Posted by Luke on December 20, 2009
That's Weird Grandma
Come to the show for: the holiday opening song, the holiday prizes, the holiday cheer!!!
Also, our esteemed company member Sarah Goeden has informed me that Toys for Tots has record low donations this year and record high demand! So she’s organized a last minute toy drive. Bring a new toy or toys that aren’t in wrapping paper to the show Monday and feel extra great about supporting two causes at once! Monkeys AND Toys for Tots!
Okay. The new pieces going into the show this week are:
1. The Marshmellow- Bob and Courtney (a pair of marshmellows) are happily dating…until they are mercilessly attacked by deer!
2. The Kid Who Got Hit by a Rock- an oldie and goodie. The title already gives away too much!!
See you at the plays.
Buy tickets here.
Running order below!
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Posted by Amanda Farrar on December 14, 2009
The holidays are a time for family, fun, and festivities, but it is also the time of year that sad puppies and children abound on television commercials and nonprofits attempt to guilt your money out of your pockets.
But not us! Here at Barrel of Monkeys, we are all about joy. This week’s podcast is a very special one indeed. It’s like a virtual cup of hot cocoa; warm, sweet, and comforting. So take a break, kick up your feet, and delight in Artistic Director Luke Hatton, and immediate past Artistic Director Laura Grey’s description of the joyful (and educational) work we do in the Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Park Districts. Snippets of stories include such classics as: (Untitled) My Name is David, I Am Poop, I Am a Teddy Bear/I Am a Child, Argument (Food Fight), Chitterlings, Friends, Bad Car, and Untitled (There Was Nothing). (Loyal podcast listeners, you will recognize many of these!) Listen here.
Although we will not exploit sad Monkeys, being a nonprofit organization, we do rely on the generosity of individuals like you to allow us to keep up the good work. In this, our “Sponsor a Story” campaign, you could give $10, the cost of bringing one story from one student to the page. There are upwards of 5,000 stories written each year by the students with whom BOM works, so if you want to give more, that is a-okay! You can donate here. Not the philanthropic type? We still like you! Come to “That’s Weird, Grandma” on a Monday night, and show your support in that way.
Thank you, Monkey friends, for all you do to help us inspire children, who in turn inspire us all! All the best to you and yours this holiday season from all the Monkeys here at BOM!
Okay. Maybe one sad Monkey.
Meredith Milliron in “The Magical Place”. Photo by Dean Ponce.
Posted by Luke on December 13, 2009
That's Weird Grandma
It is our first show of the holiday round!
Newsflash:
.....I have been informed that the holiday show has its own special OPENING NUMBER…..
.....That song we normally sing at the beginning of the show will have a new arrangement for the holiday round….
Don’t tell too many people or it will spoil the surprise.
Also, you will get a special holiday prize at the show.
Also, here’s a zinger. There are SEVEN new stories going into the show this week. Some of them are true holiday classics. Some are new holiday fantastics. Some are about a Bubble Boy who’s going to save the world from being stupid.
They are:
Monica’s Special Christmas Eve
Untitled (OMG I Found My Sister’s Friend)
Snow Storm
Untitled (Bubble Boy)
The Time I Ate a Christmas Ball
I Believe que Todos los Dias cae Nieve
Snowmen from Pluto
Wow. It’s gonna be a craze! Join us at the Neo-Futurarium for all the fun.
Buy tickets here!
Full running order below.
Read more
Posted by Bradford on December 13, 2009
School Shows
The great thing about being part of a group, is the unique language shared amongst its members. For example, while rehearsing “Penguin Mustache”, Meredith asks, “So is it bing, bing then turn around?” And with out missing a beat Jason replies, ” I think it’s just bing.”
Untitled(I am a Bunny)
Or, walking into the room, in the middle of “The Best Friends,” and having Tom motion for me to come on stage. “All skate?” I ask. “Yeah,” he says. “We’re gonna sing the last line…,” and then he does a little gesture with his hands, and I knew right off it was one of those big Broadway finish deals. Ta Dah!!! Good times yall. You can’t beat that with a stick.
Untitled(Cave with Cats)
Then again, maybe you can. During the New Field show Friday, I grabbed a seat on the sidelines, and got a chance to witness first hand, a little girl’s face light up as her named was called and her story was performed. She was literally smiling ear to ear from beginning to end. That’s something I never tire of seeing. It’s magic. Big time magic. Happy Holidays to each and everyone. Here’s to more bings, smiles and cheers in 2010. YEAH!!!
Mags, Levy, and Brennan peruse the cast bios AND…..
AIR GOVIER!!!
Posted by Amanda Farrar on December 9, 2009
A wonderful student from Elgin Community College contacted BOM last week to get some information for a project that her group is doing on us. (Flattering!) Of course, I said I would provide whatever information she would need. She then sent me a series of questions for me to consider. I was going gun-ho until I got to the question that asked me to share an interesting/funny story about the company. This was the absolute hardest question to answer. Even as a newbie (three months plus), I could already come up with at least half a dozen. I turned around and opened up the question to the staff.
So many stories flowed forth. (Stories about making stories – think about that for a while. It’s like thinking about infinity. Kind of.) The majority of the stories had one thing in common: they all happened within the last month.
There was that time during “Haunted House with Women” that a young girl was a little scared, and then was absolutely fine when the women hit the stage.
In a residency, a male student who was reserved for the first few weeks volunteered emphatically to play the role of Linda in the performance of a group story where Linda kills a bear, serves it to her family, and then throws the table over when there’s none left for her.
At the show, the Lion Martin asked the Tiger Luther a question, and young lady in the audience answered instead.
In a classroom, one student was making an argument in front of her class. She was struggling with a word: “This is uncomfortable to say. It’s when air comes out of your behind.” Without batting an eye, our Monkey Mikala said, “Oh, you mean a fart?” No one laughed. In a classroom of 4th graders. They take our agreement “no laughing at other people’s ideas” super seriously.
When a student saw his story performed word for word, he had a revelation: “So, it’s like we are the directors, and you do what we say.” Yep! That’s pretty much it.
Yeah, so that was last month. Give or take a few days. Working with kids and performing for them is fascinating and wonderful. Every single day there are noteworthy stories, both written and carried out in reality. It is just the nature of the work that we do.
I didn’t share a story with the student from Elgin about a time when so and so fell off the stage, or forgot his pants, or forgot his lines – we expect that stuff to happen, and it does happen, to us and a million other theater companies. But what matters most and what makes our work special is the stuff with the kids – that’s the important stuff.
