The Stage: Unbuttoned

An evening of live music, comedy, poetry + eccentric, wild & fabulous performances.

The Stage: Unbuttoned, Winter Boujee edition is here

After selling out our debut show on May 1st (you legends!), The Stage: Unbuttoned is back — louder, wilder, and a whole lot more fabulous.

Get ready for a cracking night of live music, comedy, poetry, and performance art — featuring a mix of seasoned pros and fresh new faces (TBA) from across Aotearoa.

Expect:

✨ Fancy tapas & tasty kai to keep you going
🍷 Top-notch vino & bubbles from our fully licensed bar
📸 Snaps of you looking flash on the red carpet
🛋️ VIP tables for the full glam night out

Whether you’re keen for a Thursday night date, a fun catch-up with mates, or just something a bit out the gate — this is your sign to come through. The Button Factory is serving eye candy, skilled talent with the best crowd.

Dress up. Drink up. Unbutton.
We’ll take care of the rest.

Massive thanks to everyone who’s already grabbed a ticket — your support keeps the lights on, the vibes humming, and our local creative whānau thriving.

WE ARE SOLD OUT – WE DID IT AGAIN FAM! ALL THANKS TO YOU, LEGENDS!!!

Date: Thursday, July 31st
Time: Doors open 7:00 pm, Show starts 8:00pm
Location: 2 Abbey St, Auckland
Age: 18+ event with fully licensed bar

Featured Performers

Ardon England

Queer. Māori. Pop with purpose.

Ardon England is a genre-bending Māori and queer artist fusing electronic pop with theatrical performance. With 20 years of dance experience, he’s headlined shows, collaborated with top creatives, and performed alongside CHAII and Who Shot Scott. His new project EGO marks a bold new era. Ardon champions takatāpui voices and aims to shift culture—loudly and proudly.

Amy Cotter

Poet

British, Māori, Pākeha poet, actor and writer trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Amy is a natural born storyteller, beckoning us to join her on journeys navigating identity, neurodivergence and belonging, ultimately reminding us that we’re all in the same waka. Amy has appeared in Shortland Street, award nominated spoken word film Fish Out of Water as well as theatre shows Clybourne Park in London (dir. Lindsay Posner), Oleanna (The Pumphouse Theatre) and Old Love (Howick Little Theatre).

Carmen Kills

Singer

Carmen Kilss is a soulful songstress with a gritty, powerful voice. Inspired by the likes of Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone, and Stevie Nicks, she weaves rich tone with raw presence. Carmen began singing professionally at 11, and brings years of lived experience to every performance. After a few years offstage, she’s returned with more soul, more sass, and something to sing about.

Cherry Dee

Burlesque Artist

Cherry Dee hit the burlesque scene in 2010 in Christchurch and went on to co-found the Northern Dolls Burlesque Cabaret in her hometown of Whangārei in 2012. Not only an accomplished shimmy shaker and tassel twirler, Cherry is also a pole dancer, aerialist and mischief enthusiast - you never know what sparkly shenanigans she'll bring to the stage next.

Marshall Lorenzo

Comedian

Marshall Lorenzo (Ngāti Maniapoto) is an award-winning comedy writer and performer, known for Canada’s Drag Race and sketch troupe The Sketchersons. He’s performed across North America, including Just For Laughs and Montreal Sketchfest. In Aotearoa, his show Baby Gorgeous earned five NZ Fringe nominations in 2024, followed by three more in 2025—winning the International Touring Award. His new show Decadunce opens at Basement Theatre, August 21–23.

Dani VR

Creative Producer

Dani VR is the visionary behind The Stage: Unbuttoned.
A performer, designer, and curator of chaos, she’s produced shows for major festivals, worked behind the scenes at Adelaide Fringe, and launched Aurora Creative — a production and talent agency with serious bite. Dani is passionate about connecting creatives, a true arts advocate, and totally head over heels for showbiz.

Rochelle Mangan

Circus Artist

Rochelle is an aerialist and movement artist who uses performance as a tool for expression and connection. With 20+ years on stage—starting in clubs and evolving into circus in 2013—she creates from a place of play, pushing simple, satisfying movements to their limits. Her work evokes effortlessness, magic, and possibility.

Reverse Panda

At the last Stage: Unbuttoned, we heard you loud and clear — you didn’t want the night to end.
That’s why this time, we’re winding down in style with a DJ set to keep the vibes flowing just a little longer. Expect sensual and deep bangers from 11pm onward — the perfect soundtrack to sip another drink, sober up before home, or talking to your crush.

The Stage: Unbuttoned