2 014-2015 ANNUAL REPORT
K N A H T YOU
GREETINGS,
I’m Barrel of Monkeys’ new Executive Director, and I hate to brag, but I have the best job in the entire world.
FRIENDS!
Every day I get to work with talented individuals who are passionate about their work, and every day I get to see with my own eyes the difference we are making in the lives of children. If you haven’t already noticed, Barrel of Monkeys is no ordinary nonprofit. We don’t fit neatly into any one category, like “theater company” or “literacy program.” We span multiple genres, and emphasize building confidence, spreading kindness, and engendering a love of creative expression in the classroom and on stage. Some days we help students share their heartfelt true stories with their peers; other days we adapt goofy tales of Volcano Houses and Horsewolves into songs. That’s just how we roll. We believe kids learn and retain knowledge most effectively when their ideas are supported, celebrated and shared. We build collaboration and social-emotional learning into every lesson plan, alongside the fun and games. We deal in ideas; our currency is imagination. And yet, as a growing nonprofit in our 19th year, we can’t rely on that currency alone. Your support is essential to our continued success, even as we strive to save the world on a shoestring. By supporting Barrel of Monkeys, you ensure that the next generation has the opportunity to embrace their silly sides, and to learn to love their ideas as much as we do. Thank you for joining us. Monkey on! Corinne Neal Executive Director
FIND US
Thanks to your support, Barrel of Monkeys is able to teach creative writing residencies to students across Chicago Public Schools. These 3rd graders at Federico Garcia Lorca Elementary are excited to share the stories that they wrote together.
Theater
Office
Neo-Futurist Theater 5153 N Ashland Chicago, IL 60640
Barrel of Monkeys 4410 N Ravenswood Chicago, IL 60640
Contact us phone: (773) 506-7140 email: admin@barrelofmonkeys.org
Elsewhere on the Internets www.barrelofmonkeys.org
KIDS WRITE IT. WE DO IT. WORLD SAVED. OUR MISSION
Barrel of Monkeys (BOM) is an ensemble of actor/educators who create an alternative learning environment in which children share their personal voices and celebrate the power of thier imaginations. 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 performances of their work.
OUR VISION
RESIDENCIES During our creative writing workshops, students write over 6,000 original stories each year.
TICKET SALES
SCHOOL SHOWS
Ticket Sales from shows, grants and donor support help fund our residencies.
A selection of stories is adapted and performed for the students in school-wide assemblies.
A radically kind Chicago that champions children’s ideas.
OUR PROGRAMMING
Barrel of Monkeys offers a unique program model in which live performance and arts education go hand-in-hand.
PUBLIC PERFORMANCES
CELEBRATION OF AUTHORS
The stories become the repertoire for That’s Weird, Grandma.. Audiences vote for their favorites.
One story from each school is performed for students, teachers, parents and the public.
BY THE NUMBERS
EDUCATION
In 2014-15
BARREL OF MONKEYS conducted
Throughout each school year, Barrel of Monkeys conducts 6-week creative writing residencies in CPS classrooms for 3rd-5th graders. BOM brings 4-5 teaching artists into the classroom, creating an engaging and extremely personalized learning environment. The multi-week residency uses theater techniques to build students’ writing skills and enthusiasm for self-expression and collaboration. Each child writes a minimum of 6-8 individual stories in a residency. When the residency has finished, BOM’s professional actors and musicians transform the stories into a fast-paced sketch show for the stage. The actors then return to the school and perform these works for the student authors themselves and their entire school community.
3000
31
STUDENT VIEWERS
CLASSROOMS in
11 SCHOOLS throughout Chicago
Chalmers Specialty Elementary School 2 Columbia Explorers Academy 3 Dewey Elementary 4 Dixon Elementary 5 Dvorak Technology Academy 6 Herzl Elementary 7 Johnson Elementary 8 Lorca Elementary 9 Morton School of Excellence 10 Poe Classical School 11 Cather Elementary
5 TEACHING ARTISTS
1 8 I-90
9
of in-classroom creative writing instruction each year of students demonstrate improved writing skills at the end of their 6-week residency.
