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 Joe on January 14, 2013
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
Tonight we are adding some scary creatures into the show!
The Big Giant by Richard B, Graham School
One time I was at my house I was eating and I went out side I herd a loud nouse it was this Big Giant I ran too my house and grabed a wepon and I went out side and I was going to hit him butt he said no I just need go back to my house so the big giant left to his house.
Piranhas Should not Exist by Jesus B, Lorca School
I believe Piranhas should not kept as pets because piranhas are so expensive because they eat a lot of meat and meat costs a lot of money. They should not kept is pets because they can eat your hand when you feed them. Piranhas should not exist because sometimes when you go to lakes and swim there could be piranhas and eat you.
See you tonight! Buy your tickets asap!
Say “LAKE HOUSE” to Kassi at the Box Office to get $2.00 off your ticket price!
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.
Posted by Joe on January 7, 2013
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
The rumors are true. That’s Weird, Grandma is back from it’s brief holiday break and back better than ever.
What’s the formula?
1 director + 1 stage manager + 16 performers + 14 stories = PURE MAGIC!
Here is the game plan:
MY AWESOME CAT/STRETCH THE TRUTH BY DAEJANAY S, CHALMERS SCHOOL
THE STORY BY TIM M, DAWES SCHOOL
MY FAMILY BY ROLEXSEA C, NEW SULLIVAN SCHOOL
NINJA TURTLE / TALKING APPLE BY MALIK F, REAVIS SCHOOL
THE MAN THAT DID HIS LAUNDRY IN THE MANAGER’S OFFICE BY GENNESIS P, AVONDALE-LOGANDALE SCHOOL
I BELIEVE QUE TODOS LOS DIAS CAE NIEVE BY HERNAN G, COLUMBIA EXPLORERS ACADEMY
THE SCARIEST MOVIE BY TANIYA B, IAITZY C AND ACHAUNTI G, DEWEY ACADEMY
THE WITCH’S CURSE BY: KENDRA, MYA, BREYON, ALEXANDRIA, CHALMERS SCHOOL
PLUTO WAS MY ONLY FRIEND BY VINCENT Y, NEW SULLIVAN SCHOOL
THE AMAZING ZURINE BELLA D, LOYOLA PARK AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM
TWINS? MAURICE AND HUMPTY DUMPTY WAKEESHI BY BILL, ROLANDO, MICHAEL, MARLON, NEIDI, MIRIAM, AND NATASHA, GLADSTONE ELEMENTARY
ROCK BY GABRIEL J, LOYOLA PARK AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM
GRANNIES LEAN LIKE A CHOLO BY STEPHAUN B, LOYOLA PARK AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM
CRAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (IT’S SNOW CRAB) BY ALLY B, DAWES SCHOOL
Buy your tickets on line or call for reservations at 312-409-1954.
Say “rockstellation” to Kassi at the box office and get two dollars off your ticket price!
