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

Barrel of Monkeys kicks off its 16th season with the 12th year of its long-running, critically acclaimed revue THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA, conceived and written by Chicago Public School students, adapted for the stage and performed by Barrel of Monkeys Company Members and directed by Artistic Director Molly Brennan. Clever and funny - touching and poignant - the weekly collection of short sketches are equally entertaining for both adults and children. The line-up changes each week by audience vote - so no two shows are ever the same. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

Barrel of Monkeys, a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble, conducts creative writing workshops with 3rd through 5th grade students in underserved Chicago Public Schools and turns their stories and words into professionally-performed theater, presented both in-school - and for the general public through its weekly revue, THAT'S WEIRD GRANDMA. 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 46 Chicago Public Schools. More than 7,000 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.

THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA will play the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago, September 9 - October 7, 2013. Note: The current season of THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA continues through August 26, 2013. Additional fall/winter program schedules will be announced shortly. Curtain Times: Mondays at 8 pm. Tickets: $10 for adults; $5 for children under 12. Tickets are available at www.barrelofmonkeys.org or by calling (312) 409-1954.

Photo Credit: Maggie Fullilove-Nugent

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