83%
2 3
10
b
co
Du
-5.60
Un
d
0% -6%
d Sa
+5.91
m
fo
+10.14
4 I-94
rta
+14.56
m
15%
bl e
“WHEN I’M WRITING I FEEL...”
Pr ou
I-55
1
y
5
7
1395 HOURS
pp
6
I-290
Chicago Loop
per classroom TOTALING
Ha
11
T N E M P O L E V E D L PROFESSIONA
As part of our belief in sharing ideas, Barrel of Monkeys frequently takes our work beyond the classroom - teaching our model to others in a variety of environments. We lead workshops on topics including integrating arts into a curriculum, effective classroom management and building social-emotional learning.
for
nt ed
At Loyola Park, we offer a free after-school program to students ages 7-13, packed with activities designed to enhance creative writing skills and foster collaboration. Participants have the opportunity to write in a variety of styles and genres, have their stories performed by BOM’s company of professional actors and musicians and create original theater works of their own, performed for their family and friends.
SCHOOL SHOWS
Ta le
RAM G O R P L O O H C S AFTER
11
6-WEEK RESIDENCIES in
CIES
DEN IN-SCHOOL RESI
-4.18
-3.64
Percent change in student answers from beginning of program to end of program
BY THE NUMBERS
PERFORMANCE After Barrel of Monkeys performs an original show for each school, student work is reproduced at our yearly Celebration of Authors, an event that showcases stories from every school we worked in throughout the year. The adapted stories then join a repertoire of thousands of songs, sketches and movement pieces, serving as a living history of the work of Chicago elementary school students.
In 2014-15
BARREL OF MONKEYS staged
THAT’S WEIRD,
58
o D t o H
BY TAYLOR L.
Loyola Park After-School Program
There is a great flood of grape soda in the worst hot dog factory in the world. There was a big fat very large monster with 1 eye in the kitchen closet. His name is Brandon. To solve the problem he drunk the grape soda and gave me a nice can of grape soda. He said “Here is a soda can for you to help me”. I said “You’re welcome, here is a soda for you”. So we both ate hot dogs and drank soda. THE END
PERFORMANCES reaching
GRANDMA That’s Weird, Grandma is a variety show of short sketches and songs adapted from stories written by students in Barrel of Monkeys’ arts education programs. The weekly show, now in its 15th year, runs the gamut from clever and funny to touching and poignant, and includes live music, original song-and-dance numbers, wigs and props galore, and a rotating cast of talented professional actors who celebrate the imaginations of children through this raucous performance.
s m e l b g Pro
2586
AUDIENCE MEMBERS
REVIEWS
Our average
“Audience members can expect to spend most of the show uncontrollably laughing giggling, snorting, and perhaps farting from the abundance of laughing giggling, and snorting. All costume pieces, albeit simple, are enjoyably over-the-top, colorful, and add to the ‘classroom feel’ of this production.”
AUDIENCE AGE is
s i d l r o The W ny n u S l a i Spec BY LYRIC W.
