Meet Three Creepy Characters From “That’s Weird, Grandma: Ghosts, Ghouls and Talking Potatoes”

Posted by Gavin on October 19, 2018

Barrel of Monkeys cast members performing Candyman during That's Weird, Grandma at the Neo-Futurists Theater in Chicago

There’s no shortage of creepy creatures in Barrel of Monkeys students’ stories. Our teaching artists often find themselves reading pieces about zombies, witches, ghosts, and new supernatural beings that our students invent.

We’ve packed our Halloween-themed sketch show, That’s Weird, Grandma: Ghosts, Ghouls and Talking Potatoes, with some of our favorite student-created spooky characters. Here are just a few that you’ll meet!

1. Konny, The Unknown Granddaughter

Rayan S. from Dixon Elementary, the young author of “The Unknown Granddaughter,” describes this story’s title character as a “photo terror.” Is the granddaughter a ghost? A ghoul? We aren’t entirely sure, but we do know that her name is Konny, she appears in the Townerson family’s slideshow, and she’s incredibly terrifying.

Rawson Vint as Konny in That's Weird, Grandma at the Neo-Futurists Theater in Chicago

One day two grandparents John and Michelle Townerson wanted to look through pictures because they were getting old and wanted to remember memories. SO as they looked through pictures they came across a picture of their daughter Melinda and her husband Kyle Bollywood and their three children, one boy and two twins. The Townersons only knew about two of the grandchildren, the boy Kyle Jr. and one twin Jayla. The other twin looked creepy . . .

2. Vampiresses

Should vampiresses be able to be in the light and drink anybody’s blood? Bella P. from Cleveland Elementary considers the question in this persuasive argument:

I think Vampiresses should be able to be in the light and drink anybody’s blood
1)That’s the only thing they eat and drink.
2)The whole world would be vampiresses and vampires
3) We wouldn’t be afraid of each other

I think Vampiresses shouldn’t be able to be in the light and drink anybody’s blood
1) Vampiresses and vampires get bernd from the light
2) Everybody would be dead if they had no blood
3) There would be no one to be a vampiresses and vampires ‘cus they would be all dead

3. The Old Lady in the Ceiling With So Much Coins

Rachel Wilson and Mary Tilden perfroming in That's Weird, Grandma at the Neo-Futurists Theater in Chicago

During True Story Day in our residency at Graves Elementary, Angelica recounted a story that her family from Las Vegas told her about an “old lady that lives in the ceiling with so much coins.” Anyone who touches this lady or her coins dies - and when Angelica visited her Grandmother and Grandfather in Mexico, she had her own frightful encounter with the Old Lady.

Is that last part fact or fiction? We may never know . . .

My family that lives in Las Vegas came to visit to Chicago and We did a bonfire and my God mother was telling a scary story about a old lady in the ceiling with so much coins and if you touch it you would be dead and this story happened in Mexico. My God Mother and My God Father were sleeping when the story happens that was the house of my Grama and Grampa. When I went to Mexico I went to the house of my Grama I went to the room and i saw the old lady I saw so much coin . . .

A performance of

Our cast brings these characters (and more!) to the Neo-Futurists stage every Sunday at 3pm through November 4 - get your tickets here.

Plus, join us next Sunday, October 28 for a special one-day-only Halloween offer. Kids twelve and under that wear a costume get in for free!*

*Limit 3 free tickets per group; must be accompanied by an adult. Door sales only.

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