Photo Flash: Barrel of Monkeys Launches 20th Anniversary Season with THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA

Student-written stories inspired by politics, government, social change and the 2016 election will take center stage as Barrel of Monkeys kicks off its 20th anniversary season with THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA: It Came from the Voting Booth, directed by Artistic Director Joseph Schupbach. The company's fall revue will play Mondays at 8 pm from August 22 - October 3 and October 24 - November 28, 2016 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA features stories conceived and written by Chicago Public School students and adapted for the stage and performed by Barrel of Monkeys Company Members. For tickets, reservations and information visit www.barrelofmonkeys.org or call (773) 506-7140.

THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA will also be featured in the 2016 Chicago Fringe Festival, with performances September 4, 10-11, 2016 at Jefferson Playhouse, 4766 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. For tickets and information, visit chicagofringe.org.

Clever and funny - touching and poignant - the collection of short sketches featured in THAT'S WEIRD, GRANDMA is equally entertaining for adults and children. The line-up of the long running, critically acclaimed revue changes each week by audience vote, so no two shows are ever the same.

Barrel of Monkeys, a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble now in its 20th season, conducts creative writing workshops with 3rd through 5th grade students in underserved Chicago Public Schools. The ensemble of actor-educators then turns their stories and words into professionally performed theater, presented both in-school and for the general public through its revues. Barrel of Monkeys annually performs more than 300 student-written stories for the students in their schools and 175 stories on the stage for the general public.