Posts relating to school shows.
Posted by Alex on January 31, 2010
School Shows
Hi, the internet. I’m Alex. You might have met my fellow blogger for Columbia Explorers Academy, Alan. He’s great.
To piggy back on Alan’s last post, today ROCKED for exactly that reason!! During one of the days at CEA the students wrote raps. Today, Philip brought in some sweet beats and we broke off into a few groups and adapted 6 raps from some of the classes, we then got into a rap battle of epic proportions!!!!
There were raps about:
Skateboarding
Recycling
Beef Sandwiches
and
PUFFINS!!!!!!!!
Trust me. You can’t wait to see this.
Posted by Alan on January 29, 2010
School Shows
Hi, the internet. This is Alan. I’m one of TWO official show bloggers for the Columbia Explorers show. The other blogger is Alex, who plays the banjo, also.
Here’s something I’ve always admired about my fellow monkeys. (I saw a lot of it today, at our first rehearsal, is why I’m bringing it up.) My fellow monkeys do such a consistently brilliant job of taking an incredible story, by an incredible kid; reading it over once or twice; and immediately, instinctively figuring out what makes the story tick. These stories, as we get them, are these crazy little blobs of awesome, but to figure out who says what, and when, and more importantly, where the pivotal points in the story sit - that takes some serious talent, folks. I can write a pretty good song, but this stuff, man - I marvel at this company of people who just know how to draw out the essence of a story like a delicious, delicious strand of spaghetti.
Speaking of: time for lunch.
Can’t wait to see what other stories we do!
Thanks for listening, the internet.
Posted by Alex on January 28, 2010
School Shows
One of my favorite things about performing at the schools is the look on the authors face when we announce that “This NEXT story is by ______ in Ms. _________’s class”. The reactions generally fall into a a few categories: from Complete Embarassment to Shy But Excited and finally (the most fun to watch) Totally Pumped.
I have to let you know that the Kohn school offered me perhaps the single best response to a story from any child I’ve seen.
I was particularly excited to see the audience reaction during this particular story so I joined Brennan out in the audience to watch the magic unfold.
You see, one of the boys in the class had written a story called “One Day At My House”. This was a story from “Stretching the Truth” day. It was about how, one day at his house, he smelled smoke. He investigates the source of the smoke, finds that the oven was on and turns it off. Then Beyonce comes into his living room and starts dancing! He faints and realizes it was all just a “very very good good good dream”.
Now, in our adaptation, Ricky was our Beyonce. He had on a beautiful long black wig and some elbow length white satin gloves. Rachel and Christina were his/her back up dancers. Donnell choreographed a great 15-20 second version of the Single Ladies routine that hit all the highlights.
When that song started playing the auditorium ERUPTED! And when Ricky came out from behind the curtain and struck a killer pose, Malik, the author, STOOD UP AND YELLED AND GAVE THREE FIST PUMPS IN THE AIR and was then SWALLOWED by his friends pulling him down while HOWLING with laughter!!!!
It was my favorite reaction to a story I’ve ever seen!
Kohn, you were great!
From the pig song, to the presidents arguement, to explaining what a ball is, to Super Agent Max Jones, to the grandma who hates cats. We had so much fun with your stories.
I know we’ll be friends FOR A LONG TIME… For A Long Time…... for a long time….
Posted by Alex on January 24, 2010
School Shows
Hey guys. I’m Alex. This is my first time blogging, so be nice. But I just had to tell someone…...
This is it.
This is the last rehearsal before we blow the doors off of Kohn school.
I. Kohn’t. Wait.
Each new school show I help create with the other monkeys always feels like this is the best one yet. That’s one of my favorite things about this company of people.
But this might be the best one yet.
We’ve got an EPIC SNOWBALL SHOWDOWN!
There’s a SUPER AGENT song with BOOBY TRAPS!
A “Little Ditty” about the LIFE CYCLE OF PIGS! (“Little Ditty” is a bit of an inside joke that will only be explained if you come see the KOHN SHOW)
I’ll say it again:
I. Kohn’t. WAIT!!!!!!!!
See you tomorrow Kohn!!
Posted by Bradford on January 10, 2010
School Shows
First off:
CONGRATS to Meredith in her Barrel of Monkeys directorial debut!!! Yeah!!
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After the company meeting, Tai, Goodrich, Michelle, Meredith, Donnell, and I went to the Heart Land Cafe to grab a bite, before heading back to Loyola Park for some serious rehearsing. We’re a small but mighty cast, and the spirit of adaptation was in the air. School shows are magic baby, but school shows in which you were a teacher, are super, duper, mega-magic to the 10th degree.
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There is nothing I like more than getting to know the kids, being in the class room as their masterpieces come to fruition, and then seeing them spring to life in the rehearsal process. Imagine if you will, Abraham Lincoln, tripping over his own beard, while angry crowds throw pop cans at him, before being flushed down the toilet by a bunch of wacky animals on the African plane. Happens every day you say? Perhaps, but how about….
The magic of Playstation’s PSP, which not only saves animals from extinction, but makes serial killers nice, and puts an end to war for ever and ever. Yes!! Let’s see your Nintendo Wii do that!!! But my favorite tale of all, is about three young ladies who to take a trip to the mall. Words just don’t do it justice my friends. No, no, you’ll have to see the show for yourselves. It’s Super, duper, mega- magic I tell ya. Super, duper mega magic indeed!!
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