Llama-Llama you, Llama-Llama me

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.