Posted by Molly on December 19, 2011
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
We’re not always happy with what we receive for gifts.
This is especially true in the newest story to the “That’s Weird Grandma” Holiday Special. Rebka T from Stocknton wrote “The Worst Pet Ever.” Jason Sperling made it into a song, and we will be performing it TONIGHT in the show.
My first pet ever was a fish. The worst pet ever is my fish because all it does is swim and eat and go through rocks. That’s why it’s the worst pet in the whole wide world. It was so boring because it does nothing at all. I wanted to have adog, but my parents said no. It would’ve been fun but it wasn’t. It was really, really, really, really boring. That’s why it’s the worstest pet in the world.
Share your idea of the worst pet ever with Kassi at the box office for a discounted ticket!
Posted by Molly on December 12, 2011
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
The next 3 weeks of TWG are pre selling fast! We’d love to share with your our Holiday Special…but only if you can get a seat. Make sure to call 312.409.1954 to hold your place!
This week, we’ll be offering…
WINTER FARE
The Seven Penguins Adventure by Latyra B., Kenny Rlk, Ladarious H.,
Howard M., Ieka H., Brandon S., Charlene H., Brittany T., Marlisa B; Henry Suder
I Believe que Todos los Dias cae Nieve by Hernan G., Columbia Explorers
The Time We Had a Snowball Fight by Dionta S., Kohn School.
GIFT GIVING
Monica’s Special Christmas by Freda H, South Loop
My Christmas by Edgar C., Davis-Shields
I am a Teddy Bear/I am a Child by Najeeva F., Dewey School
HOLIDAY FOOD
Gingerbread Diary by Diamond H., LPASP
Santa and Taco Bell by David H., Avondale
Chitterlings by Samuel B., Harold Washington
THE NAUGHTY LIST
Santa’s Mean Day by Devonte V., Reavis
Ice Cream Man by Marcellious G., Stockton Elementary
Santa and the Muscle-bound by Ruvanna, Suder Elementary
The Crazy Reindeer by Kajuan H, Henry Suder
THE NICE LIST
When it Was Christmas by Keith H., Gale School
A House by Lucy N, LP After School Program
Snowmen From Pluto by Omar M., Lafayette
To get a discounted ticket, mention “Courtneeeeeeeeeeeeeey” to Kassi at the Box Office. See you there!
Posted by Rachel on December 12, 2011
School Shows
Whoa. My last blog entry was for the last Chalmers show, and I also blogged for the one before that.
This is because I love Chalmers.
The last time I taught there, the children gave me candy and jewelry AND watermelon gum.
Chalmers is the school that gave us “Bad Car,” and “Kung Fu Guys,” “The Dance of Yousail,” “The Servant’s Skills,” and “Me and My Boyfriend Having a Nice Time Until the End.”
Chalmers is the school Jonathan and Eric chose for their Monkey swan song.
Chalmers is where a child asked Mikala, “You need a man?” and where another child said, “Kristie, you was raised by black people, weren’t you?”
We’ve been at Chalmers for most of the past decade. It’s a school where the oldest kids greet us like family because we’ve been there for ten years and taught their older brothers and sisters, who are now in college! When a Monkey says the word, “Chalmers,” she says it with respect.
And that’s why it’s so, so, so cool to be doing a Chalmers show with FIVE newly cast Monkeys. New Monkey Brenda can be seen here getting hazed by Joe.
New amazing stories will take their place in the Chalmers canon. New things will be said. New memories will be made.
One of these memories will be of an evil cat lady. Yes!
Posted by Molly on December 4, 2011
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
Join us Monday night for a commercial-free hour of kid-written sketches and songs, including two new Persuasive Writing gems:
I Believe que Todos los Dias cae Nieve
by Hernan G., 4th Columbia Explorers
I believe que todos los dias cae nieve.
My first reason is me gusta la nieve.
My second reason is porque puedo jugar con mis primos.
My third (last) reason is nos aventimos nieve.
(I believe it should snow every day)
My first reason is I like the snow.
My second reason is because I can play with my cousins
My third (last) reason is we toss snow.
I am a Teddy Bear/ I am a Child
by Najeeva Foster, Dewey, 4th grade
I am a teddy Bear. I believe that you shouldn’t give a child a teddy bear. My first reason is because they squeeze too hard. My second reason is they take out your eyes my third reason is they take out your cotton in conclusion that’s why I believe a child shouldn’t have a teddy bear. I am a child and I believe a child should have a teddy bear my first reason because is because they make you happy my third reason is you put there eyeballs in your mouth. In conclusion that’s why I believe a child should have a teddy bear.
Just say “I believe!” to Kassi at the Box Office for discount tickets
Posted by Dan R. on December 1, 2011
I knew that becoming part of Barrel of Monkeys would be fun. I just didn’t know how much.
Having seen a number of performances of That’s Weird, Grandma and being lucky enough to know a handful of Monkeys socially,
I knew that the shows were inventive, creative and joyful and that the performers were much more so. As a result, I was excited to join.
Turns out, being a Monkey is not only a hoot; it’s full of surprises and challenges.
The first surprise comes from the kids and what they write. It’s easy to assume that kids see the world in simple ways, unburdened by the
complexities of grown-up life. The reality is that the worlds that they see and imagine are infinitely more amazing and complex that the
world we live in. Sitting in Loyola Park and reading pages from kids’ writing journals is a constant parade of mind-boggling delights.
It’s not simply the words they write; every now and again, one of these pages will be adorned with a picture that may, or may not,
be related to the story at hand. Either way, the creativity is palpable.
Challenge 1: Forget all your preconceptions about how kids think and imagine… you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Once we choose the stories for a school show, it’s on to creating the plays. As a new member of the ensemble, I was expecting at
least a little kind of pecking order, (more mother hen and fluffy chicks than angry buzzards).
Turns out, this isn’t the case. From the very first moment, each Monkey embodied the underlying principle that every idea is a good idea.
However, that means that there’s a responsibility to be open and receptive to other’s ideas without becoming a passive observer of the
process. Scenes are crafted by groups of one or two, then we perform for each other, pulling in other Monkeys
to fill remaining parts. Along the way, there’s a constant flow of ideas and support that makes the process a blast.
Challenge 2: Be both generative and generous as a performer and try something new
Then there’s the show itself. In all my years as a performer, I don’t think I’ve worked as hard, both physically and mentally, as I have
in a BOM school show. 23 Scenes in less than 60 minutes involves a lot of scurrying around. There are transitions to work, props to keep
track of, scenes to perform and truly no time to take a breath before the end of show song. All the while that this is happening,
you’re remembering that the work that you’re performing was written by a kid sitting in the audience with his or her friends and family.
There’s no scope for messing up or giving a flat performance.
Challenge 3: Give the show 100% for 100% of the time.
Perhaps these challenges seem obvious; surely keeping an open mind, being creative and generous and giving 100% are hardly novel ideas.
However, there’s something about Barrel of Monkeys that turns these up to 11. I feel very lucky to have joined such a wonderful group of
performers, so soon after moving to Chicago and I’m looking forward to rising to these challenges again and again and helping to save the world
