CheekyChicago

Love kids?  Love theatre?  It’s time to put your singing voices (or lack thereof) to work for a great cause.   This Sunday, educational theatre company Barrel of Monkeys holds its annual fundraiser, Monkey-o-Kee, at Mad River Bar and Grille in Lakeview.  For a $25 donation at the door, guests can support the under-served students of Chicago public schools while enjoying that tried-and-true theatrical tradition, karaoke.

Barrel of Monkeys members are professional actors, musicians, playwrights, and comedians.  They conduct six-week residencies in CPS elementary schools, where they teach creative writing and then put on a high-energy show based on students’ stories.   The program motivates kids to write, offering young authors the rewarding experience of seeing their ideas brought to life on stage by professional actors.   According to its website, Barrel of Monkeys has worked with “more than 7,000 lower-income elementary school students with limited literacy skills and few opportunities for creative expression.”

In addition to the school programs, the company performs a popular, critically-acclaimed weekly show at the Neo-Futurist Theatre called That’s Weird, Grandma, based on favorite material from school programs.  In this way, the students’ stories live on, offering entertainment to the community at large and helping to fund more in-school programming.  Barrel of Monkeys is unique among theatre companies for placing equal emphasis on both arts education and performance.  For students who struggle with literacy and self-esteem, it can make a world of difference to connect with adults who write and perform for a living, and who value the stories kids have to share.

We realize it’s a hard time for donations right now, with the crisis in Haiti rightfully demanding our attention.  But perhaps tragedies like this remind us how lucky we are, and how much we have to offer the children in our own community.   Plus, there are raffles and prizes!