That’s Weird, Grandma:
Winter Matinees
Written by Chicago Public School students
Adapted by Barrel of Monkeys
Directed by Jason Sperling
at The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland (map)
thru March 23 | tickets: $6-$12 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
Read review
Kids write, they adapt, we enjoy
Barrel of Monkeys presents
That’s Weird, Grandma: Winter Matinees
Review by Patrick Dyer
Children’s theater is prominent here in the Windy City, and for good reason. Chicago’s theater community is so diverse with performers, directors, and designers ready to give audiences a taste of their creativity, so it’s only natural for children’s theater to be as vibrant as more adult-orientated fare. And Barrel of Monkeys has come up with a smart way to bring attract younger audiences to the world of children’s theater with their latest
The company at Barrel of Monkeys have chosen to perform a weekly sketch show for family audiences where each skit is a stage adaptation of a story written by children in Chicago’s own public school system. And the twist is that they perform a different show every week with different stories along with the stories that the previous audience voted to keep for the next performance. The show I saw included stories about many things, ranging from penguins traveling to the North Pole for the first time to a cat disguising a doll as a cat to avoid taking a bath, to a mass protest over kissing. It would be interesting to see what stories the audience there voted to keep for next week’s show. Of course, the appeal of these stories can only work if the cast can carry nearly twenty of them in less than an hour and, fortunately, the company is full of high energy and have fun while keeping the audience engaged. They may not have a lot of elaborate props, costumes and sets, but they work with what they’ve got in a creative way with plenty of energy. Director Jason Sperling allows the cast a lot of breathing room to take advantage of the space, and they clearly have a passion for what they do. And in children’s theater, that’s always a big plus.
That’s Weird, Grandma is not only a fun show for the family, but it gives children a great opportunity to have their work performed by a professional theater company in one of the country’s most vibrant theater communities. You may never see the same show twice, but that’s the part of the fun. Barrel of Monkeys still accepts entries from elementary students, so if your child has a knack for writing stories, they definitely should submit their work and see it live at The Neo-Futurarium.
Rating: ★★★
That’s Weird, Grandma continues their Winter Matinee through February 23rd, at The Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland (map), with performances Sundays at 2pm (through Feb. 23rd) and, continuing their open-run, on Mondays at 8pm. Tickets are $6-$12, and are available by phone (312-409-1954) or online through PrintTixUSA.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More info at BarrelOfMonkeys.org. (Running time: 65 minutes, no intermission)
Photos by Maggie Fullilove-Nugent and Evan Hanover
artists
cast
Michelle Alba, Kassi Bleifuss, Marla Caceres, Erick Deshaun Dorris, Andres Enriquez, Linsey Falls, Maggie Fullilove-Nugent, Immanuel Guest, Nick Hart, Mary Winn Heider, Mari Marroquin, Eric Phillips, David Pintor, Jason Sperling, Bradford Stevens (ensemble)
behind the scenes
Jason Sperling (director), Molly Brennan (artistic director), Erick Deshaun Dorris, Laura McKenzie, Curtis Williams (original music), Erick Gwen Tulin (musical director), Maggie Fullilove-Nugent (stage manager, merchandise coordinator, photos), Mike Tutaj (sound), Kassi Bleifuss (house manager), Tai Palmgren (graphic design), Sarah Goeden (curtain), Evan Hanover (photos)
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