Last year, I told you all about how at BOM’s post-COA party, we are all given silly awards for our various roles in school shows over the year, such as “Best Villain,” “Best Choreography,” or “Best Improvised Line.” There are a few awards given out at the end of the evening that are a little less silly, the most notable being the MVP Award, officially known as The Tom Malinowski Award For Enthusiasm and Commitment To Monkey Greatness. Company members nominate the Monkey who we feel has, in Artistic Director Luke Hatton’s words, “gone far beyond the call of duty in their, well, enthusiasm and commitment to the company.”

This year, the prestigious Malinowski Award went to Rachel Wilson.

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Thank you so much to everyone who came to Celebration of Authors last night! 22 of our student authors, along with their friends and family, helped us celebrate the end of the school year.  More than 450 people in total saw the show, and most stuck around for some juice and cookies to close out the night.

We’ll have a lot more to say about CoA in the next days and weeks, and I’m pretty sure that there will be some photos and videos making their way online soon. In the meantime, here is a shot of two of the authors taken at the “celebrity author photo booth” where kids got to play dress up and pose for the paparazzi.

Just a final reminder! Tonight is our annual “Celebration of Authors” show. This heartwarming event brings together some of our students from across the city, their families, teachers, supporters and members of the public.

We hope you can join us. The show starts at 7pm and is free, though members of the public are encouraged to make a small donation. You can make reservations online or by calling 312-409-1954.

If you can’t join us, never fear…we’re sure to post delightful photos over the next couple of weeks.

Celebration of Authors is tomorrow night and the Monkeys have been wildly rehearsing. CoA rehearsals are a madhouse, with some 30-plus performers together in our little Loyola Park rehearsal room.

You’re coming to the show, right? Here are some rehearsal photos (and a video!) to entice you:

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Several Things.

Thing 1: I know I recently asked for your support very directly, but there are also ways to support BOM online without giving any money.  Thank you.

Thing 2: There are only 3 matinees with tickets still available as the 5/31 show is sold out in advance (we fancy!).  Please plan accordingly, you really don’t want to miss the zany delights found within the show right now, or the pleasure on the faces of the children in the audience.

Thing 3: Celebration of Authors 2009 is just about a month away. WOW. This amazing annual event is a chance for some of the kids we work with in CPS schools (plus their teachers and parents and friends) to come see their stories performed in a big fancy theater. This year we’re returning to the Athenaeum, and hope that you monkey fans can join us. Admission is free, though small donations are encouraged.