Posts relating to school shows.
Posted by Brennan on May 8, 2011
School Shows
After School Program
Boy oh Boy.
I feel like I want an intro phrase. Like “Good Night, and Good Luck,” but I would say it at the beginning of every blog. Then we would all know that we’ve started, and nobody would miss anything because maybe they aren’t paying attention. Or maybe they’re kind of just skimming this because they have to check it as part of their job, to make sure I don’t use any swears, or try to start intense political debates, (because people be a CRAZE when they decide it’s time to comment on a political story on the internet), but mostly what they’re doing with their brain is watching this on the other half of their computer screen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwqPn2tmIkE&feature=related
So anyway, they might need an announcement that it’s time to start paying attention….
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Posted by Meredith on April 24, 2011
School Shows
Morton rehearsals are well under way, and boy oh boy does BOM have a treat for the amazing Morton 4th grade writers!!! Monkeys Molly and Curtis are back from months away from Chicago, and the cast couldn’t be more excited. Also, director Luke presented us with a list of artistic challenges that we have attempted to incorporate into the show, everything from a socio-political statement to a sudden ending to actors supporting each other’s weight. The last of which turned into an entire cast effort at Thursday night’s rehearsal! While Rachel and I attempted to use our new Commedia Del Arte lift skills (learned during a special three day monkey-arte workshop led by Noel Williams just last week), the rest of the cast created a giraffe and a crocodile out of people!!!
Check out Molly, Dixie and Diana’s Giraffe!
Can you believe that Loyola Park had scooters for us to use, which created this human crocodile!!!
Check out Lacy the crocodile (soon to be joined by her tale Mary Winn)!
Come out and see the monkey actor created animals try to steal young William’s hot dog in A Bad Day!
Posted by Zoe on April 7, 2011
School Shows
OH MA GOSH, THE GRAHAM SCHOOL SHOW IS OFF THE HOOK.
I know what you’re thinking. “Zoe, I can’t even begin to process how awesome a school show might be right now because I’m too excited about the That’s Weird, Grandma! 10 Year show and how all of my old monkey friends are in town this weekend to celebrate! Sheesh!” You guys, I get it. But lets take a moment and focus on the trees right in front of your face and not the (secret) forest that is the weekend ahead of us.
Graham is a brand new school and the kids are SO great. They had never heard of BOM before we walked into those two fourth grade classrooms back in January, way before the Blizzard of 2011 hit (omg can you even remember a time before that happened!?), but they were 100% into it from day 1. Their commitment and excitement about the program helped produce such new classics as “The Unknown Baby” by Ina J. where a girl named Alice is sent a life changing Christmas present or “The Eatin’ Contest” by Mauricio A. set on Jupiter that has been turned into a bizarrely beautiful song that stars a Cat, Justin Bieber and a Dragon adapted by the musical genius Laura Mackenzie.
Other exciting moments you can expect at the Graham show include some very elaborate costumes for the piece “Everyone Gets Married”
Or some “earth shattering” prop usage for “The Big Giant”
A killer rap with mad beatz all about oranges!
And even the return of the classic KOOL-YUM! OH YEAH.
So much to see! I know what you’re probably thinking now, “Zoe, you’ve almost sold me, but I don’t want to start off my exciting weekend with too much violence. Are there any guns in the show? I REALLY don’t like guns.” Don’t worry, dear reader, the only weapons used in this show are snow cone cones, an unseen rifle in a truck off stage, a spoon, a metaphysical bomb, a teacher’s chainsaw and a hobo. So, tomorrow morning, set your alarm to AWESOME (9am) and join us at Graham Elementary for some pre-reunion good old fashion monkey fun!
Posted by Linsey F. on March 24, 2011
School Shows
If you would have told me that my first experience with Barrel of Monkeys would involve a singing South American Camelid, a masked vigilante who just wants to dance, an undersea tour and bull riding, I know I would have laughed. However, I wouldn’t have laughed as hard as I’ve laughed this past week while working on the stories from Dewey Elementary School. My name is Linsey Falls and this Dewey residency blew away any expectations I had going in to volunteering with the Monkeys. Pun aside, these are the most talented Monkeys I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with.
Along with stories about crazy days, musical tastes, doll dressing and pulling pranks on royalty; this show has more than a little bit of singing. And Mom said my singing in the shower wouldn’t come in handy! Pffft! What did she know?
Last week started with reading over the stories that Jason, Rani, Ricky, Marika and I had flagged from the notebooks we collected from the kids at the end of the residency. Before we knew it, the “doable” stack grew until we were looking at 18 stories that make up the show we’ll perform tomorrow. No two stories are even remotely alike and I’d be a big old fibber if I told you that I wasn’t intimidated. Working with such a cabal of talent had me feeling like I was walking across a nigh frozen lake. Alas, the moment the singing came along, POW, any personal fret I felt flew right out the window. Eighteen fantastic tales from young minds plus 9 of the most talented actors I’ve ever met plus little old actor/improviser-dude me? It sounds like a recipe for Awesome-Sauce, doesn’t it? Well it is; and these Monkeys are masters of the culinary art of Giggle-Ha-Ha! Heaping spoonfuls of fan-monkey-tastic will be served at Dewey Elementary tomorrow and you’d be best to get some on you.
Posted by Lacy on March 14, 2011
School Shows
“All killer, no filler.” That’s what company member Dixie said when she watched the final Paderewski rehearsal last weekend. Indeed, we served up a show that, like a gourmet hot dog encasing only the finest of meats, had no filler, and laid people out like a stone cold killer. A COMEDY KILLER, PEOPLE! Oh my goodness. It has been a long day.
So indeed, this morning we headed down to Cermak and Lawdale and rocked some serious socks. The show had giant robots. It had a heartfelt letter to President Obama. It had ... (wait for it) ... a poop factory.
This bears repeating.
POOP FACTORY.
This was also our first Barrel of Monkeys show to use ZERO tutus, ZERO silly hats, and ZERO of our traditional junktastic costumery! Every single prop, costume, and even the curtains for the show were made out of newspaper, cardboard, and duct tape. As we told the kids at the top of the show: you inspired us to make this play, now we’re hoping that we inspire you to go make your own play! And everything you’ll see us use up here is something you can get your hands on.
Newspaper, cardboard, duct tape. That’s it, folks. Check out Zoe’s sweet wig, made completely to spec!
We also got to learn The Dougie, which should buy us some street cred for a good 6 months. Instructional video coming soon!
