Fall shows!

I'm happy to announce a busy schedule of Red Yarn shows this Fall! I'll be performing several times each week, with regular gigs at Cafe au Play, Milagros and Woodlawn Swap'n'Play, plus a new library program and some special events. Here's a list of upcoming shows:

Tuesday mornings at Cafe au Play, 10:30-11:00am

$3 suggested donation, started this morning

Second & fourth Wednesdays at Woodlawn Swap'n'Play/Village Ballroom, 10-10:45am

$5 suggested donation, Sept. 12, 26, Oct. 10, 24...

Friday afternoons at Milagros Boutique, 3:30-4:15pm

$3 suggested donation, starting September 7

Red Yarn Puppet Band at the Slabtown Community Festival on Saturday, September 15

We'll be kicking things off with a set from 12:00-12:45pm, and there's more kid-friendly music and activities throughout the day.

"Bob Rabbit on Mr. Man's Farm"--Red Yarn's new library program!

Bob Rabbit must sneak onto Mr. Man’s farm each night to scrounge his vegetable dinner. But he has company--a sly fox, looking for another kind of dinner! Can Bob use his wits to escape the farmer’s traps and protect the friendly fowl from predators? This engaging show features classic folk songs and teaches children about the food chain and life on a farm.

-September 22 at Woodstock Library, 2:30pm & 4:00pm (two shows)

-October 4 at Midland Library, 4:00pm

-October 20 at Gresham Library, 2:00pm

Hope to see you soon!

Deep Woods project

Hey folks! I thought you might like to see parts of the project grant I submitted to the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) last week. Here's the summary and closing statement (much is cut out in between). I won't hear back about funding until December, but I'm recording an animal folk song album regardless. Till then, keep your fingers crossed! --Andy

Project Summary:
Under the name Red Yarn, I collect American folksongs about animals to perform for children. I build puppets and create original interactive shows inspired by the songs’ characters. I envision a place called the Deep Woods where these characters coexist. This imaginary world reflects the history and natural landscape of the USA—diverse, strange and wild. I hope to share my vision of the Deep Woods in three ways. In Fall 2012 I will self-produce an album of animal folksong adaptations, with arrangements and artwork that expand the Deep Woods universe. From January to June 2013, in collaboration with filmmaker Nina Isaacson and local puppeteers, I will produce short puppet films set to the songs. The films, streaming for free online, will entertain young audiences while exploring mature social, ecological and political themes. Finally I will host three public, participatory events at Multnomah County Libraries in August 2013, with live music, puppetry, film screenings, crafts and crowd-sourced art installations.

Closing Statement:
I began my journey into the Deep Woods four years ago. Drawn to American folk songs’ strange narratives, twisted humor, and preoccupation with death, I dug into old anthologies, children’s books, vinyl records, and library databases. The animal characters and tales I found took hold of me, clawing their way into my music, puppetry, and teaching career. I discovered in the Deep Woods potent symbols of racial and class tension, weird American fantasies, the wilderness lurking beneath our civilized surface. But the Deep Woods is threatened from many sides—literally, through the destruction of natural habitats, and in the imagination, as the chaos of pop culture devours our memory of a shared folk heritage. I see this project as an opportunity to culminate a long chapter of my creative and professional life, and to help save the Deep Woods. More than just preserving these old songs, I wish to animate them—bring them to life—and engage the community in doing the same. While folksingers have always updated older material, I want to rekindle and share the vibrant creative energy I’ve found in folksongs. Working with Nina and a talented team of puppeteers on our music video “Tails”, we tapped into that energy. I want to go deeper and reach more people, inspiring them to take creative ownership of our collective history. Portland strikes me as the perfect place to undertake this project. Here, at the edge of the real woods, we romance the folk, the frontier lifestyle. And we are looked to as a national model of how to build the future with reverence for the past. With RACC’s help, I hope my Deep Woods project will become a model of modern creative folklore.

The Tall Oak Tree!

Introducing, the Tall Oak Tree! With Shiloh Squirrel, Frank Robin, and Roger Mockingbird. For more photos visit www.facebook.com/redyarn.

Red Yarn Summer Shows!

Red Yarn and the critters are back from a successful east coast/southern tour, and we're ready for an active Portland summer! We have many shows coming up, including a new library program and some Red Yarn Puppet Band shows in August. Click on the links for more info on these shows, or go to the Red Yarn Facebook page. 

Wednesday, July 18, 2:30 & 4:00pm 
"Everybody's Rockin' in the Tall Oak Tree" at Woodstock Library

Saturday, July 21, 11:00am
Red Yarn at the Tabor Market at Cafe au Play

Saturday, July 21, 2:00 & 3:00pm
Red Yarn at Sand in the City in Pioneer Courthouse Square

Friday, July 27, 3:00pm
Red Yarn at Kenton Farmers Market

Saturday, August 11, 11:50am
Red Yarn Puppet Band at the Alberta Street Fair

Thursday, August 23, 5:15pm
Red Yarn at Buckman Farmers Market

Wednesday, August 29, 12:00pm
Red Yarn Puppet Band at PCPA Noontime Showcase

Also, it's not too late to sign your child up for my Puppet-Making Workshop at Cafe au Play on Sunday, July 22 at 2pm. Email me at redyarnproductions@gmail.com if you'd like to register. 