Cather Elementary
The world is special sunny cloudy windy slippery cold wet Spectacular serious chilly Snowy muddy world Special sunny cold Slippery serious cloudy Wet chilly snowy Windy spectacular Scary dangerous muddy World THE END
18-24 35%
YEARS OLD
25%
-Ashley Campbell, Edge Media Network
15%
5% 0
4 4 4 9 8 r 1 18-2 25-3 35-4 50-6 de n U
60+
versus the national average age of Broadway threater-goers, which in 2014-2015 was 44. Source: https://www/broadwayleague.com/index.php?url_identifier=thedemographics-of-the-broadway-audience
“THAT’S WEIRD, GRANDMA is for everyone. Everything about Barrel of Monkeys is amazing, their talent for teaching and acting, their mission and vision, their impact, and how they put a smile on everyone’s face.” -Eden Diez, Buzz Chicago
MAJOR SUPPORTERS $100 - $499
WOULD LIKE TO THANK CHAMPIONS $5,000 +
Alphawood Foundation Chicago Arts Work Fund Bloomberg Philanthropies Chicago Community Trust Crown Family Philanthropies Dr. Scholl Foundation First Midwest Bank
Gross Foundation IMC Chicago Charitable Fund Mardi Gras Fund National Endowment for the Arts Northern Trust Polk Bros Foundation Richard H. Driehaus Foundation
Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation for the Arts Nancy Rosenfeld Seabury Foundation The Illinois Arts Council, A State Agency Topfer Family Foundation
WORLD SAVERS $1,000 - $4,999
Allstate Insurance Jennifer Bowser Beth & Colin Bullock Jack Chiang City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Anne Cole Ernst & Young Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Michelle Gansle Gochnauer Family Foundation Jane Gorman
Caroline & Dan Grossman Angela Guido Erica and Richard Halverson Stephen Hendrickson Jen Johnson Maureen Jones Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP Jason Keller Elizabeth Levy and Chad Kenward Richard Levy Mike Maddaloni Matthew Miller
SUPERHEROES $500 - $999
Thomas & Patricia Barry Noah Berlatsky Sara Braun Thomas Butler Tom & Peg English Jason Hecker & Elissa Gitlow George & Gretchen Govier
Brian Cloyd & Agnes Kempker-Cloyd David Levinson David & Marilee Mahler Jordon & Jen Maloni Sue & Bob Nunnally Danielli Oliver Geoffrey Rice
Kim Dunlap Nagy & John Nagy Paul Neary Christopher & Priscilla Nugent Lea & Ryan Odell People’s Gas Punchkick Interactive Jon R. Quinn Spencer Foundation Wrigley Jr. Foundation Christina Tinglof & Michael Zahniser
“The most important thing I learned was writing. I did not like writing until Barrel of Monkeys showed up.”
Ray, 5th Grade Dan Rumney Paul & Kelley Schueler Stacey Ballis & Bill Thurmond Katie Suib & Paul Wilson
JC Aevaliotis Pat & Mike Ahern Rolando & Marlene Alejos Andrew Alexander Steven & Katherine Allison Sten & Deb Anderson Laurel Arroyo Eluriel Barfield Bob & Sharon Barton Talha Basit Benevity Paul Berks James & Virginia Birchler Barbara Birchler Becky Ahern Blyth & Dan Blyth John D. Boller Sarah Bond Kerstin Broockmann Bonnie & Chris Brown Patricia Brundage Christopher & Amanda Buch Brennan & Caitlin Buhl Jeff Burke Lacy Campbell L. Corwin Christie Brian & Liz Cohn Jay Cook Tim Courser Sandy & Larry Creekmur Barbara Burgess & Ivan Dee Joe & Paula Dempsey Amit Dhand Charles & Carolyn Dowell Daisy Downs Jeremy Downs Shelly & Dan Drancik Bradley & Elizabeth Dunlap Lucille Eckrich Ardyth Eisenberg Ned English Jack Epstein Amanda & David Farrar Joseph Fernicola, III Whitney Fose Molly Frounfelter Morag Fullilove Maggie Fullilove-Nugent The Gansle Family Augusto Weng Gavino Heather Gilbert Jill Paulsen & Deyampert Giles Andrew & Amanda Glasgow Janice Glintborg John Goetter
