Photo Flash: First Look at Barrel of Monkeys' THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Back To School

The summer fun never has to end! Barrel of Monkeys ushers in the school year with its revue THAT''S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Back To School, directed by Artistic Director Joseph Schupbach, playing Mondays at 8 pm from August 17 - September 7, 2015 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. For tickets, reservations and information visit www.barrelofmonkeys.org or call (312) 409-1954.

THAT''S WEIRD, GRANDMA is a variety show of short sketches and songs adapted from stories written by students in Barrel of Monkeys'' arts education programs. The weekly show, now in its 14th year, runs the gamut from clever and funny to touching and poignant, and includes live music, original song-and-dance numbers, wigs and props galore and a rotating cast of talented professional actors who celebrate the imaginations of children through this raucous performance. Equally entertaining for adults and children, the line-up changes each week by audience vote, so no two shows are ever the same.

THAT''S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Back To School features Barrel of Monkeys Company Members Nick Hart, Caleb Probst, Zoe Schwartz, Bradford Stevens, Curtis Williams, Ryan Williams and Rachel Wilson.

Barrel of Monkeys, a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble now in its 18th season, conducts creative writing workshops with 3rd through 5th grade students in underserved Chicago Public Schools. The ensemble of actor-educators then turns their stories and words into professionally performed theater, presented both in-school and for the general public through its revues. Barrel of Monkeys annually performs more than 300 student-written stories for the students in their schools and 175 stories on the stage for the general public.

Photos by Evan Hanover