It’s our first school show!
Posted by hpalmer on May 24, 2015
Hey there, everyone! James and I (Hailey) are doing our first Barrel of Monkeys school show! We’ve been having a lot of fun in rehearsals, learning about how the Monkeys adapt stories from journals into an entire production in just a handful of rehearsals. In the Dixon show, James is playing everything from a plotting caterpillar to Dave Parker, a man who resorts to eating his own clothes. I get to play a daughter who swaps bodies with her dad (pictured below), the side an epic mountain, and a lot of other things that I can’t wait to show the students.
James and I sat down and had a real conversation about our experience as noobs in a Monkey show. Here are some things we learned about each other:
1. We were both new Monkey teachers at Dixon during our residency there this spring. We both found the experience really inspirational.
2. Both of us learned a lot from the Monkey agreements that we talk about with the students everyday, specifically every idea is a good idea and respect yourself and others. We talked about how applying those agreements in our own lives helps us live more positively and openly.
3. James mentioned how much he appreciated how there has been no ego involved in the rehearsal process. I totally agreed.
4. I mentioned how I found rehearsals to be uplifting. James agreed. We talked about the importance of play and honoring what the student authors write.
5. James’ favorite word is histrionics. Mine is ghoul. We liked learning this about each other too.
Rehearsals have flown by and we’re pumped to be in our first Monkey show on Tuesday morning!