Jeffrey Grauel The Grgeta Family Sangeet Gupta Mary & Michael Hartford Christine Hatton Anne & John Herrmann Micky & Leeatt Hervitz Brady & Mindy Hill Steve Hoffner Mary Hopkins Jeremy M. Hornik Linda Ireland Varian C. Johnson Margo Johnston Michael Kalasunas Colleen Karr David & Bonnie Kays Erik Kenward Ann Kenward Robert Kenward Cindy & Jeff Knapp Benjamin & Erica Koff Geoffrey Baer & Amelia Kohm Kong Basile Consulting Diane Krapf Jellyvision Lab Eddie & Veronica Lange Frank & Hana Lange Doug & Mickey Langefeld Ted Lawrence Phil & Sarah Lesnik Ryan & Katherine Liebl Karen Randolph & Bill Linden Fran & Marvin Lipton Therese Lombardo Carolyn Wilson Long Fred Lonsdale Julie Loosbrock Mike & Anastasia Lubin and Family Rita & Pat McCourt Betty McKenzie Joe Mello Mary Beth & Joshua Meyer Dwight & Chris Miller Douglas Miller Bryan & Leslie Minier Jennifer Mitchell Joseph Patrick Moore William Morehouse Mark Munson John & Val Nagy Rusty & Dawn Neal Jennifer Neilsson
Kathleen M. Nylen Kathy O`Donoghue Jeanne Olson Laura Palmer Don Palmgren Robin Parker Nancy Parnell Kristine & Larry Paulsen Joan & Jerry Petersen Greg Petersen Jose & Natercia Principe Dr. Curtis and Maralyn R. Probst Megan Quinn Richard Quinn Laura Lanford & Thomas Rammer Chris Rathjen Sarah Reilley Connie Rice Bud Rice Ring Family Foundation John & Lindsey Robinson Norman & Leslie Ross Jantorn Rufener Heidi Thompson Saunders Lauren Sharpe Levi Stahl & Stacey Shintani Melissa & Alexander Smetana Sarah Snudden Jesse & Beth Soszko Nancy Staiger David & Ingrid Stalle Sean Graney & Vanessa Stalling Margaret Langeler Swider Amy & Jon Szostak Beth & Lachlan Tidmarsh Ed & Polly Tilden Roger & Marie Tulin The Uffelman Family Charitable Fund Kristie Vuocolo Nick Wagner Susan Walker Sandra S. Weiksner Henry White John Williamson Janet & Joe Wilson Marc & Ginny Wilson Robert Wilson Laura Winterstein Ann Wise Bruce Wright Mark & Maggie Wuellner The Yanny-Tillar Family Seth Zurer
DO-GOODERS
STORY SPONSORS
$50 - $99
Conrad Akier Dan & Meta Anderson Craig Anderson Ron Axe Benji & Faye Bearman Julianna Belelieu Suzanne Blaising Aaron Tovar & David Borowski Leslie & Kevin Boylan James Brandt Carolyn Broquet Susan L. Brundage Angelina Burnett Nicole Calabrese Christina Calvit Elizabeth Carlson Diane Ciral Michael & Carol Clark Cara Clifford Jesse Cross-Call Elmer De La Cruz Tracy & Charlie Farrell Diane & Paolo Fellin Joyce & Pat Ford
Andrew Freeman Julia Friedman Chris & Julie Froeter Victor B. Gavino Carrie Gilchrist Denise Golden Alan & Zoe Grubbe John Harms Eric Henry Margarita Herrera Diana Hess Becky Hsiao Mark Hytros Jeremy & Sarah Jackson Evan Jacover Chloe Johnston Jennifer Kelm Sarah Ketvirtis Bob Konold Lisa May Simpson & Tim Lacey Bret & Katie Langefeld Jennifer & Ed Langefeld Mary Liberty
UP TO $49
Ann Marie Lonsdale Donna Lurie Barbara Lyons Kristyn Lyons Yolanda Magallanes Joe & Nancy Martin Thomas Mastro Richard & Susan Matson Paula May Ivy McDaniel Matt McKnight Malcolm McRoberts Pamela Meyer Mike Morley Jeff & Lynnae Nelsen Jasmine & Timothy Nelson Dolores R. Nevitt Niles North English Department Renee O`Keefe Tamara Palmer Monica & Dennis Pardy Tim Parenti Mandy Pedersen Brian Posen Susan Z. Ritz Angel Ysaguirre & Anne Roosevelt Libby & Steve Rotkoff Aimee Bass & Steve Sato Madeline Schmuckler Bethany Schwartz Stephanie & Brian Shaw Becca Kelly Slaughter Jeffrey Melman & Julie Snyder Hartej Sood JJ Sorrenti Gina Sparacino Rosemary & Dennis Spatafora Dick & Patti Sperling Richard & Terry Stader Joanna Gang & Kent Standerson The Stasieks Laura Patterson & Joel Steinberg Peggy Tracy Joe & Lynn Trainor Jim Uffelman Bruce & Linda Unterman Alina Viola Tori Wakefield Susan & Jack Ward The Wesolik Family Steve & Jeanne Williams David H. Wuellner, MD
