Barrel of Monkeys (BOM) was founded in 1997 based on Griffins Tale, a company at Northwestern University that performs stories written by elementary school students. BOM sought to extend this performance model while adding an educational component. BOMs co-founder and first Executive Director Erica Halverson, who has a PhD in Education from Northwestern and is currently a professor at the University of Wisconsin, developed the educational curriculum based on academic research into the role of creativity and play-acting in literacy development and long-term participation in the arts. Co-founder Halena Kays developed the companys unique artistic style and served as Artistic Director until 2007. In 2001 BOM opened Thats Weird, Grandma a public performance of stories originally performed in the schools. In 2004 BOM piloted a proprietary after-school program at Loyola Park, which has expanded every year. In 2007 BOM was chosen to be an arts partner in the Quad Communities Arts and Recreation Center, a facility under development on the south side of Chicago with a target opening in late 2010. As of 2008, BOM works in 12 to 14 CPS schools per year, runs the after-school program for three eight week sessions, and performs Thats Weird, Grandma year-round. An Arts-Partner-in-Residence at Loyola Park, BOM is proud to partner with the Chicago Public Schools, Communities in Schools of Chicago, and the Chicago Park District to serve Chicagos most under-served communities.

Barrel of Monkeys (BOM) is an ensemble of actor-educators that creates an alternative learning environment in which children share their personal voices and celebrate the power of their imaginations. BOM accomplishes this through creative writing workshops and in-school performances of children?s stories. BOM engages the broader community in support of the visions of children through public performance of their work.

Barrel of Monkeys strives to build a community that champions the artistic vision of every child. BOM has three primary program areas to support that goal. First, BOMs in-school program in Chicago elementary schools remains the heart of the organization. Each residency sends four to five teaching artists into a classroom once a week for six weeks to teach creative writing. The weekly sessions use drama as a tool for creative expression and to facilitate writing and creativity. The residency culminates in an adult performance of stories written by kids in the program. The childrens stories are transformed into sketches and songs in a variety of theatrical genres and styles so that each child finds something to respond to artistically. BOMs talented performers have a variety of artistic and academic backgrounds, and understand that the most important audience for a Barrel of Monkeys performance is this first audience of students (usually the entire school) in the school gym or auditorium. BOM leads up to fourteen such in-school programs each school year, working in partnership with Communities in Schools of Chicago to target communities with limited access to the arts. Barrel of Monkeys teaching artists and program staff work to adapt the curriculum when necessary to reflect advancements in the field of arts education and Illinois state standards. Barrel of Monkeys second program area is the proprietary after-school program. Essentially an expanded version of the in-school program, the after-school program is held at the Loyola Park Fieldhouse in Rogers Park. Three different age groups meet once a week throughout the school year; this expanded format allows greater specialization for returning students and a focus on both writing and adaptation. The BOM adult ensemble creates two original performances based on the students work and a third spring show that combines adult and student performance (though again of the students work). The after-school program is the model for future organizational growth and is a focus of curriculum development efforts. Finally, Barrel of Monkeys shares the stories written by children with the community at large through public performance of their work, primarily in the long-running Thats Weird, Grandma which opened in April 2001 and is now an open run on Monday nights. From time-to-time BOM brings the signature performance aesthetic to other venues for short runs. In addition to these primary program areas, BOM collaborates with the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Humanities Festival on the Words@Play program and works with other camps and programs throughout the city for shorter workshops or performances. BOM also conducts professional development workshops for CPS and Park District educators several times per year. Professional development workshops are an increasingly important part of BOMs mission, as the organization hopes to deepen its impact on the Chicagos communities.