Barrel of Monkeys Productions
Encyclopedia
Barrel of Monkeys is an arts-education and theater ensemble based in Chicago
that works in under-served Chicago Public Schools
. Founded by Erica Halverson and Halena Kays in 1997, BoM consists of actors, musicians and teaching-artists that run in-school residency writing workshops, an after-school program and a weekly public performance, That's Weird, Grandma. The company works with elementary students in writing workshops, later adapting the students' original works to the stage.
, an experimental Chicago Theater company.
after-school program.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
that works in under-served Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools, commonly abbreviated as CPS by local residents and politicians and officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, is a large school district that manages over 600 public elementary and high schools in Chicago, Illinois...
. Founded by Erica Halverson and Halena Kays in 1997, BoM consists of actors, musicians and teaching-artists that run in-school residency writing workshops, an after-school program and a weekly public performance, That's Weird, Grandma. The company works with elementary students in writing workshops, later adapting the students' original works to the stage.
History
Barrel of Monkeys was founded by Halverson and Kays shortly after their graduation from Northwestern University, where both were involved in Griffin's Tales. Beginning with one Albany Park school, Halverson and Kays expanded their creative writing workshops to "40 public schools, mostly underfunded, on the South and West sides." After the six-week residency, in which the students transition from group writing to individual writing, Halverson and Kays would then organize performances of the students' work to take place at the schools.That's Weird, Grandma
Barrel of Monkeys also runs a public performance, That's Weird, Grandma, which consists of a rotating selection of the company's favorite children-authored plays. That's Weird, Grandma is performed in the Neo Futurarium, well known as the home of the Neo-FuturistsNeo-Futurists
The Neo-Futurists are an experimental theater troupe founded by Greg Allen in 1988. Neo-Futurism, inspired by the Italian Futurist movement from the early 20th century, is based on an aesthetics of honesty, speed and brevity.-Aesthetic:...
, an experimental Chicago Theater company.
Partnering Schools
For the 2009-2010 school year, Barrel of Monkeys worked with a dozen Chicago elementary schools, as well as a Loyola ParkRogers Park, Chicago
Rogers Park is one of the 77 Chicago community areas on the far north side of Chicago, Illinois, and is also the name of the Chicago neighborhood that constitutes most of the community area...
after-school program.
- Arthur Dixon Elementary
- Kohn Elementary
- New Field Primary School
- Little Village Academy
Company
The company of Barrel of Monkeys consists of- Michelle Alba
- Christina Anthony
- Mikala Bierma
- Molly Brennan
- Brennan Buhl
- Marla Caceres
- Lacy Katherine Campbell
- Desiree Castro
- Kurt Chiang
- Carly Ciarrocchi
- Brandon Cloyd
- Erick Deshaun Dorris
- Amanda Farrar
- Maggie Fullilove-Nugent
- Ricardo Gamboa
- Sarah Garner
- Emjoy Gavino
- Samantha Gleisten
- Sarah Goeden
- Alex Goodrich
- Michael Govier
- Laura Grey
- Erica Halverson
- Ricky Harris
- Oona Kersey Hatton
- Luke Hatton
- Mary Winn Heider
- Gretchen Helmreich
- Jennifer Johnson
- Halena Kays
- Elizabeth Levy
- Michael Mahler
- Tom Malinowski
- Philip Markle
- Marika Mashburn
- Laura McKenzie
- Matthew Miller
- Meredith Ibey Milliron
- Tai Palmgren
- Caleb Probst
- Mike Przygoda
- Geoff Rice
- Joseph Schüpbach
- Alan Schmuckler
- Tim Simeone
- Tim Soszko
- Collin Souter
- Jason Sperling
- Kate Staiger
- Bradford Stevens
- Mari Stratton
- Katie Suib
- Zeke Sulkes
- Mike Tutaj
- Dixie Uffelman
- Rani Waterman
- Lindsey Noel Whiting
- Curtis Williams
- Donnell Williams
- Rachel Wilson