Displaying items by tag: Chicago Public Schools

Check out the Barrel of Monkeys on a first date, see if your date has a sense of humor. Take your 4th grader and laugh over ice cream after the show. Drag the whole office to the Neo-Futurist Theater and forget about the overwhelming stress for an hour, then return to the stressful office. Hey, you could also buy a ticket for your Grandma.

After seeing the Barrel of Monkeys present THAT’S WEIRD, GRANDMA a second time, my attendance is guaranteed a third time. If you’re looking for hilarious, here it is. Since there’s snow on the ground, Barrel of Monkeys celebrates with THAT’S WEIRD, GRANDMA: The Holiday Special. Santa, Thanksgiving, and winter inspired subject matter make up the new lineup of stories this season. The Chicago Public School students write amazing stories, so amazing, they are brought to the stage and performed by Barrel of Monkeys Company Members! 

Barrel of Monkeys is a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble, who give 3rd through 5th graders the confidence, and an outlet, to be creative. Creative writing workshops are conducted in underserved Chicago Public Schools, and then students’ stories are turned into professionally performed theater and shared beyond the school’s walls. 

THAT’S WEIRD, GRANDMA is for everyone. Everything about Barrel of Monkeys is amazing, their talent for teaching and acting, their mission and vision, their impact, and how they put a smile on everyone’s face.

Location: Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago

Running: November 16 - December 28, 2015

Curtain Times: Mondays at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $12 for adults; $6 for children under 12. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org

Title: Visit Barrel of Monkeys for their Summer Block Party!

Looking for something to do on a hot summer evening? Join the Monkeys for a night filled with bizarre humor! Barrel of Monkeys presents “That’s Weird, Grandma: Summer Block Party”, a production of stories written by Chicago Public School students. These young, creative geniuses  (3rd-5th graders) write creative scripts or stories for the actors and/or educators of Barrel of Monkeys, who adapt and perform these sketches both in school and for the general public - in this case, The Neo-Futurist Theater. Since 2001, Barrel of Monkeys, co-founded by Dr. Erica Halverson and Halena Kays, provides a rare opportunity for creative expression, increased literacy skills and confidence in student ideas and abilities. Imagine how thrilling it is to the student whose story is turned into professionally performed theater - by their teacher. No matter how odd a child’s story is, all ideas will be embraced.

As the series progresses throughout its run, it’s the audience who actually votes on which stories should stay and which should go, so no two shows are ever the same. Artistic director, Joseph Schupbach, pulls out a new collection of children’s stories every Monday. These sketches are so innocent, so out of the box, and yet so incredibly eccentric. It’s as if the audience is watching a production directly from the ideas and memories of the child’s imagination. Some of the story titles include: “Elsa and Anna and the Attacking Zombies”, “The Long Day”, “The Sad Pizza”, and “Doctor Stupid Head”. The sketches brought to the stage resemble the crazy prompts you were given in the third grade, such as, ‘Why should crocodiles be domestic animals?’ The sketches are as random as could be, but they’re very humorous.

The Neo-Futurist Theater is an intimate space, but the actors use every inch of the space in the most creative of ways. Props, such as a plastic horse head and plastic snakes, and costumes are used, including wigs, potato sacks, and shrimp claws. Totally random. The lighting is simple yet thoughtful. Intense music filled the theater giving us notice when something dramatic was about to happen. The director and cast members sang songs and spent 30 seconds before each sketch to explain the meaning behind it, if any.  Cast members put on their best silly faces and crazy voices, earning lots of laughter from the audience. Adult actors playing out scenes and spewing out dialogue as written nearly verbatim by school children - what could be funnier?

“Barrel of Monkeys: Summer Block Party” is perfect for adults and children. If you want to laugh hard, I definitely recommend going to see Barrel of Monkeys. You might not be able to wipe the smile off your face as you leave the theater.

Location: Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago

Running: June 8- August 10, 2015

Curtain Times: Mondays at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $12 for adults; $6 for children under 12. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org or by calling (312) 409-1954