Theatre News Wire

Barrel of Monkeys is please to announce long-standing company member Molly Brennan as the new artistic director beginning with its 2011-12 season. Brennan replaces Luke Hatton, who is moving with his family to California. Hatton started with BOM in 2000 and has served as artistic director since 2008. Brennan will begin her role as artistic director on Sept. 1, 2011.

"I am honored to step into a leadership position among a group that excels at what they do," said Brennan. "I so completely support BOM programming and am excited to expand the connection between the work of our students and the Chicago theatre going audience. We're going to bring the thunder!"

A BOM Company Member since 1999, Brennan has held a number of positions in the company, including actor, teacher, lead teacher, Teacher Corps, School Show Director, TWG Director and two terms as Artistic Associate. Brennan is also a Company Member of 500 Clown, and has performed in Chicago and toured all over the country. Recent acting credits include: Lookingglass Theatre's "Peter Pan, A Play" and "Lookingglass Alice"; and Harpo Marx in Goodman Theater's "Animal Crackers". She has also performed with About Face, Steppenwolf, Second City, The House Theatre of Chicago, Lifeline and Factory Theatre. Future projects include "Food Force One", an after school cooking and self esteem program for high school students and "Workout Z.E.R.O.", a live fitness program to provide zombie apocalypse survival training.

"BOM is ecstatic to experience all that Molly will bring to the artistic director position, to the company and beyond," said BOM executive director Amanda Farrar. "We Monkeys have had the pleasure of benefiting from Molly's amazing traits on the stage, in the rehearsal room and in the classroom during her 12 years as a company member. I'm excited for Molly to translate her well honed skills to her new roll with ease and confidence."

Barrel of Monkeys, a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble, conducts writing workshops with students from underserved Chicago public schools and Chicago Park Districts and turns their stories and words into professionally-performed theater, presented both in-school and through a weekly review for the general public called "That's Weird, Grandma". Adored by audiences of all ages, TWG is a hilarious, bizarre, and high-energy presentation of songs and sketches that originates in BOM's creative writing workshops. The company's professional theatre artists then adapt a selection of stories for performance. The result is an audience favorite-a show that is "safe" for all ages, yet very much appreciated by an adult audience. "That's Weird, Grandma" (named for a line from the original 2001 run) changes each week based upon audience vote (switching one to three sketches each performance) and has now produced over 1,000 stories and musical numbers.

Barrel of Monkeys' performance of "That's Weird, Grandma" continues every Monday at 8 p.m. at the Neo-Futurarium, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12.

For tickets or information call 312-409-1954 or visit barrelofmonkeys.org.