Marcey Abramovitz Sarah Alami Michael Andreoni Grant Andrews Christina Anthony Mirabai Auer Rachel Austin Don Barnes Larry & Corinne Baskin Patricia Bauer Sarah Bauer Ivana Bevacqua Keith & Ethel Birchler David Bjorlin Kassi Bleifuss Daniel Bondi Hugh Bracken Doris Braun Casey Burke Jennifer Burnette Cortney & Kevin Cassidy Lindy Clapp Melissa Copeland April Cowgur Timothy Cross Andrew Currie Elyssa Davis Nicole Davis Philip Dawkins Mary Dean Lindsey Dorcus Amanda Doria Courtney Douglas Kim Dupczak Karen & Byron Durham Michael Emerson Dorothy B. Evangelista Jeanne M. Fec Marc Feder Joan Flanagan Ned & Katy Fluet Jeremy & Kendra Foss Gabriel Franken Kirstin Franklin Leila Friedman Hans & Adrienne Geho Stanford Glass Joseph & Catherine Gluck Seairra Goettler Kathleen Grant Melanie Greben Mike & Ann Grimmer Charles & Randi Gurian Alan Hale Thomas Hanigan
Ray & Sue Hansen Diane Hardy Mary Heath Brent V. Heikkinen Kathleen Heintz Jane Hertenstein Sarah Hoban Cortney Hurley Lynne Johnson Priti Kapadia Scott Kaplan Laura Kaplan Tim & Pattie Kay Sallie A. Knanishu Petras Kuprys Laura Lackner A.S. Lanford Rory & Lindsey Langefeld Joyce Laudino Tiffany Lawson Rick Lechert Jenny Livingston Barb Lubin Lindsey Marsland Fernando Martinez Dan McArdle Tanya McBride Dana Midura Hoover Missen Lillian Mooney Shannon Murphy Deanna Myers Rachel Myers Keith Neagle Sarah Nelson Kaitlen Osburn Florence Osmund Ruth Ott Kristine Paca Katina Panagopoulos Kristin Papoi Brooke Pearson Brittanie Pearson Bill Peterson Katie Petty Koren Phillips David Pintor Clint Popetz Donna K. Prisner Erin Raines Kristen Rau Lauren Reynolds Joseph Riha Raymond & Frances Riha Adam Rohler
Jessica Baker & Colby Ross Andrew Rusinas Margaret Russell Rafi Santo Gracie Scambiatterra David Schroeder Michael Schupbach Hannah Schupbach Janice Scott Stefanie Seskin Brian Shaw Lakshmi Shenoy Alison Simpson Norm Sloan Laura Smith Michelle Smyth Matt & Anna Stenberg Sarah Sullivan Carie Lovstad & Al Szopinski Parrish Ticer Mary Tilden May Tulin Nicole S. Van Pelt David Venetucci Richard Vogel Megan Walker Jessica Walter Rani Waterman Cara Weatherspoon Amanda Welty James & Lauren Wilczak Ryan Williams Michael Wilson Robert Shnayerson & Lauri Winfrey Evelyn Wisniewski Eunice Woods Adam Wuellner Amy Zanlungo Scott & Sarah Zematis Sarah Zimmerman Judith Zollner
“Barrel of Monkeys was a blast! When writing with BOM I felt great! Not even great - redonkulous!�
Trinity, 3rd Grade
S L A I C N A N I F 5 1 2014-
REVENUE
BALANCE SHEET
EARNED INCOME Education revenue Ticket sales Merchandise/Concessions Professional Development Interest Income TOTAL EARNED INCOME
$69,990 $26,504 $1,511 $2,250 $125 $100,380
TOTAL INCOME
$455,507
Contributed Income
Operations: 9%
EXPENSES $446,414
Foundations: 46%
LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS Accounts Payable Other Current Liabilities TOTAL LIABILITIES
Salaries & Benefits Business Expenses Operations Marketing Fundraising Performer Fees Production Cost TOTAL EXPENSES
NET INCOME Performer Fees: 23%
Board Giving & Special Events: 7%
NET ASSETS Retained Earnings Net Income TOTAL NET ASSETS
