Hot off the Presses!  An Update to Sponsored Monkey lineup!

Posted by Elizabeth on February 8, 2012 at 12:54 PM
General Company Members

Just when you thought the Monkey-o-kee sponsored monkey lineup couldn’t get any better, I have a new addition to the lineup!

Do you remember this masked lady?

It is none other than Mari Marroquin turning it on at MOK 2009!  This lady is back, with the dynamic duo of Annie Calhoun and Laura McKenzie, doing none other than a Salt-n-Pepa CLASSIC!

You can sponsor Mari, Laura and Annie, along with our other sponsored monkey friends RIGHT NOW, ONLINE!

Just a reminder:
Monkey-o-kee
February 12th
8pm-11pm
Mad River Bar and Grille (2909 N. Sheffield Ave.)
$25 admission gets you well drinks, beer and wine, pizza AND pasta, not to mention the karaoke, and WORLD SAVING to help us keep doing our work in Chicago Public Schools.
Buy your tickets now!

Monkeys-o-kee Sponsored Monkey Lineup!

Posted by Elizabeth on February 7, 2012 at 08:52 PM
General Company Members

You guys.
It is I, Elizabeth. 
You might remember me from such times such as this:

I’m the one in the beast costume.  The one who is having his face patted in a burdensome way, that’s Joe.

You might also be thinking of this:

That’s because I was a sponsored singer for last year’s Monkey-o-kee and this image has been immortalized to get people to come to this year’s MONKEY-O-KEE 2012!!

But that performance is old news.  That was just my segway to both introduce myself to you as the speaker in this blog and to tell you about the exciting sponsored Monkey lineup for this year’s Monkey-o-kee!  While everyone who attends Monkey-o-kee has the opportunity to sing their lungs out, or watch others, some of us Monkeys get gussied up in ridiculous get-ups, create a concept around a song and perform in front of a large group of people at MOK, and get sponsored by friends and family to do so.  The money they raise to get sponsored goes towards our work in Chicago Public Schools.

Ok, so here is who we’ve got this year:

Maybe you remember talented company member’s Donnell Williams’ performances at MOK’s past, like his futuristic group effort of “Paranoid Android”.  THIS YEAR, he’s teaming up with fabulous Musical Director Ricky Harris and I can guarantee their vocals will blow you out of the water.  My guess is their costumes will be meticulously curated.  I am sworn to secrecy on what song they will be singing, but let’s just say, this performance will make you proud to be from Chicago.

We will have a special treat in a performance by none other than our beloved Company Manager Maggie Fullilove-Nugent.  You’ve probably seen Maggie when we wave to her in the booth after each performance of “That’s Weird, Grandma”, but did you also know that the lady can SING?  She’s gonna show you, with a little “Whatever Lola Wants”.  Hopefully she’ll be rockin’ her signature Chuck Taylors while she does it!  You don’t want to miss a rare opportunity to see this lady perform!

And lastly, (drumroll) get ready for esteemed Artistic Director Molly Brennan and brilliant company member Jeff Trainor serenade you throughout the evening in the most unexpected of ways.  Might it be French-Revolution themed?  Peut-etre.

If you can’t wait to come to Monkey-o-kee to support these fine people do their fine work, you can sponsor them RIGHT NOW online.  Or if you can’t make it to Monkey-o-kee (sad face), this is a great way to support your Monkey friends, and as importantly, BOM’s work all over Chicago! Make sure to include the name of who you are sponsoring in the line that says “Please acknowledge the gift as”.

Hope you can join us to see these folks tear it up in person!  See you on February 12th! Check out Joe’s blog about Monkey-o-kee, or buy your tickets here!

Dawes, Pancakes, and Super Bowl Fame

Posted by Joe on February 6, 2012 at 06:04 PM
School Workshops Company Members Miscellaneous

BOM just completed our residency at Dawes Elementary in Evanston.  It was incredible!

Students wrote so many amazing stories, and some of the most persuasive writing I have seen in a long time!

