Thursday, December 9, 2021

THAT’S WEIRD, GRANDMA: Comes Home for the Holidays Via PlayMakers Laboratory December 10 – 19, 2021 at the Neo-Futurist Theater

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PlayMakers Laboratory Welcomes Back Live Audiences with

THAT’S WEIRD, GRANDMA: 

Comes Home for the Holidays



Directed by Artistic Director Brandon Cloyd

December 10 – 19, 2021 at the Neo-Futurist Theater

 

An Original Sketch Show Written by Kids, 

Performed by Grownups and Enjoyed by Humans


Here at ChiIL Mama and ChiIL Live Shows, PlayMakers Laboratory and That’s Weird, Grandma have been favorites of ours for years. They're casual, crowd pleasing, wacky, and fun for all ages. 

PlayMakers Laboratory is pleased to welcome back live audiences this winter with That’s Weird, Grandma: Comes Home for the Holidays, directed by Artistic Director Brandon Cloyd, playing December 10 – 19, 2021 at the Neo-Futurist Theater, 5153 N. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. Tickets go on sale Monday, November 1 at www.playmakerslab.org or by calling (773) 506-7140. The press opening is Saturday, December 11 at 7:30 pm. 

Please note: proof of vaccination is required or a negative COVID test for children under 12. Masking is required by all patrons.




Enjoy a line-up of holiday-themed sketches and songs performed by PlayMakers Laboratory Company Members Elijah Cox, Nick Crothers,Linsey Falls, Taylor Galloway and Bhak Yongwoo.

Now in its 20th year, That’s Weird, Grandma features adaptations of stories written during PlayMakers Laboratory’s creative writing residencies in Chicago elementary schools. PML’s ensemble of professional actors, comedians and musicians bring the young authors’ stories to life as raucous sketches, songs and movement pieces, performing first for students in their schools and then for the public. These stories – from hilarious dialogues between unlikely characters to poignant pleas for social change – resonate with adults while celebrating the imaginations of young people. Every week brings a new line-up of stories, and PML invites audiences to vote on their favorites at each performance. 

Performance Schedule:

Friday, December 10 at 7:30 pm (preview)

Saturday, December 11 at 7:30 pm (press opening)

Sunday, December 12 at 3 pm

Friday, December 17 at 7:30 pm

Saturday, December 18 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, December 19 at 3 pm

Tickets: Adults: $22.50 in advance, $25 walk-ups; Children 12 and under $12.50; Seniors/Students/Teachers w/I.D. $15; Teen Arts Pass (TAP) members: $5 with ID. Tickets on sale now at www.playmakerslab.org or by calling (773) 506-7140.

PlayMakers Laboratory will also continue to stream That’s Weird, Grandma on Patreon with a new show available at the beginning of each month. For information and subscriptions, visit www.playmakerslab.org


That’s Weird, Grandma: Comes Home for the Holidays!

DIGITAL PROGRAM

WRITTEN BY CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS,

ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY PLAYMAKERS LABORATORY TEACHING ARTISTS


Directed By: 

Brandon Cloyd

Stage Manager: 

Cedar Larson

The Cast: 

Jen Allman, Elijah Cox, Nick Crothers, Linsey Falls, 

Taylor Galloway and Bhak Yongwoo

The Stories:

THE TIME I ATE A CHRISTMAS BALL

THE FAIRY THAT EATS TEETH

SUBWAY KIDS

THE TALL MAN

JERRY LIKE TO WORK 

DEAR HIDOLYA

ALIENS ON THE MOON

FIGHTING DRAGONS

THE SORD

SNOWFLAKE

I AM A TEDDY BEAR/I AM A CHILD

UNTITLED (OMG I FOUND MY SISTERS FRIEND)

ALIEN SANTA

THE HANDITAZER MONSTER

I BELIEVE QUE TODOS LOS DIAS CAE NIEVE

THE TURKEY THAT ESCAPED THE PLATES

SANTA AND THE MUSCLE-BOUND

1 ROOM & I WANT MY HOUSE


Production Design:

Opening & Closing Song: 

Gwen Tulin

Choreography by:

Amy Carlson

Stage Design:

Kassi Bleifuss & Sarah Goeden

Music Composed by: 

Elijah Cox, Bhak Yongwoo, Jonathan Mastro & Curtis Williams

Digital Adaptations

Mara Dale, Noah Appelbaum, Maeli Goren, Gaby Hirsch, Jon Schneidman, Kaitlyn Andrews, Brenda Arellano, Jen Allman, Ashley Bland & Cedar Larson

Also, Check us out on Social Media by following our: Youtube, Patreon, Tik Tok, Facebook and Instagram.

We are grateful for the support of the following foundations & entities:

Crown Family Philanthropies, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Illinois Humanities Foundation, Maurice R. and Meta G. Gross Foundation, Mardi Gras Fund, Polk Bros. Foundation, The Saints Foundation, Siragusa Family Foundation, Paul M. Angell Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts

About the Director

Brandon Cloyd joined PlayMakers Laboratory in 2007 and has been deeply involved in many facets of the company ever since. Prior to joining PML, Brandon graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a minor in Business Institutions. Within PML, Brandon has served as an actor, teaching artist, lead teacher, a member of Teacher Corps, as well as directing shows for schools and public performances of That's Weird, Grandma. Before becoming the company’s Artistic Director in September 2017, Brandon served as PML After-School Program Coordinator at Loyola Park from 2014-2016 and Program Director from 2016-2017. Outside of PML, he worked as the Associate Director of Camp Echo, where he has spent 13 summers managing campers and staff at a co-ed sleep away camp in Upstate New York. Brandon has worked with other theatre companies including Urban Theatre Company, American Theater Company, Filament Theatre, InGen Productions, ACLE's Teatrino in Italy and Purple Crayon Players at Northwestern University. Brandon recently joined the Board of Directors for the League of Chicago Theatres.

About PlayMakers Laboratory

Since PlayMakers Laboratory’s inception in 1997 as Barrel of Monkeys, its teaching artists have served more than 60 Chicago Public Schools. Over 15,000 elementary school students have participated in the PlayMakers programs, which aim to build students' writing skills, improve self-esteem, and instill confidence in their ideas and abilities.

PlayMakers Laboratory is sponsored in part by Wintrust Financial, Allscripts, Inc., Ernst and Young and Punchkick Interactive. It receives generous support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency; the National Endowment for the Arts; a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; the Chicago Community Trust; Crown Family Philanthropies; Alphawood Foundation of Chicago; the Maurice R. and Meta G. Gross Foundation; Polk Bros Foundation; the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation; the Robert and Isabelle Bass Foundation, Inc.; The Saints; The Topfer Family Foundation, and many other generous individuals and foundations. 

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