Oh, and one more thing: did you see Red Yarn Puppet Band's first professional music video? Check it out on YouTube! 

Puppetry Workshop rescheduled

Just a quick note to say that the Puppetry Workshop originally scheduled for this Sunday, June 10th at Cafe au Play is rescheduled for Sunday, July 22nd at 2pm. If you are interested in signing your child up for the rescheduled workshop, please fill out and mail/email the registration form below. Thanks! 


See the post below for more info on Red Yarn's upcoming tour, summer camps, and performances.

Red Yarn Summer Camps, Workshops & Performances!

Things are hopping here at Red Yarn Productions! I'm beginning my fourth week of residency at Vernon Elementary, auditioning a Young Audiences school performance program this Friday, and planning an exciting summer for Red Yarn. Find details on camps, workshops, performances, and a tour below!

Red Yarn Summer Camps!

Puppetry Camp at Friendly House, July 9-13 

Got extra milk containers, tire tubes or cardboard boxes? We have been saving materials all year to create puppets out of recycled materials. Students will build inventive puppets then write eco-themed puppet shows and songs. The week culminates with a child-produced puppet and music performance. For rising 1st-6th graders. For cost and registration info visit the Friendly House website.

Music, Puppetry & Storytelling at Picassitos, July 16-20 

Red Yarn is teaming up with a family art studio in Sellwood for this awesome daycamp. During this week-long session students will create papier mache puppets and musical instruments with recycled materials. Then they will develop a musical story complete with original songs. The grand finale will be a Friday performance of the camp’s musical puppet show! For rising kindergarten-3rd graders. For cost and registration info visit the Picassitos website.

Rock Band at Friendly House, August 13-17 

Get ready to rock! Students will learn skills on guitar, drums, and piano, start their own rock’n’roll bands, write and record songs, and perform in a Battle of the Bands. For rising 1st-6th graders. For cost and registration info visit the Friendly House website.

Red Yarn Workshops!

Puppetry Workshop at Cafe au Play, June 10, July 22, 2:00-3:30pm

In this 90 minute workshop, participants will learn basic puppet-building and operating skills. Students will build their own elaborate sock puppets, develop characters, and put on an impromptu puppet show at the end of class. For ages 4-10. $10-$20 sliding scale, plus $5 materials fee. (See registration form at bottom of post)

Folksong Workshop at Cafe au Play, July 22, TBA, 2:00-3:30pm

Learn the art and joy of folksongs! Red Yarn will teach participants classic American folksongs, examining song structure and lyrical patterns along the way.  Then students will have a chance to write their own folksong lyrics, and will perform their songs at the end of class. For ages 4-10. $10-$20 sliding scale. (See registration form below)

Red Yarn Performances!

June 9, 11:00am: Red Yarn at Cafe au Play Farmers Market

July 15, 3:30pm: Red Yarn at Woodlawn Swap'n'Play

July 17, 2:30pm: "The Tall Oak Tree" at Capital Hill Library

July 18, 2:30 & 4:00pm: "The Tall Oak Tree" at Woodstock Library

July 21, 11:00am: Red Yarn at Cafe au Play Farmers Market

July 27, 3:00pm: Red Yarn at Kenton Farmers Market

August 23, 5:15pm: Red Yarn at Buckman Farmers Market

Red Yarn Tour!

June 17, 3:00pm: Red Yarn at Barefoot Books in Concord, MA

June 18: Busking in Boston, MA; time and place TBA

June 19: Busking in Brooklyn, NY; time and place TBA

June 21, 4:00pm: Red Yarn at the Magnetic Field in Asheville, NC

June 29: Busking in New Orleans, LA; time and place TBA

July 1: Houseshow in Austin, TX; time and address TBA

My first school residency!

I just finished the first two weeks of a four-week elementary school residency--my first teaching artist experience through Young Audiences. My residency is called "Folk Song Puppet Show," so each class is learning an old animal folk song, creating elaborate sock puppets of the song's characters, and performing for other classes on the final day. I'm working with 10 Pre-K through 3rd grade classes at Vernon Elementary, visiting each group three times. The first two weeks were a blast! The students created hilarious, expressive, beautiful puppets and put so much energy into singing and performing the songs. I'm posting a few pictures of the puppets here, but you can find a full photo album on my Facebook page.

 Mrs. Fox from "The Fox"

 Little Fox & Farmer John from "The Fox"

Tomcat from "Froggie Went A'Courtin'"