Displaying items by tag: children

The adage goes that you can’t choose your family but you can choose your friends. Throughout our lives, we meet people we connect with who see the beauty and potential within us even when we can’t see it ourselves. People who simply get us. Friendship is one of the most magical experiences we can have in life. It’s no wonder this theme is so consistently visited in media, literature, and theatre and stands the test of time. There’s no better representation of the true meaning of friendship than that of Charlotte’s Web, now playing at Greenhouse Theatre Center.

Charlotte’s Web is a story about an unlikely friendship between Wilbur the pig and Charlotte the spider. On a small farm, a young girl is determined to save the life of a diminutive newborn pig. But the young animal’s fate remains uncertain until a courageous and determined spider spins remarkable webs to prove that “Wilbur isn’t just any ordinary pig!”

The Young People’s Theatre of Chicago brings this beloved children’s classic to the Greenhouse Theatre Center for a limited run this May. Based on E.B. White’s Newberry Honor Award-winning story, Charlotte’s Web explores bravery, selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship. Artistic director Randy White says it best, “E.B. White’s beloved story demonstrates above all that friendship is immeasurably valuable.” With Renzo Vicente as Wilbur and Mary Margaret McCormack as Charlotte leading the cast, the Young People’s Theatre ensemble embodies the story’s themes of compassion, kindness, and perseverance, bringing humor and heart to a simple and timeless story. 

Friendship is not only a theme of the play but also radiates throughout the cast and crew. Behind the scenes, the staff’s long-standing friendship and partnerships weave design magic that can be felt in every scene and one that Randy White acknowledges, “Staging a beloved family favorite with so many friends is a perfect way to bring to a close the YPT’s most successful and exhilarating season yet!” With a humble yet radiant set and spirited cast put on a simple, charming, and endearing production that young audiences can follow and mature audiences can appreciate. The Young People’s Theatre reminds us that sometimes all we need is a friend to believe in us, to fight for us, to remind us that we are remarkable just the way we are. Charlotte’s Web And sometimes, if we're very lucky, we get to sit right next to that person to take in a wonderful show.

Charlotte’s Web is now playing on a limited run from May 10- June 1 at Lincoln Park’s historic Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Avenue). Run time is 1 hr and is best enjoyed by everyone 5+. For tickets and additional information, visit yptchi.org or call the box office at 773-404-7336.

What's more fun than a Barrel of Monkeys? Milton Bradley has asked this question for decades and now a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble, aptly named “Barrel of Monkeys,” begs the same question of their audiences. After seeing their newest performance of “That’s Weird Grandma: Behind the [Monkey] Music,” I think you will be inclined to admit that there is indeed nothing more fun than a Barrel of Monkeys.

Barrel of Monkeys is first and foremost an arts-education group that conducts creative writing workshops for 3^rd-5^th grade students in underserved Chicago Public Schools. The group then becomes a theater ensemble, turning the children’s stories into performances performed at the school for the children and for general audiences at various venues around the city. The performances have a “Whose Line is it Anyway?” quality, only the shots are called by kids which is an amazing feat for this ensemble of actor-educators. If you aren’t impressed yet, Barrel of Monkeys’ performance of “That’s Weird Grandma” takes children’s stories and turns them into musical numbers, creating the first all musical performance by Barrel of Monkeys.

With such adorably written pieces as “Flower Argument,” an argumentative piece debating whether or not a flower should be picked from the point of view of the flower, to “Not So Much Pressure,” about Batman needing a break from saving the world, “Barrel of Monkeys” ensemble cast takes these pieces and turns them into musically hilarious gold. The audience, made up of adults, teenagers, and adults who act like children, was in stiches. The clean humor, awww worthy moments, incredible musical talent of the cast, and the honest and touching children’s’ stories was a perfect storm of perfection. What’s even more extraordinary is the show is never the same. Audience members vote on their favorite pieces from the hour-long show (roughly 12-14 pieces) and the most popular make the cut and are included in the next week, the rest of the showed being filled with new pieces.

This is a fantastic organization to support. Arts, music, and theater programs are typically the first to get cut in school budgets and the CPS system is no exception. The benefits of having a creative outlet for kids can be infinite. “That’s Weird Grandma: Behind the [Monkey] Music” runs through March 31^st at the Neo-Futurist Theater (5100 block of N Ashland Ave.). I double-dog-dare you to not enjoy this Barrel of Monkeys.