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BY LUCIA MAURO
The name alone conjures up a fairly intense childhood pastime. But the educational theatre company Barrel of Monkeys is not mere child’s play. In fact, the children’s theatre moniker does not technically apply since adult actors are performing scripts written by third and fourth graders for audiences of all ages. Artistic director Halena Kays, who co-founded the group with executive director Erica Rosenfeld in 1997, tends to cringe when the more stereotypical styles of children’s theatre are mentioned.
Kays, an actor closely associated with Roadworks, was a member of Griffin’s Tale, a respected children’s theatre troupe rooted in improv and original work at Northwestern University. She teamed up with Rosenfeld, who is studying for her doctorate in learning sciences at Northwestern’s School of Education. Both have created an effective and empowering program that encourages youngsters to write. The ultimate "edutainment" concept, Barrel of Monkeys extends far beyond putting on kids’ shows.
Since its inception, the company has performed the writings of hundreds of children from schools and communities throughout Chicago, including Albany Park, Englewood, Cabrini Green, Humboldt Park, Rogers Park and West Town. It has established relationships with Heartland Alliance, The Second City, Roadworks and the Chicago Cultural Center.
Barrel of Monkeys works in partnership with the Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Communities in Schools. Three volunteer teachers (a mix of educators and actors) conduct a six-week residency at an area public school. There can easily be four residencies happening across the city during that same period. These six-week classes, which meet once a week for 90 minutes, occur between October and April.
The focus of the class is to encourage these very young students to write and tell their stories through brainstorming and creative drama exercises. At the end of each residency, professional actors from Barrel of Monkeys adapt these pieces and act them out for a school-wide assembly.
In the spring, the ensemble puts together a "best of" showcase–based on the more than 200 stories they’ve adapted over the past six months–that’s performed for general audiences over several weeks at Live Bait Theatre. The young scribes, many of them from underprivileged families, have the rare opportunity to be playwrights and watch the pros bring their stories to life.
"Nothing is really off limits," says Kays, who is an instructor and directs the productions. "We give students the structures and themes. But they have a lot of freedom to write about many different things. We usually choose some of the more hilarious stories. Our basic goal is to give them the tools to start writing."
This past spring, Barrel of Monkeys presented a large-scale show at Live Bait highlighting 26 short plays, many of them featuring original music and lyrics by ensemble member Jonathan Mastro. Some of the pieces were almost Dada-esque. Scary (Dracula and the Mummy Together) and gross-out stories (Under Wear and Stuff on My Head) also made up a huge portion of the show.
One particularly astute tale, misspellings aside, stood out: Jasmine Rivera’s I Am…Selien Deon. "I am Selien Deon. I see thousands of people. I fear of dogs and cats. I hope I could get used to them. I am Selien Deon. I am Selien Deon. I think I stink at music. I cry when I get rewards. I touch my stuffed animals. I am Selien Dion. I am Selien Deon. I try to be very nice. I pretend I am someone else in disguise. I say help me I need help. I am Selien Dion."
Kays points out that the close to 20 ensemble members bring a vast array of talents to the group: several are non-actors; others have improv backgrounds, or specialize in writing, singing, composing, comedy or drama. Barrel of Monkeys gives them the chance to adapt stories to a variety of styles and also play against type. Non-dancers find themselves hoofing it; non-singers can gleefully belt out tunes in any key.
"It helps you become a better actor," says Kays. "It gives you a chance to try something new. It’s a great environment for experimentation. The whole notion of 'type’ is thrown out the window. I think it makes actors more confident and willing to take risks. Plus they’re really doing this to make a difference in these kids’ lives."
Barrel of Monkeys will be holding auditions for new ensemble members at the end of October. Kays is looking for artists with a sincere desire to share their skills, talents and sense of humor. "You have to be easily amused and inspired," she notes.
Long-term goals for Barrel of Monkeys include increasing the size of the group (actors, directors and teachers) while maintaining its personalized approach; and being able to perform each end-of-residency show in more schools, including the suburbs.
Like its name, Barrel of Monkeys is open to the idea of dipping into a well of fragmented story ideas and connecting them to form a quirky but unified creative achievement.
For audition information, call 312-409-1954 or send a letter of interest and headshot to Barrel of Monkeys, Erica Rosenfeld, 1951 W. Sunnyside, #2, Chicago, Illinois.