RED YARN & FRIENDS Will Come to the Oregon Children’s Theatre

Oregon Children's Theatre (OCT) will present “Red Yarn & Friends,” a family-friendly concert, on Sunday, May 17 at Alberta Abbey. Tevis Hodge Jr. will open the show with a short set of family-friendly blues music, followed by a set by the Red Yarn Band. Then, Red Yarn & friends—including Tevis on guitar & guest vocalists Alexis Walker & Brael Armstrong—will present several new songs from their brand-new upcoming family musical, Saturday Night at the Briar Patch.

Red Yarn (aka Andy Furgeson) is a Texas-born, Oregon-based family performer who weaves roots music and puppetry into high-energy shows for all ages. With his engaging performances, rowdy folk-rock recordings, and playful music videos, this red-bearded bard reinvigorates American roots music traditions for younger generations. The Red Yarn Band blends folk, rock'n'roll, country and blues into a raucous, inclusive celebration of the multicultural musical heritage of the USA.

Saturday Night at the Briar Patch is an American roots musical & puppet epic for young audiences, created by Red Yarn and a diverse team of collaborators. Featuring animal puppets inspired by folklore, the musical loosely retells the birth of rock 'n' roll, focusing on the genre's origins in Black communities.

“I am so excited for this special show,” said Furgeson. “While I'm always eager to perform with the full Red Yarn Band, I am especially stoked to share several songs from Saturday Night at the Briar Patch. I have invited friends like blues guitarist Tevis Hodge Jr, R&B vocalists Lex W and Brael Muzik, and my longtime puppet collaborator Faerin Millington to join the Red Yarn Band for a sneak peek at what's to come.”

"I have been a fan of Red Yarn since long before I moved to Portland,” said Jenn Hartmann Luck, Producing Artistic Director at OCT. “I was always drawn to his use of storytelling and puppetry in his music-based projects, and I always dreamed of working with him (and his Critters!) on a show. When Andy approached me about Saturday Night at the Briar Patch and supporting the development of this brand-new, all-ages musical, I was thrilled—these new collaborations and partnerships are in alignment with OCT's future goals as we reimagine our programming for youth and families.”

“Jenn has been incredibly supportive of the musical's development, so I'm honored to partner with OCT for this special presentation,” Furgeson added. “The musical will likely take a couple more years to fully develop, but I can hardly wait to share a few songs on May 17.”