would love to partner with any organization which is community-minded. Of course, school systems are a great way of raising our visibility, but also to have outreach which brings the arts to communities where it’s not present.
Katie: What do you see for Imagine’s future?
Ed: When I was one of the founders of this group, I set the mission to have an arts organization which would continue to grow and to evolve beyond the individual influence of any one person. In other words, something which would outlive myself and others. For that, I feel like we have been very successful so far. But in the end, what we do well is putting on cutting-edge musicals and showing performance art which shows that Columbus is a city worth living in.
Imagine Productions’ Rocky Horror Show, 2016
Katie: How do you think we can accomplish that vision?
Ed: Continue in the mission which we have already started. But I’d like to see us have our own performance venue one day, or to collaborate with other production companies who need a home and cross promote. I’d like to see the arts continue to be part of the mainstream of society, and to continue a messaging of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Join Ed and the rest of Imagine Productions at their Imagine That! 15th Anniversary Cabaret on Oct. 10.
About the author
Katie Haught is co-marketing director of Imagine Productions.
This article is part of a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council as part of the Art Makes Columbus campaign. Explore a calendar of events, public art database, artist-curated public art tours and stories at columbusmakesart.com. To learn more about GCAC grants visit gcac.org.