Barrel of Monkeys Announces Luke Hatton as New Aritstic Director

Barrel of Monkeys announces their new, permanent Artistic Director will be long- time company member Luke Hatton, as of the beginning of the eleventh anniversary, 2008-2009 season on September 1, 2008.  He started with the ensemble in fall 2000, right after graduating with a BS in Theatre from Northwestern University, and began performing and teaching for many of BOM’s in-school residencies.  Hatton then served as a member of the Teacher Corps, a select group of lead teachers within the company, and as a Program Officer.  In 2003, he began directing in-school and public performances for BOM, and in 2007, he served as Artistic Associate for the company.  Hatton has also worked extensively as a performer in Chicago with Steppenwolf, The Neo-Futurists, The Hypocrites, The Gift, Lifeline, and with Geva Theatre Center in New York.  He has directed acclaimed theatrical productions with Steep and Phalanx Theaters.  As an arts educator, Luke has developed and taught curriculum with After School Matters and Adventure Stage Chicago.

Interim Artistic Director Laura Grey will leave the position to continue to perform with Second City etc’s “Campaign Supernova” (and will also continue to perform in the BOM ensemble), and founding Artistic Director Halena Kays will begin a University of Texas, Austin, MFA, after recently returning to Chicago to direct The Neo-Futurists’ “Fake Lake.”  

After three years as Production Stage Manager for BOM’s Monday night show “That’s Weird, Grandma,” Maggie Fullilove-Nugent joins the staff as part-time Company Manager. She is also the Production Manager for The Hypocrites and North Park University Theatre.  As a freelance lighting designer and technician, she has worked on over 50 productions with companies including 500 Clown, House, Building Stage, Lifeline and Artistic Home. 

In September 2008, Barrel of Monkeys will begin its eleventh year of serving at-risk Chicago public school students with writing workshops that lead to professionally-performed theatrical presentations in the show “That’s Weird, Grandma.”  This show has produced over 450 stories and musical numbers since April 2001, when the stage run began.  “That’s Weird, Grandma” will continue at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago, every Monday night at 8 p.m., except NO SHOWS at the end of 2008 on November 3, 10, 17, December 22, and on January 26, 2009.  To accommodate the Neo-Futurists 20th anniversary season, BOM will present matinee shows only, Sundays at 2 p.m., for the period April 12-May 30, 2009.  

Save the date for BOM’s 11th anniversary Fancy Schmancy Benefit on Friday, October 17, 2008, 7 p.m., at the Chicago Cultural Center.  Sponsored this year by Katten Muchin Rosenman and Ernst & Young, this event features a performance, silent and live auctions including trips to New York and South Padre, a book club - books and author visits to your book club featuring Featherproof Press authors - and more.

Barrel of Monkeys is an ensemble of actor-educators whose mission is to create an alternative learning environment in which children share their personal voices and celebrate the power of their imaginations, and have served more than 6,600 children in 35 Chicago public schools.  BOM accomplishes this through creative writing workshops and in-school performances of children’s stories. BOM also engages the broader community in support of the visions of children through public performance of their work.  

The staff includes Heidi Thompson Saunders, Executive Director; Luke Hatton, Artistic Director; Elizabeth Levy, Program Director; and Maggie Fullilove-Nugent, Company Manager.  Barrel of Monkeys is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Polk Bros Foundation, The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, The Mayer & Morris Kaplan Family Foundation, The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council, The Alphawood Foundation, Peoples Energy, The Northern Trust Centennial Fund and The Mardi Gras Fund.  This project is partially sponsored by a CityArts Program 2 grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, The Chicago Public Schools, and hundreds of individuals.  

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