Posted by Molly on February 2, 2013
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
That’s Weird, Grandma will be playing on Sunday afternoons at 2 February 3-24th. We will be back on Monday nights AND Sundays at 2 beginning March 11.
We have a lot of returning cast members from last Round, and some exciting new additions. For the next four weeks, you can enjoy the acting stylings of Lacy Campbell, Nancy Casas, Emjoy Gavino, Immanuel Guest, Ricky Harris, Nicholas Hart, Jennifer Johnson, Meredith Milliron, Dan Rumney, Joseph Schupbach, Jason Sperling, Katie Suib, Rawson Vint and Rani Waterman.
Here’s the runlist for this week’s show:
1. The Story By Tim M. Dawes School
2. The Big Giant by Richard B, Graham School
3. MY FAMILY by Rolexsea C,New Sullivan School
4. Ninja Turtle / Talking Apple Setting: House- PrincessHouse,By Malik F,Reavis School
5. UNTITLED (THE BLACK HOLE) by Zindy M,Little Village Academy
6. Untitled Dialogue (Y) By Brandon, Jenny & Brisa, Lorca By Brandon,Jenny & Brisa,Lorca School
7. Cheerleaders! By Julie F,Cleveland School
8. I believe that everything needs to be chocolate by Luis M,Seward School
9. Pluto was my only Friend by Vincent Y, New Sullivan
10.The Amazing Zurine Bella D,Loyola Park After School Program
11. Grannies lean like a cholo by Stephaun B,Loyola Park After School Program
12.CRAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (It’s snow crab) By Ally B,Dawes SCHOOL
Say “You’ll Always Be My Favorite” at the box office for discounted tickets!
Posted by Katy B on January 26, 2013
School Shows
KB: Sarah! We just finished the LEARN Campbell Winter show! This was your very first school show as a new Monkey. How was it?
SA: It was incredible! I already can’t wait to work on another one!
KB: How would you describe performing in a school show, like LEARN Campbell, for those folks out there who have never experienced a BOM school show?
SA: It’s very energetic! You have all these kids’ eyes on you as you’re telling their stories and they are laughing and clapping and dancing along, and the energy of them as an audience really feeds back into your performance.
KB: What one word best describes your experience working on the show?
SA: Teamwork. I know it might sound cliche, but this is the only show I’ve ever worked on in which the ensemble members were so supportive, creative and willing to work together.
KB: Was there something that surprised you while rehearsing for the show?
SA: I was surprised at how quickly the process passes. When you only have three hours a night for six nights to put on an hour + long show, it can seem like there is a huge time crunch. But the way that everyone worked together in the rehearsal room was stunning.
KB: Is there anything you’d like to say to the amazing student authors at LEARN Campbell who wrote all the stories?
SA: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! It takes a lot of courage to write stories, especially ones that are true, so you have all done a phenomenal job!
Posted by Lizzie B on January 25, 2013
School Shows
The adaptation process for the Avondale –Logandale School show is in full swing, and as I watched the show taking shape today I noticed something really wonderful happening. Interesting, layered, diverse and beautiful sounds are everywhere in this show. I would like to say that it is all because of the talented people in the rehearsal room, but in fact I think it has a lot more to do with the students themselves and the influence they had on their teachers. I’ll take you back to our first rehearsal for this school show so you can understand why.
That morning we gathered as usual to read the stories the students wrote during their time with Barrel of Monkeys. Story after story was a hit. The teachers who had spent time with the students told us tales of their interests, personalities and accomplishments. Brandon told us about one student who was the real foley guy of the class. He jumped at the chance to add sound effects to any performance in the classroom. Whizz, Bang, Crash! This kid was on it.
Some how the tales of this expert young sound designer got into our souls because we are Whizzing and Banging and Crashing everywhere. In addition to the typically impressive compositions of musicians like Laura McKenzie and Immanuel Guest it seems almost every cast member is getting into the audible spirit of things. Whether it’s the delicious mix created by Lacy Campbell for the story The Flowers and the “Oceano” or the hissing radiators and slamming books assembled by Nancy Casas in The F, we are stretching ourselves as performers and adaptors to live up to the words and actions of these students.
I believe Barrel of Monkeys always strives to inspire students to use their voices to create imaginative stories that express who they are and what they think. However, not surprisingly, it appears that we have been inspired by them to stretch our abilities and imaginations as well. BAM!
Posted by Katy B on January 13, 2013
School Shows
Hi everyone!
She-Hulk here with a quick update on the first week of rehearsal for the LEARN Campbell Winter show!
It has been an amazing and exciting week and I’m just so thankful that Sahara C. at LEARN Campbell wrote me into his story so I could be there for all the action.
What action you ask? Well, this show has it all: a very broke Lady Gaga who has turned to a life of kidnapping; robots you can’t trust; all four members of B2K (Watch out, ladies); a heavy emphasis on the word, “pants;” and of course, some awkward moments with deodorant. Plus, my good friend Super Woman even makes an appearance. What’s not to love?
The cast now has three rehearsals left to learn several new songs, perfect their “Poker Face” dance moves, and get this show up and running by Friday morning.
So on behalf of myself, Michael Jordan, Santa Clause, and all the other characters in the show, BREAK A LEG, MONKEYS!
She-Hulk, over and out.
Posted by Sarah E on January 10, 2013
School Shows
Last night our first task as an ensemble was to read through the stories and choose the ones we thought would be great plays. We had a significant pile to get through, and over the course of the evening I found myself trying to rationalize how and why we chose certain stories.
Of course, there were some that elicited tears of laughter, knee slaps and shouts of “that would be SUCH a good song!” However, for every story that was clearly hilarious (such as one about a poopy parade….I’m not kidding) there was a story that presented a bit of a challenge. Is it entirely necessary to re-enact a student’s fantasy about meeting someone famous? Wait, this story doesn’t really conclude, how can we make it work? I found that I spent a lot of time thinking about those stories. Every kid wrote a story for a reason; and even if the story is not clear, there is a way of presenting it in a fun and entertaining way.
For example, a story I landed on was one untitled short story about a boy named Peter that liked wearing a rooster suit. The story ends with Peter being told he cannot wear the rooster suit and so he cries and cries. The end. Immediately, in my Disney happy-ending mentality, I thought of ways to wrap this story up nicely. “Peter can put his foot down and never take the costume off!” “Peter’s mom can cave and dress up as a chicken”. But then it came to my attention that I would be changing the story, which is one thing that we never ever ever want to do. That would be the equivalent of saying “Romeo and Juliet survive and live happily ever after!!”, to which Shakespeare would roll over in his grave.
Life does not always have happy endings and neither do stories. So the best that I can do is do this particular tale justice by leaving the ending with poor Peter crying. And maybe write a song about how he could be a million different things for Halloween besides a rooster.
