Rubber Monkey is a DIY Community Arts Organization based in Chicago. We focus mainly on Invention, Puppetry, Homemade Electronics, Circuit Bending, Contraptionism, and Experimental Theater.
The Night Show
The Night Show - "The Experimental Late Night Talk Show Videotaped
in Front of a Live Audience in a Bar in Chicago" - was
the brainchild of its Designer, Writer, Director, Producer, and Host, Patrick
McCarthy from RubberMonkey.org.
Ruth Hnatusko warmed up our audiences into the necessary frenzy before each
taping, and as Co-Host was responsible for half the improvisational "banter"
that exists on a late night talk show. Carl Broman, James
Dunn, Mike Semrad, and Mike Slater, doubled not only as our house band Genious
Bracelet, but they also helped create some of the shows most memorable characters
through their superb improvisational skills.
Fourteen episodes were taped for public television, and the show had over 40 local artists and activists as guests, multiple submitted video projects, and featured a different local band each night. Each episode included semi-improvisational skits conceived, written, and performed by various members of the crew.
The show was videotaped every other Monday night by our crack team of Janina Bain, Matt Gabore, and our editor, Andy Darrow; and packed an otherwise dead neighborhood bar with a standing-room-only audience.
The "Ten Year Anniversay" montage of the show can be viewed on YouTube now. It was assembled by Andy Darrow from the hundreds of hours of footage taped by Andy and his team.
