Posted by Joe on July 16, 2015
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
Company Members
I am so excited to share with you the incredible cast that is coming together for this next batch of Monday night shows!
The cast will include: Michelle Alba, Nick Hart, Shá Norman, Zoe Schwartz, Tim Soszko, Brad Stevens, and Gwen Tulin!
This crew of all-star monkey performers will bring you the following sketches and songs:
A MOST BORING BUS THAT IS FILLED WITH SNAKES by Maximo R., Loyola Park After-School Program
CRAZY LADY by Eukyirah W., Morton School of Excellence
DRAGON CITY by Lunaire F., Poe Classical School
UNTITLED (UNICORN LETTERS) by Daisy J., Columbia Explorers Academy
THE AMAZING ZURINE by Bella D., Loyola Park After School Program
UNTITLED (VOLCANO HOUSE) By John M., Loyola Park After School Program
SUPER SINGER By Jamesha H., Chalmers School of Excellence
CRAZY TOPIC by Leandro Z., Loyola Park After-School Program
THE LONG DAY by Darryl M., Dewey School of Excellence
UNTITLED (NIKI MINAJ SHOW) by Kinnaria D., Super 7 Program at Cather Elementary School
THE CRAZY WAFFLE by Trenyce G., Dixon School
THE SAD PIZZA by Matthew G., Poe Classical School
UNTITLED (HORSEWOLF) by Tamarra M., Dewey School of Excellence
OG GRANNY MAD by Rayana E., Morton School of Excellence.
PLANET DARTRUDA by PLANET DARTRUDA by Jacari R., Taniya J., Nakiya B., Super 7 Program at Cather Elementary School
THE SCARY MYSTERY by Tanaia L., Lorca Elementary School
I BELIEVE THAT CROCODILES SHOULD BE DOMESTIC ANIMALS by Frank G., Columbia Explorers Academy
Say “I’m going to make a short story into a long story.” at the box office for discounted tickets!
See you at the show!
Joe
Posted by Joe on July 12, 2015
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
Company Members
This Monday: join us in saying so long (for now) to Donnell Williams!
Our beloved Donny is moving to the west coast! Join us on Monday night at That’s Weird, Grandma to celebrate, laugh, and cry!
There are special Donny stories being added to the runlist and maybe even some special guests!
Say “Beyonce, we are leaving” at the box office to receive discounted tickets!
See you at the show (with a teardrop in my eye)
Joe
Posted by Joe on July 6, 2015
The Monkey Minute
Company Members
School Shows
Here is another Monkey Minute from super director Meredith!
A Day in the Life: From Page to Stage in 18 Hours or Less
Meredith Milliron
As we arrive at Loyola Park for the first rehearsal, excitement is in the air. Monkey after monkey arrives in the space as well as a director, we set up the keyboard and, wham!, it’s time to get started.
We sit in a circle and introduce ourselves to everyone. Then we hear from the teachers. They tell us a little bit about the students and the school.
Then we dig into the journals. Each monkey takes a turn reading a story or two from each child. We then warm up by stretching and playing theater games. Once we are warm, we divide into groups and grab whatever story inspired someone. Maybe it was a setting, a character, a mood, or they wanted to turn it into a rap… we listen to their idea and then we discuss and improvise our way through the story. We run it a couple of times to get down our lines and actions, and then we present it to the director and the larger group. They help us to solidify our ideas and make it look good on the stage. We then talk to the manager about what props we need to make, buy or borrow. Perhaps we need a shark hat or a giant whale? We might have one in storage or we might have an awesome person in the cast who wants to make it for the show.
We do this again and again until we have 20 stories for the show!
Songs take a longer time to work through, so we normally give that an entire three hour rehearsal. Normally we have two big songs per show and the closing number which is written by a monkey and performed at each show all year. The person who wrote the song normally plays it for the group, then we learn it, record it, and put it up on stage. Sometimes we have a choreographer that teaches us some awesome moves, and sometimes we work as a group to come up with them. We listen to the recording for the rest of the week to memorize it before our performance.
The dress rehearsal is the last night before the show. We make sure we have all the costumes and props we need for each story. We run through each song and dance and complicated story before the run, and then we do the entire show for a small audience of other monkeys and friends. The director takes notes, and we listen to them before we head home that night.
We pack up everything after the dress rehearsal. Then we meet for breakfast before the show. We like to meet in the neighborhood of the school. It’s a good time to go over lines with other monkeys, review our run list and ask any questions and get a good breakfast!
Then we get to the school, set up the stage, run a top and bottoms (which means we start and end each sketch really fast). We normally run the songs, so we can set the sound levels in the space and practice any dancing. Then the children arrive and we start the show!
From Page to Stage in 18 hours!
The End
Posted by Joe on July 2, 2015
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
Join us Monday and meet a super singer!
Here is the story:
Super Singer By Jamesha H., Chalmers School of Excellence
I would wear a skirt and shirt my super weapon is a mic. My mission is to sing. My arch enemy is super don’t know how to sing. My super power are I know how to sing How I got my super powers is when I heard someone sing. My weapon is my Mic. One time I met my enemy, sang out loud. The crowd cried then I got on the stage and beat her. (picture of a girl singing “la la la” the other says “oooh, I lost) THE END.
Say, “super don’t know how to sing” at the box office to get discounted tickets!
See you at the show!
Joe
Posted by Joe on June 24, 2015
That's Weird Grandma
TWG Weekly Update
This Monday Mary Winn Heider and Laura McKenzie join the cast of Grandma!
Here is a picture of a time that Laura and Mary Winn were in a show together. Looks fun, doesn’t it!?!
Plus you get to see the fan favorite Planet Dartruda!
Here is the story:
PLANET DARTRUDA by Jacari R., Taniya J., Nakiya B.
We see toilet paper like a teddy bear. And we see little people
bothering a chicken egg. We see little bumble bees stinging people. It
is hot like the desert and sometimes cold- freezing and so hot at the
same time. It changes quickly like our world when it used to be sunny.
The sun on this planet is polka dot and orange. The chicken egg is
cracking and the chicken inside might die unless a bee stings the
little people. THE END.
Say “little bumble bees stinging people” at the box office and get discounted tickets!
See you at the show!
Joe
