The Columbia Explorers show is tomorrow morning, and today our dedicated cast is reviewing their lines and practicing their dance moves. Yesterday was the last of our six rehearsals. The BOM adaptation and rehearsal process is fast and furious, and can leave us feeling a little crazy at times:
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As I mentioned previously, the teaching team for this residency tried out some new additions to the usual BOM curriculum. Week 3, normally True Story Day, became a day to explore characters and settings that the kids were most familiar with: those around their school and homes. We brainstormed people, places, and things that the kids encountered on a daily basis in their neighborhood: teachers, friends, family members; Pete’s Market, Dulcelandia, McKinley Park; trains, trees, and graffiti. We brainstormed “what if” scenarios: what if aliens landed in McKinley Park? What if the Kedzie stop on the Orange Line was overrun with zoo animals? Then, in the usual fashion, the kids wrote and performed group stories utilizing these elements, and had time for individual writing.
This exercise inspired stories such as “The Magical Place,” by Dulce H., where she finds a hidden room inside the local McDonald’s, full of “all the things a girl could want.”
Rehearsals for the Columbia Explorers show started yesterday. I’m very excited about the show. This residency was a blast, but I wouldn’t expect any less from the kids at this school. The four-class residency was split between two days per week, with myself and volunteer Mariah on Tuesdays, Kate and volunteer Mani on Wednesdays, and rockstars Ricky, Jason, and Sarah teaching both days.
Barrel of Monkeys has been teaching at Columbia Explorers Academy for years, since back when it was called Davis-Shields Elementary, and is the birthplace of “That’s Weird, Grandma” favorites Cereal Story and Untitled (Astronauts).
Monkey friends! The New Sullivan show is almost upon us (Thursday! Thursday!) and, really, no word describes it better than “delicious”. Molly’s healthy and hearty baked goods aside, this show is full of mouth-watering yumminess.
Would you like a sample?
Take “A Girl in Her Kitchen” by Elizabeth A., a tale of loneliness, friendship, and Chinese food made of diamonds.
Still hungry?
How about a fast-paced (Seriously fast-paced, people. Like a hummingbird on espresso fast-paced.) dialogue from Fernando G., which takes place between two friends over some cake, a cookie and a lollypop? Sugar…
Need more? Seriously?
Try some “I Am the President of the Map”, an argument by Skye T. and Kemala B., which begins: “I believe that the world will be a girly place. 1. My first reason is I want ponies and cupcakes and they will be pink. The girls will have on pink sparkle dress.” See Joe below, demonstrating pink cupcakes (Sans pink sparkle dress. Sorry.)
Not to brag or anything, but this show is going to be a decadent 20-course meal fit for kings. New Sullivan had better bring their elastic-waisted pants…
I thought you might be happy to see some pictures from our recent school show at Trumbull. This was the most awesome show ever because I got to play a Lord of the Rings style elf, but there were some other high points as well. We were honored to see they put us on the schedule . . .
. . . and gave us a beautiful place to perform.
Because they’re our neighbors, it wasn’t hard for us to visualize their site-specific stories, like this one in which a deadly fart attacks Andersonville.
Company Manager and TWG Stage Manager Maggie taught at the school, so she joined us in performance. Not only did she perform like a champ, she also put her tech skills to use, working with Brad to create an epic piece combining shadow play with live action (this was the part with the elf!!!)
The children freaked out (in the very best way) when Brad, also a teacher, played a Granny who helps her grandkids kick their shopping habit.
. . . I posted about the Cleveland Show since this afternoon, I’ll be performing in the third Monkey show of the school year, at our own Loyola Park after-school program. More on that later.
In the early days of November, Chicago was caught up in election fever. That whole week was kind of a blur, as are most of the photos from Cleveland. Rest assured, blurry times did not keep us from rocking the show.
This school has always given us a warm welcome . . .
It’s one of the schools featured in Collin Souter’sMeet the Monkeys documentary. At the end of this clip, former Principal Rockland says his famous words, “Is it wrong for a man . . . to love . . . a monkey?”
We even rehearsed at this school once upon a time, so we have a long tradition there.