EXPENSES Salaries & Benefits: 50%
Production Cost: 7%
REVENUE
$193,395 $4,999 $10,000 $208,394
2013-14 $164,160 $0 $10,000 $174,160
Individuals: 8%
Business Expenses: 2%
Fundraising: 5%
Corporations: 6%
Current Assets Fixed Assets Other Assets TOTAL ASSETS
2014-15
$455,507
EXPENSES Marketing:4%
Government: 6%
Ticket Sales: 6%
CONTRIBUTED INCOME $210,375 $29,303 $25,275 $35,045 $6,130 $26,099 $22,900 $355,127
Revenue in Kind: 5%
Education Revenue: 15%
Other: 1%
Foundations Corporations Government Support Individual Giving Board Giving Special Event Revenue Revenue in Kind TOTAL CONTRIBUTED INCOME
ASSETS
Earned Income
$223,368 $7,192 $40,336 $16,908 $22,926 $104,895 $30,790 $446,414
$9,093
TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS
2014-15
2013-14
$3,623 $68.518 $72,141
$0 $47,000 $47,000
$127,160 $9,093 $136,253
$132,829 $-5,669 $127,160
$208,394
$174,160
MEET BARREL OF MONKEYS
COMPANY
Michelle Alba, Kassi Bleifuss, Lizzie Bracken, Marla Caceres, Nancy Casas, Kurt Chiang, Brandon Cloyd, Anthony Courser, Lindsey Dorcus, Andres Enriquez, Linsey Falls, Maggie Fullilove-Nugent, Emjoy Gavino, Sarah Goeden, Victoria R. Golden, Michael Glover, Erica Halverson, Ricky Harris, Nick Hart, Mary Winn Heider, Gretchen Helmreich, Jennifer Johnson, Halena Kays, Diana Lawrence, Elizabeth Levy, Mari Marroquin, Marika Mashburn, Laura McKenzie, Matthew Miller, Meredith Ibey Milliron, Deanna Myers, Sha Norman, Jessie Oliver, Hailey Palmer, Tai Palmgren, David Pintor, Caleb Probst, Geoff Rice, Dan Rumney, Joseph Schupbach, Zoe Schwartz, Time Soszko, Jason Sperling, Kate Staiger, Bradford Stevens, Katie Suib, Mary Tilden, Ambar Torres, Jeff Trainor, Gwen Tulin, Rawson Vint, Curtis Williams, Rachel Wilson, Eunice Woods
PERFORMING ENSEMBLE
Steven Beaudion, Ashley Bland, Bryan Bosque, Elisa Carlson, Diego Colon, Mara Dale, Matt Deitchman, Evie Gaynor, Greg Geffrard, Kathleen Gibson, Jason Grimm, Alea Hale, Jordan Harris, Emily Marso, Chris Mathews, Spencer Meeks, Jon Schneidman, Leah Tirado, James Whittington, Ryan Williams
President Vice President Treasurer Secretary
BOARD
Jennifer Bowser Kim Dunlap Nagy Jon R. Quinn Beth Bullock Anne Cole Michelle Gansle Victoria R. Golden Erica Halverson Jason Keller Chad Kenward Mike Maddaloni Daniel Rumney
Allstate Insurance Company Wintrust Financial Corp. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Athenaeum Theatre NHS Chicago Wrigley Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago Co-Founder BOM/ University of Wisconsin Economic Development The Steve Harvey Show The American Dental Association Jellyvision
STAFF
Executive Director Corinne Neal Artistic Director Joseph Schupbach Program Director Elizabeth Levy Education Coordinator David Pintor Company Manager Maggie Fullilove-Nugent Development and Marketing Assistant Hailey Palmer Box Office Manager Ambar Torres After School Program Coordinator Brandon Cloyd Music Director Gwen Tulin Graphic/Web Designer Tai Palmgren Benefit Coordinator Kassi Bleifuss Teacher Corps Nick Hart Artistic Associates Zoe Schwartz & Eunice Woods
LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
Jose Barrera, Columbia Explorers Academy Katie Ellis MacMillan, IPC Association Susan Noel, Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation
Christopher W. Nugent Greg J. Petersen, Keystone Alliance Christopher Piatt, Paper Machete
Lisa May Simpson, Forefront Amy Szostak, Northern Trust Heidi Thompson Saunders, Court Theatre