Posted by Tim Soszko on November 24, 2008
After School Program
The fall session of our after school program at Loyola Park is coming to a close. We’ve done things a little differently this year and are very happy with the results. We have 3 classes taught by two teachers for each class. 7-8 year-olds are schooled by Rachel and Joe with a lot of help from Caleb. Molly and Ricky are imparting all their knowledge on the 9-10 year-olds with Dixie’s super help. And the 11-13 year-olds get their learnin’ from Elizabeth and myself with tons of help from Sarah.
Obviously, the goals and the experience level of the kids change between each age group, but one thing that hasn’t changed is each child’s enthusiasm to write and perform. Every challenge they face is met with determination, positive energy and sometimes chaos!
Another big change this year: In the spring the oldest group will write and perform in their own show with a cast of professional Barrel Of Monkey actors and director. The bar is set pretty high for them, and they rise to the occasion every time.
To celebrate all the writing these mini-monkeys have done in the past 8 weeks, the Barrel of Monkeys are putting on a show. Come and check out these amazing authors today at 4pm at Loyola Park (1230 W Greenleaf). The kids will get some pizza and juice. You will get your minds blown by what these kids have written!
Does that sound a little too much like a challenge?
That’s because it IS a challenge!!
Will you pick up the gauntlet?
tim
Posted by Heidi on November 23, 2008
That's Weird Grandma
I know monkey fan, I know. It’s been a hard three weeks without “That’s Weird, Grandma” to spice up your Monday nights. But never fear! The show is back, and we’re not taking another break for months and months.
There’s a great runlist for this week’s show, as you can see we’re starting to work some holiday stories into the mix. By the time we get to the special holiday matinee (December 20th, buy your tickets early!) all your favorites should be back.
Buy your tickets online for this or any other week. As a special welcome back from hiatus, use the secret code “Hans the turkey” for a two-for-one discount.
In other news, this week we welcome back our former House Manager Jon Quinn, who spent the last six months working on a campaign. Luckily his efforts paid off, and we’re thrilled he’s back in Chicago for a while and promise not to make him fold too many programs.
Full running order after the jump.
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Posted by Samantha on November 20, 2008
School Residencies
During the past weeks I have found myself, in everyday conversations, regularly quoting and retelling stories that our Trumbull students wrote. Just yesterday I was reminded of one of the sweetest stories I’ve read in a long time—a story about Larry the Ant by Yekeen. In this true story, Yekeen tells about the time he had a pet ant named Larry. He fed him lettuce and kept him in his room. Unfortunately, Larry was sick and didn’t live very long. But he lives on in Yekeen’s heart, forever and ever.
Kids have a way of saying so much with so little. It might be one of my favorite things about teaching with Barrel of Monkeys. Every time I leave a residency I realize how much I can learn from each 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th grader.
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Posted by Elizabeth on November 20, 2008
That's Weird Grandma
Barrel of Monkeys Monday night show “That’s Weird, Grandma” has been lauded by Time Out Chicago as “The best reason [...] to live in Chicago on a Monday.”
Well, thank you, that’s very kind.
In recent weeks, there have been many reasons why it’s good to live in Chicago. I mean, seeing so many of our fellow Chicagoans in the news, how can you not feel a tremendous sense of pride? Barack Obama. Michelle Obama. Every single person who went to the rally in Grant Park on Election Night. Not to mention our very own Congressman, Rahm Emanuel, the next White House Chief of Staff.
Minus most of the people at the rally, I don’t know any of these people personally; but here they go, off to be even more important than they already were. From now on they will be surrounded by guards and armored vehicles and other protective devices. But for awhile, they were just ours. If you say “I live off the Berwyn red line stop”—they would know what that meant. If you say “I went to Stockton Elementary School,” they would probably know where that was. If you say “I just saw a great show full of stories written by kids and performed by adults in Andersonville,” Rahm Emanuel would know what you were talking about. Because he came to see “That’s Weird, Grandma.” He brought his lovely family, and I even went up to him afterwards and handed him one of our CDs and DVDs and thanked him for coming to the show (because another member of our staff, who shall remain nameless, was too starstruck to do it herself. Ahem.)
I am continually excited to be a part of “That’s Weird, Grandma” because it continues the lives of our students’ stories, and shares them with people who live all over Chicago. I like that on one cold night in December, one of the people who came to hear these stories will now go (back) to the White House.
So while Rahm Emanuel helps to make history in the halls of that house, I know in the back of my mind that he will remember the story of another house. A house built for 100 elves, 1 bathroom, and a whole mess of trouble.
Posted by Heidi on November 17, 2008
That's Weird Grandma
I know Monkey Fan, I know. It’s been a long couple of weeks without “That’s Weird, Grandma” in your life.
We’re sorry about that, but our performers need a break and the Neos need a chance to tech their upcoming holiday show (which is going to be awesome). So we’re on hiatus for one more week.
We’ll be back next week and you’ll see some holiday stories start to work their way in pretty quickly. Just what is Santa’s favorite game?
