Lorca: Will You Be There?

Posted by Emjoy on January 22, 2012 at 01:21 AM
School Shows

A student named Angel wrote this great argument about how Michael Jackson is the best dancer there ever was. It got me thinking how fantastic it is that a 4th grader in 2012 is a Michael Jackson fan. It also reminded me of one of my favorite commercials of all time, where a little kid dressed like Michael Jackson leads a bunch of other kids dancing down the street to Billie Jean riffs until they run into the real Michael Jackson. Which of course makes everyone want to drink Pepsi.

The commercial was originally aired in 1984 when I was 2, but I remember it because they replayed it later when Alfonso Ribeiro became famous for being in Silver Spoons.

If you are Angel’s age, that last sentence made no sense to you.

Alfonso also played the character Carlton in Fresh Prince of Bel Air. If you are Angel’s age you might be familiar with the star of Fresh Prince, Will Smith, but probably you are more familiar with Willow Smith who whips her hair back and forth.

I cannot wait to get back to rehearsal.
Until then, I will hold my thoughts like the River Jordan.
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Balance at Avondale Elementary

Posted by Linsey F. on January 17, 2012 at 01:30 PM
School Shows

Ok, I know I made a bunch of wacky hyphenated comparisons in my last post about the rehearsal for Fridays Avondale show so I’ll do my best to keep them at a minimum here. However, Friday’s Avondale show was six-shades-of-awesome with a side-order of DUDE!!!

It was all about Balance. This Balance spread itself to and fro the snowy Thursday night of our final run-through. We circled up, broke out the real-life version of the power-up I joked about earlier and thoroughly laid out the 20-pieces into one giant brick of Wonderfulness. There was balance between the “Awwww” Moments and Severed Limbs. There was Balance between the Blood-Parties and the Blissful Calgon getaway.  Yes, there was Balance unto the Ants with Sticky Fingers, the ungrateful Canines and some Children who enjoyed throwing themselves off of things. I actually have a real life connection to the latter. When I was 8 or 9 years old a pal of mine and I thought it’d be great fun to practice our “Flying Powers” by jumping out of his second story window onto the grass below. Off we went! Each time after landing we scampered back into the house through the kitchen, passing his father who was enjoying his coffee and the Saturday morning paper. It wasn’t until our third or so time around that he realized that either his life was suddenly skipping like a record or his son and his buddy where escaping the house by some unnatural means…and giggling past him in order to do whatever it is they’re doing again. Artie was half-way into his window preparing for another launch when his father burst into the room screaming. True story.

Anyway, back to the show; I’d never seen an auditorium of students sing “Start the Show” and watching patches of them showing off how they would Start It and throwing it right back at them was an unexpected joy. Did I mention the Zombies? Max Brooks has nuthin on the Zombie party what ripped through Avondale Elementary…all on Friday the 13th. Hm. See that? Did you see what I did there?

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one certain Postal Worker with what has to be the most amazing delivery route on Earth, in History, and in Future. He’s part of American History now. Let Friday the 13th be known as “The Peppy Postman who Brandon Played Day”.

Lapines and Latrines:  A Public Service Announcement from TWG

Posted by Molly on January 15, 2012 at 06:07 PM
That's Weird Grandma TWG Weekly Update

ATTENTION PARENTS!

Do not allow your children to play unsupervised with a toilet and a magic wand.

It could result in…BUNNY MADNESS.

Join us at TWG for this newly added cautionary tale.

Say “Can I keep him?” to Kassi at the box office for a discounted ticket.

THAT’S WEIRD GRANDMA 4.2 RUNLIST
The Seven Penguins Adventure by Latyra B., Kenny R, Ladarious H.,
Howard M., Ieka H., Brandon S., Charlene H., Brittany T., Marlisa B; Henry
The Time We Had a Snowball Fight by Diontae S., Kohn School
Snowmen From Pluto by Omar M., Lafayette
I Believe que Todos los Dias cae Nieve   by Hernan G., Columbia Explorers
Chitterlings by Samuel B., Harold Washington
Gingerbread Diary by Diamond H., LPASP
The Marshmallow by Isabella W., LPASP
Spider Monkey by Justin D., New Sullivan
Bunny Madness by Roxette D., Cleveland
The Singing Chicken by Rodrigo, Little Village
Worst Pet Ever by Rebka M., Stockton
My Family (Little Fat Hurtful) by Roxesea C., New Sullivan
Prince/Princess (SONG) by Ingrid D., Little Village

Who’s Hyphen Crazy?

Posted by Linsey F. on January 12, 2012 at 04:45 PM
School Shows

I can’t think of the last time I was as charged for a show as I am for tomorrow’s show at Avondale Elementary. Why? Because of the good-kind of hurt the rehearsal process has been. I’m talking Debbie-Allen-FAME kind of hurt. Let’s take that a step further; I’m talkin’ about Debbie-Allen-FAME-plus -Dragonball Z-training-to fight-Vageta kind of awesome let’s-DO-THIS pain!


I’ll let the image of Debbie Allen powering up to Super Saiyan level 900 settle…..

For starters, an actor like yours truly THRIVES on playing a variety of characters in a single show, so being a new Monkey is like having Santa as a best friend who’s constantly trying to prove his friendship by showering you with gifts at every turn. And that Debbie Allen analogy I made a few sentences ago? I didn’t pull that out of nowhere. As I’m writing this, my TOES are hurting in places I’ve never had them hurt before from the fantastically awesome full dance number Molly cooked up.

Yes, Molly is the Monster Clown Girl version of Debbie Allen and our director Lacy is the Walt Monkey Disney making it all happen.

Again, I’m not pulling these comparisons out of thin air! Lacy’s vision of living optical equipment alone blew my mind-grapes so far apart I’ve had to call a search party to retrieve them! Not to give any of it away but imagine a live-action version of Disney’s Fantasia and you’ll BEGIN to have a clue as to what’s in store for the kids at Avondale on Friday. We’re talking inanimate objects coming to life, woodland critters acting all people-like and more! Insanity? Well, YES! Insanity!! The very brand of Mad-Cap Insanity BOM does on the regs! Ya heard?

I’m clapping my hands and tapping my feet in anticipation of my first school show as a proper monkey and even though my Metatarsals hurt, I’m gonna do the feet-tappy thing a little more.

Two Stories. One Voice.

Posted by Elizabeth on January 11, 2012 at 05:43 PM
School Shows

There are just those stories.  Ones that you read and you immediately hear the soundtrack that belongs with them.  Sometimes a similar soundtrack can fit in well with two dissimilar stories.  Such is the case with a story from the Loyola Park show this fall about a man who turns people into zombies, and a story from the upcoming Avondale-Logandale show (that we are performing THIS Friday!) about a teacher who finds herself alone in her school and decides to really take it easy and enjoy.
Two separate casts.  Two separate authors.  Two separate stories.  One universal voice.

Enya.

Somehow, two Monkey actors thought to themselves, “ You know whose music will really support the telling of this story?”

Enya.

Specifically, “Orinoco Flow.”  Her classic.  Many think it’s called “Sail Away,” but in fact, no, “Orinoco Flow.”

It works for teachers chill-axing in their classroom.  It works for zombies.

Funnily enough, there are some zombie stories that appear in the Avondale-Logandale show as well.  For one of those at least, “Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid” is the song we thought most appropriate to go with that one.  Naturally.
Thank you Avondale-Logandale (and Loyola Park) students, for inspiring us to find hits from the late 1980’s to go along with your wonderful, inventive stories.