Playmakers Blog
Posted by Rachel on March 15, 2010
That's Weird Grandma Company Members School Shows After School Program
Joe and Rachel attempted a Monkey Trifecta this Monday: school show, teaching, Grandma.
To keep themselves alert and energized between stages two and three, they made this vlog for you!
Enjoy!
Joe & Rachel’s Big Day from Barrel of Monkeys on Vimeo.
Posted by Bradford on March 12, 2010
Tis I, young Ignacy!!
Good afternoon students.
That amazingly handsome and incredibly intelligent Mr. Stevens did a impeccable job leading the class the other day. And after conversing via seance, we both agreed that there was no one better to conduct the final lesson than I, Ignancy Paderewski.
When not talking about Lady Gaga, Markle is actually a pretty good piano player
While it is true I never worked in “The Haunted Factory”, it was only because the line for an application wrapped around the building, and being the Prime Minister of Poland, I absolutely refused to wait. However, if they played music everyday, like the melodious track made by Tutaj; I would have passed an executive order allowing me to cut in front, and would be working in said factory this very day!!!
Uffelman’s cameo in “The Haunted Factory” is frightening yet hilarious!!!
After meeting, Helena Gorska, my lovely second wife, we traveled to New Zealand aboard a magnificent ocean steamer. On a warm summer night, totally bored out of our skulls, we crashed “The Big Prom” at the local high-school, and led the students in the greatest movement piece in the history or dance. And let me say here and now, choreographer Donny Williams, is the second greatest dancer I’ve ever seen in my life. Second of course to yours truly, Ignancy Paderewski!!!
Lastly, it is true that while alive, I threw myself into my work wholeheartedly. I once stayed up 48 straight hours working on an opera. By the end of the second night, I was so weary and tired, the chair in the living room came to life and started talking to me. A moment superbly retold by L-Mack and Ricky in the untitled “Chair Argument”. It’s almost as if they were there when it happened.
The Lovable Cast
In all seriousness folks, the Paderewski show ROCKS!!!. The kids wrote some fantastic stories, and our mighty cast did some fine adapting. So spring forward this weekend, and check out all the spectacular tales on Monday. Hope to see ya there!!!!!
Posted by Amanda Farrar on March 11, 2010
That's Weird Grandma School Shows
At Barrel of Monkeys, we work towards building lasting relationships with each school in which we perform a writing residency, some of which we’ve been working with for almost a decade. Trumbull Elementary School was a new and wonderful addition to our school list last year. Located in Andersonville, cattycorner to the Neo-Futurarium (the home of our weekly long-running production, “That’s Weird, Grandma”), AND being a Literature and Writing magnet school, it was the absolute perfect addition to our Barrel of Monkeys programming.
With this in mind, you may not be surprised to hear that when Trumbull came to us this year and said they couldn’t financially support a residency but deeply and fervently wanted us in their school a second time, we didn’t say no.
Instead, we looked across the street to “That’s Weird, Grandma” and asked how that BOM program can reach out to help another.
Thus, the Trumbull Benefit performances were conceived. On Sunday, March 14 at 2pm and Monday, March 15 at 8pm, a very special Trumbull Benefit ticket is available for $25. The show will feature three stories from this year’s residency at Trumbull: The Twin Enemies by Carolina M. and Kayla R., Prison Break by Anthony G., and The Day I Got Locked in My Room By A Ghost by Cesar P.! See below for the stories as they were written!
Don’t have the cash for that type of ticket? That’s okay – come to the performance, buy a regularly priced ticket ($10 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and under), and any donation you can give will go towards supporting BOM’s residency at Trumbull. Tickets can be purchased here.
Can’t make it to the performance Sunday or Monday but want to help the cause? Make a donation now.
Barrel of Monkeys’ unique writing workshops not only increase writing skills, but also give a hefty boost to the students’ confidence and enthusiasm for writing, and to top it all off, a real increase to self-esteem. But don’t take our word for it! Here’s what the fourth graders from Trumbull say about our program:
“What I learnd from barrel of monkeys is to keep on making good ideas. What I liked best is writing storys. Barrel of monkeys make me feel awesome. They were fun. Its a super program.” – Antawn
“The most thing I have learned is how to be a better writer and reader. They really made me feel special. The barrel of monkeys are alot of fun everyone was a good monkey!!!” – Yekeen
And this is what Jalyssa had to say to the next group of students Barrel of Monkeys works with, but she could just as well be talking to YOU, “That’s Weird, Grandma” audience member!
“They are great and funny. You will have a whole lot of fun. Barrel of Monkeys is the best program. You will have a time of your life. At the end of the year thank them for everything. Trust me its fun.” – Jalyssa
Come to “That’s Weird, Grandma” to support Trumbull Elementary School – as Jalyssa went on to say:
“P.S. Have the time of your life. Make urself fell proud!!!”
The Trumbull Stories:
Click here for a podcast of FOOD FIGHT, a story written in last year’s residency.
Click here for a podcast of “The Lion Who Tries to Eat Everyone”, another story written in last year’s residency.
Preview this week’s Trumbull stories and TWG runlist below…
Posted by Luke on March 6, 2010
Big changes a brewin’ here at Monkey HQ.
This is the last performance with this cast. Next week, an almost entirely new cast will grace the stage. Whenever, there is a big cast change over like this, a lot of stories end up leaving the show. It’s just how it’s done around here. SO, come see the show this Sunday, as who knows what stunners will be appearing for the LAST TIME.
Also, this will be the last chance to get your very own, limited ediiton, BOM fridge magnet as your prize. Next week, the prizes will be new. Tattoos. So, that’s gonna be cool too. BUT, if you’re like me you could always use another fridge magnet. And kids like magnets too. Let’s face it. They demonstrate one of the great mysteries of the universe: magnetism.
Two awesome pieces are joining the action this week. One is old as time and one is new as spring.
The Geek - a rousing musical moment from the year 2001. Remember it?
Prison Break - a brand new dialogue that the monkeys have never performed! Be there for its debut and so much more.
Buy tickets here.
Runlist with updated story links below!!
Posted by Bradford on March 3, 2010
Attention Class!!!
Let me start things off by giving mad love to our fantastic cast; our fearless leader, Mere, and my co-blogger, super duper Mike Tutaij. And now, if you would please open your books to chapter one.
Paderewski
As we all know, Paderewski was an incredibly talented pianist, composer, and politician, and though he was the third Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, he probably never went to a slumber party, where two of his best friends poured mustard all over his face while he was sleeping. In 1881, he moved to Berlin to study music composition, but while he was there, he probably didn’t get a part time job in the “Baby Factory”. And of course when his world renowned opera, “Manru” was performed at the Metropolitan Opera in 1902, a dancing pig probably didn’t knock on his dressing room door and ask him for a birthday pie. No, none of these amazing things ever happened to Ignacy Jan Paderewski… but they do happen in the Paderewski school show baby. All that fun after only one day of rehearsal, I can only imagine the great tales that are yet to come. So come on out to the show yall, it will make Ignacy oh so proud.
Class is dismissed.
Rachel brings down the house with her incredible vocals!!!!