Above is the incredible teaching team! (from left to right, Emjoy, Myself, Lindsey, Carly, & Nancy)

The teachers honored the last week of the residency by feasting at Steak and Shake

mmmm

and while some of us “eastcoasters” are mourning the loss of the New England Patriots, we are celebrating the victory of Emjoy in a post SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL!!!

CAN’T WAIT FOR THE DAWES SHOW!!!!!!

KARAOKE SAVES THE WORLD: MONKEY SING, MONKEY DO

Posted by Joe on February 3, 2012 at 03:50 PM
General Other Performances Company Members

Think singing can’t change the world? Just ask these ladies:

The moment you have all been awaiting is right around the corner!  Our annual Monkey-O-Kee karaoke benefit will occur on Sunday, February 12 from 8pm-11pm at Mad River Bar & Grille, 2909 N. Sheffield Ave.  “What is it all about?” you may ask.  It is all about supporting Barrel of Monkeys’ work in the Chicago Public Schools.  Without you attending, singing, and laughing, the amazing stories written by children are at risk.

BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY

You know who loves Monkey-o-kee? The unnamed old lady from The Cowboys Who Fighted

When you purchase a ticket for the extremely fair price of $25, you not only get the chance to support BOM’s work with Chicago’s youth – igniting their imaginations, boosting their self-esteem and improving literacy – but you ALSO get well drinks, beer and wine, pizza AND pasta, not to mention the karaoke, and therefore, entertainment in abundance.

You know who loves Monkey-o-kee? The unnamed old lady from Grannies Lean Like a Cholo

Various and sundry other fun and fabulous activities will occur at the event, including a prize wheel, sponsored Monkey performances, and maybe a few surprises along the way.

You know who loves Monkey-o-kee? The unnamed old lady from Marshmelow

Ok. actually, that is Kayla from Cheerleaders.  But you get the point.

If you buy your tickets online now you will receive two, count them TWO, free spins on the prize wheel!  Could it get better?  Possibly and likely, but you will only know if you show up.

Buy dem tickets.

Also, look out for a blog detailing the sponsored monkey line-up.

These two are so excited about Monkey-O-Kee, they are dancing:

 

 

 

Monkey Jeffs

Posted by Molly on September 7, 2011 at 12:17 PM
Company Members

The Equity Jeff nominations just were announced, and as usual, lots of Monkeys are up for the awards!

For Best Production, Play (Large): The Seagull at Goodman, with Cliff Chamberlain!

For Best Production, Play (Midsize): Scorched at Silk Road, with Lacy Campbell!

For Best Production, Musical (Midsize): Merrily We Roll Along at The Music Theatre Company, with Alan Schmuckler!

For Best Ensemble: The Front Page at TimeLine, with Alex Goodrich! and also The Seagull with Cliff!

For Actor in a Principal Role, Musical: Michael Mahler, for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Theatre at the Center! And Alan Schmuckler for Murder for Two (still playing!) at Chicago Shakespeare!

For New Adaptation - play or musical: The Comedy of Errors at Court, adapted by Sean Graney, and featuring Alex Goodrich! And Working at Broadway Playhouse, featuring Emjoy Gavino and Michael Mahler!

The Weir, at Seanachai, received nominations for Best Actor and Scenic Design (Midsize), and was directed by Matt Miller!

For Music Direction: Michael Mahler, for Hot Mikado at Drury Lane!

And for Projections/video design (soon to be renamed The Tutaj Award): Mike Tutaj is nominated for 3 shows! The Detective’s Wife, at Writer’s Theatre, Frost/Nixon at TimeLine, and In Darfur at Timeline!

Chris Jones also said about Tutaj: “Meanwhile, another triple-threat, Mike Tutaj, demonstrated the ongoing likelihood that if you see excellent video on a Chicago stage, Tutaj was behind it.”  He then goes on to talk about “The human with the most nominations, though”, thus proving what we’ve all secretly believed - Mike Tutaj is a robot.

Thanks for compiling this List of Jeffness, BOM-er Jason Sperling!

Nice one!

Molly B