BOM just completed our residency at Dawes Elementary in Evanston. It was incredible!
Students wrote so many amazing stories, and some of the most persuasive writing I have seen in a long time!
Above is the incredible teaching team! (from left to right, Emjoy, Myself, Lindsey, Carly, & Nancy)
The teachers honored the last week of the residency by feasting at Steak and Shake
mmmm
and while some of us “eastcoasters” are mourning the loss of the New England Patriots, we are celebrating the victory of Emjoy in a post SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL!!!
Meredith Milliron, Joseph Schupbach, Jen Johnson, Ricky Harris and Geoff Rice are off to new adventures, and Round 5 brings us 3 Monkeys who will make their TWG debut…
Jenny Weiner reprises her role as THE SINGING CHICKEN.
Dan Rumney terrifies as the Strange Man in ZOMBIE STORY
Zeke Sulkes mystifies as the Narrator in MARSHMALLOW.
Additionally, Erick Deshawn Dorris dazzles on piano and adds his sultry voice to his composition: SPIDER MONKEY.
Join us at 8 p.m., and whisper “4 Stars” to Kassi for a discounted ticket.
Here’s what you can expect:
TWG 5.1 Runlist
Untitled Dialogue (Girls Club/Banana Split) by Nicole M, Stockton
Snowmen From Pluto by Omar M., Lafayette
The Singing Chicken by Rodrigo, Little Village
Worst Pet Ever by Rebka M., Stockton
My Family (Little Fat Hurtful) by Roxesea C., New Sullivan
Spider Monkey by Justin D., New Sullivan
I am a Teddy Bear/I am a Child by Najeeva F
The Pea in the Pod by Daryn B., Graham
Prince/Princess (SONG) by Ingrid D., Little Village
Cowboy and Cowgirl Fighting in the Barn, Alex and Maria, Lorca
Zombie Story by Ethan, Loyola Park
Chitterlings by Samuel B., Harold Washington
The Marshmallow by Isabella W., LPASP
Bunny Madness by Roxette D., Cleveland
The Time We Had a Snowball Fight by Diontae S., Kohn School
Bulls Game by Michael E and Napolean N., Paderewski
Tragic Fireworks by Jocelyn P., Lee
It is my great pleasure to be the Columbia Explorers Academy (CEA) show blogger. In my 6 years with Barrel of Monkeys, I’ve rarely missed performing the CEA show. Last year I got to direct, what has gone down in BOM history as the “blizzard show” at CEA. What a difference a year makes… this year, it feels like spring with not a snowflake in sight!
So far the CEA rehearsals have been Epic!
Day One: We began our first rehearsal without a blizzard, but with Loyola Park out of service! Thank goodness for the good people at Pottawatomie Park in Roger’s Park for lending us a rehearsal room last minute. Not only did we make new friends, we played some new warm up games!
Day Two: Back at Loyola Park with the keyboard, Molly announced the artistic challenge of the show, and Lindsay accepted. Everyone needs to play the keys! Way to go Lindsay!
Day Three: This was my favorite rehearsal of Barrel of Monkeys ever!
While reviewing the final stories to adapt, here is a dialogue (more or less) that led to one of my favorite songs of all times.
Ryan “I can’t get over Fuzzy Bear; It needs to be an 80s rock song”
Molly: “Can you write a rock song?”
Ryan: “No, but I can sing one if someone can lay down the chords”
Molly: “Here’s an idea, pick a song you know and replace the lyrics with the words of the story”
Ryan (starts singing) “Fuzzy was..”
Mike: “wait a minute….no way….(runs to keyboard begins to play “Don’t Stop” by Journey with Fuzzy Bear Lyrics)
All Monkeys: no way! (all begin to sign Fuzzy the Bear to Don’t Stop in unison)
Ryan plays Fuzzy, Lindsay is Munchie, Fuzzy’s best friend. Both BOM class of 2011!!
The rest of us are Journey!
Cannot wait until next week to see where this epic journey of the Columbia Explores cast takes us.
Meredith
Think singing can’t change the world? Just ask these ladies:
The moment you have all been awaiting is right around the corner! Our annual Monkey-O-Kee karaoke benefit will occur on Sunday, February 12 from 8pm-11pm at Mad River Bar & Grille, 2909 N. Sheffield Ave. “What is it all about?” you may ask. It is all about supporting Barrel of Monkeys’ work in the Chicago Public Schools. Without you attending, singing, and laughing, the amazing stories written by children are at risk.
When you purchase a ticket for the extremely fair price of $25, you not only get the chance to support BOM’s work with Chicago’s youth – igniting their imaginations, boosting their self-esteem and improving literacy – but you ALSO get well drinks, beer and wine, pizza AND pasta, not to mention the karaoke, and therefore, entertainment in abundance.
Various and sundry other fun and fabulous activities will occur at the event, including a prize wheel, sponsored Monkey performances, and maybe a few surprises along the way.
You know who loves Monkey-o-kee? The unnamed old lady from Marshmelow
Ok. actually, that is Kayla from Cheerleaders. But you get the point.
If you buy your tickets online now you will receive two, count them TWO, free spins on the prize wheel! Could it get better? Possibly and likely, but you will only know if you show up.
Buy dem tickets.
Also, look out for a blog detailing the sponsored monkey line-up.
These two are so excited about Monkey-O-Kee, they are dancing:
So many celebrities were running amok at the Lorca show this week, it was hard to not be starstruck. Even though their agents would not grant me interviews, I managed to track down what they were Tweeting, during the show.
@ GhostMichaelJackson I still got the moves! Only you can prevent forest fires! Shamone!
@Rita’sHusbandMike Does anyone have any advice? My wife is stuck in an igloo she thought was a tanning booth.
@Ashley’sCousinKuka I’ll never let you go, Justin! I love it when U smile! Sorry my cousin keeps beating you up!
@TonyHawkZombieSlayer Zombies, it’s time for a meltdown. I’m about to pull an FS 540 on your faces.
While performers are typically discouraged from updating their Twitter accounts during a show, I am so glad this group embraced technology just this one time. And I was equally glad to have taken part in this show at all. As the Lorca Orca once tweeted, “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeee…”
(that means “Adios, friends! Until next time!”)
