Barrel of Monkeys' FALL CLASSIC GRANDMA Set for the Neo-Futurist Theater, 9/14-10/12

Time travel with Barrel of Monkeys through 18 years of stellar stories at FALL CLASSIC GRANDMA, a collection of all-time favorite sketches and songs from its long-running revue THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA, plus never-before-seen stories from the 2014-15 school year. All stories are conceived and written by Chicago Public School students and adapted for the stage and performed by Barrel of Monkeys Company Members.

Directed by Artistic Director Joseph Schupbach, FALL CLASSIC GRANDMA plays Mondays at 8 pm from September 14 - October 12, 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. The press performance is Monday, September 21 at 8 pm.

Clever and funny -- touching and poignant -- the collection of short sketches featured in FALL CLASSIC GRANDMA are equally entertaining for adults and children. The line-up changes each week by audience vote, so no two shows are ever the same.

Barrel of Monkeys, a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble now in its 19th 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.

Since Barrel of Monkeys' inception in 1997 it has worked in 60 Chicago Public Schools. More than 8,000 lower-income elementary school students have participated in the Barrel of Monkeys programs that provide a rare opportunity for creative expression and build literacy skills, self-esteem and confidence in student ideas and abilities.

Director Joseph Schupbach has helmed shows for Barrel of Monkeys, North Park University, Murakami Sound Machine and InGen Productions -- a company of which he is co-founder and former Artistic Director. Joseph has assistant directed for The Ruffians and The Neo-Futurists and has performed all over Chicago. In November 2014, he was appointed Barrel of Monkeys' new Artistic Director, having served as the company's Education Coordinator since 2011.

IF YOU GO:

FALL CLASSIC GRANDMA

Location: Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago

Dates: September 14 - October 12, 2015

Press performance: Monday, September 21 at 8 pm

Curtain Times: Mondays at 8 pm

Tickets: $12 for adults; $6 for children under 12. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org or by calling (312) 409-1954.

Photo Credit: Evan Hanover