Molly Brennan News

Red Tape Theatre (RTT) has announcde the successful conclusion of the Kickstarter campaign dedicated to raising funds to help produce the World Premiere of The Life and Death of Madam Barker. Through generous donations from the community, they surpassed our initial goal of $2000, raising a total of $2270.

Barrel of Monkeys is pleased to kick-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.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Tonight's Fall Theater Preview Party, the three big local premieres, upcoming: 'Spamalot' and two new works, 'Death Boogie' and 'The Old Man And The Old Moon,' plus a 'Schoolhouse Rock Live' milestone, the Dramatists Guild conference and more!

Red Tape Theatre (RTT) opens its tenth season with the World Premiere of The Life and Death of Madam Barker on October 14th, 2013. Tickets will go on sale September 16th at www.redtapetheatre.org. All performances will be presented at RTT's home in St. Peter's Episcopal Church, located at 621 W Belmont Ave. Tickets during the regular run for The Life and Death of Madam Barker will be $25, General Admission with Preview tickets discounted at $15 and all Thursday night performances being "Pay What You Can". Performances are Thursdays-Mondays at 8pm.

Barrel of Monkeys will kick 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.

Just when you thought Monday nights couldn't get any better, Barrel of Monkeys is partnering with some of Chicago's best performing arts companies and artists for the second iteration of CHICAGO'S WEIRD, GRANDMA, directed by Artistic Director Molly Brennan, playing Mondays at 8 pm from October 28 - December 2, 2013 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Each guest artist or company will bring their unique talents to transform stories written by Chicago Public School students into entertaining sketches incorporating puppetry, sketch comedy, clowning, music, dance and other disciplines. The press performance is Monday, October 28 at 8 pm.

Red Tape Theatre (RTT) announces their 2013/14 Season, which marks their 10th Anniversary Season and first season under the direction of new Artistic Director, Brandon Ray. The season opens October 14th, 2013 with the world premiere of The Life and Death of Madam Barker by Brooke Allen, with music and lyrics by John Fournier and directed by Eric Hoff. Then, in January of 2014 RTT will present the US premiere of hamlet is dead. no gravity by Ewald Palmetshofer, translated by Neil Blackadder and directed by Seth Bockley. Concluding the season in May of 2014, RTT will present another US Premiere, Earthquakes in London, by Mike Bartlett and directed by Brandon Ray. Red Tape Theatre's 10th Season will be presented at its home in St. Peter's Episcopal Church, located at 621 W Belmont Ave.

Following a successful fourth season with productions at Theater Wit and the Athenaeum Theatre, The Ruckus Theater is proud to announce its fifth season in Chicago. Artistic Director Allison Shoemaker and Associate Artistic Director Joshua Davis release today a season of five new plays and workshops. First, Artistic Director Allison Shoemaker takes the helm of a revamped version of The Ruckus' first Chicago production, Heist Play. Through a workshop and development process in 2013, this production has undergone significant rewrites by playwright Mitch Vermeersch and will be performed at The Side Project (Oct. 12- Nov. 10, 2013). The Spring production, The Deer, is penned by Chicago playwright Brooke Allen (Ruby Wilder) and will be directed by Eric Hoff (Hit the Wall). The Deer will be performed at Collaboraction (March 30-April 27, 2014). Additionally, The Ruckus will present three works-in-progress in the late Spring of 2014, including new work Home After Dark by Will Bishop and two pieces to be devised by the company. Further details regarding The Ruckus: Season 5, including casting and ticket information, will be announced in the coming weeks. Please visit www.ruckustheater.org for more information.

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 is pleased to kick-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.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The Jeff Awards, the Tony Awards (and our BWW Chicago Tony Award Viewing Party!), the return of two special events, 'West Side Story,' upcoming seasons of musicals, and my June 13th cabaret concert, plus more!

The Second City Guide to the Opera, a collaboration of Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Second City, will have a month-long run onstage at the Civic Opera House May 31-June 30.

Playwright and stage director, Emilio Williams, will receive two simultaneous productions of his works in Chicago. Born in Madrid, Spain, he is considered one of the leading new voices of the Spanish stage; he moved to Chicago in 2011, the city where his father was born and grew up. In this city, he founded The Chicago Theater Sweatshop, an international troupe dedicated to develop cross-cultural theater projects.

Barrel of Monkeys, the Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble, holds its annual Fancy Schmancy Fundraiser on Saturday, April 27 from 7 to 11 p.m. at The Drucker Center, 1535 N. Dayton St. This years theme 'Big Prom: The Magic Ball' is based on a student's story written by three students from Morton School of Excellence in a Barrel of Monkeys writing residency.

Twenty-three students from the 71 semi-finalists that competed last weekend have advanced to the State Finals of the national Poetry Out Loud (POL) spoken word competition, to be held this Sunday, March 10. The competition will begin at 9:30am at the Old South Meeting House (301 Washington Street, Boston), site of the historic meeting of colonists that led to the Boston Tea Party and a continued haven of free speech today. The competition is free and open to the public.

Playwright and stage director, Emilio Williams, will receive two simultaneous productions of his works in Chicago. Born in Madrid, Spain, he is considered one of the leading new voices of the Spanish stage; he moved to Chicago in 2011, the city where his father was born and grew up. In this city, he founded The Chicago Theater Sweatshop, an international troupe dedicated to develop cross-cultural theater projects.

Barrel of Monkeys incorporates Spanish into its 'That's Weird, Grandma' performances on Sundays at 2 p.m. and Mondays at 8 p.m. beginning March 10 at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland. Performances will include Spanish-language stories. Artistic Director Molly Brennan directs.

Barrel of Monkeys moves its clever, witty and poignant 'That's Weird, Grandma' to Sundays at 2 p.m. February 3 through May 5 at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland. There is no performance on Sunday, March 3. Barrel of Monkeys resumes regular Monday night performances on March 11 at 8 p.m. in conjunction with the matinees. Artistic Director Molly Brennan directs the matinees.