Bring the Excitement of T-Rex to Your Concert Venue!

Blending the energy of rock with the sensibility of Folk, Thaddeus Rex’s concerts are “part Monty Python, part Dr. Seuss” (Washington Post) and all for kids. A PBS veteran and acoustic rock musician, Thaddeus passionately endorses the power of reading with original songs that have won multiple awards and been hailed “a sincere celebration of reading” (The Los Angeles Times) and “a detour off the beaten path” (Parenting Magazine).

He left his segment on the Emmy Award Winning PBS Kids show, ‘The Friday Zone’ in fall 2003 to develop his live concert career which has exploded with over 200 appearances each year.

"Remniscent of David Bowie (with) flashes of Monty Python, Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein" Time Out NY Kids

Read Like a Rock Star!!—Public Concerts
(for family audiences, but kids must promise their parents will behave!)
Thaddeus’s music has been called “remniscent of David Bowie (with) flashes of Monty Python, Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein” (TIME OUT NEW YORK) for a reason. His concerts are radically exciting as parents and children are equally engaged with a bombastic mixture of Rockin’ tunes, hilarious antics and a contagious enthusiasm for reading. The show is never the same twice as song selection is hand picked for each audience.
Throughout it all, he never lets you forget he couldn’t do any of this if he didn’t read every day.
Concerts usually run 45-60 minutes
Audience participation is heavily emphasized
Thaddeus invites kids to join his Write Like a Rock Star contest
Volunteers are brought onstage and special activities engage the whole crowd
T-Rex provides professional props, a stage curtain, and sound equipment
Pricing is dependent on travel time, additional bookings in your area, and specific negotiations for multi-show discounts.

Click here for a quote to have Thaddeus Rex perform at your event

Click here for letters of reference.

School Concert Assemblies (grades PK-6)

Thaddeus Rex’s acoustic rock concert assemblies have been called “part Monty Python, part Dr. Seuss” (Washington Post) and his music’s been hailed “a sincere celebration of reading” (Los Angeles Times).

In this highly interactive acoustic rock concert, Thaddeus performs original songs and shares his secret source of songwriting ideas. He uses books!! Students can hear songs inspired by Alice in Wonderland, Captain Underpants, Green Eggs & Ham, Jack & the Beanstalk, War of the Worlds, non-fiction experiences and much much more. Known for his contagious enthusiam, Thaddeus Rex's passion and energy will gets your students excited about reading.

Assemblies are 45-55 minutes in length, highly intereactive and will leave your students with a new role model, who loves books!!

More than just a concert, Thadeus Rex provides lesson plans (created by Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Ed Dept) so teachers can use music he played in the assembly to teach language arts and creative writing in the classroom.

Of special note, Thaddeus ends each show with a song co-written by an elementary student as part of his, Write Like a Rock Star!! contest. He lets your kids know they can post poems on his website too. The public votes on their favorites and each year the winning poem becomes a song and is recorded for Thaddeus’s newest CD. The young author becomes a professional songwriter, begins earning royalty checks, and gets to hear their song on the radio.

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plans are available here.

T-Rex Writing Club

Thaddeus Rex keeps the kids reading & writing long after he's left the building. The Write Like a Rock Star!! Contest is an opportunity for children to share their poems with fans across America. Children post their poems on this website for everyone to see. People across the country vote on their favorites (kind of like American Idol meets Creative Writing for kids) and each year’s winning poem becomes a song on Thaddeus’s next CD.

You never know when your story or poem might be turned into a song, wind up on a CD and be heard on the radio! Just ask Lauren Walton in Lafayette, Indiana who's poem ‘Slimy Green & Kind of Funny’ became a song on T-Rex's hit album, 'We Wanna Rock!', or Nickie Cashdollar of Dubuque, Iowa, who won the first Annual Write Like a Rock Star!! Contest with her poem, 'The Flowing Stream that Never Stops'.

Reading Promotion Rates

Reading Promotion Concerts are available nationwide. Special prices are available for schools and libraries. Prices vary depending on location, calendar availability and the number of shows you need. Call for 1-800-330-1525 or email trex@thaddeusrex.com for your special rate quote.

Songwriting Workshop—Write Like a Rock Star!! (grades 3–8)–Outline

How can one teach creativity? What’s the secret to transforming a blank sheet of paper into a poem, story, or report? PBS veteran and Award winning singer/songwriter Thaddeus Rex loves to teach the art of creative writing. With specific techniques to help generate ideas and get them on paper, this interactive workshop engages everyone in the room as children brainstorm ideas and collectively write a song. Writing is not easy, but with the right tools, you can do it. Join Thaddeus and Write Like a Rock Star!!

Students will write a song with Thaddeus Rex. They will record the song and Thaddeus will email it to the teacher as an mp3.

Public Speaking

Teach Like a Rock Star!!

For teachers of K-6th grade

Reading can be exciting like a rock concert! The classroom is your audience and every audience wants to be excited!! You have the power. Rivet their attention and generate boundless enthusiasm for books. Join PBS veteran and award winning singer/songwriter Thaddeus Rex, who’s concerts have inspired over 250,000 kids across America to get excited about reading. His contagious enthusiasm will have you saying, “I, too, can Teach Like a Rock Star!!”

Write Like a Rock Star!!

For teachers of K-6th grade

How can we teach creativity? What’s the secret to transforming a blank sheet of paper into a poem, story, or report? Join PBS veteran and Award winning singer/songwriter Thaddeus Rex as he teaches the art of creative writing. Learn specific techniques to help students generate ideas and get them down on paper. In this interactive workshop you’ll help write a new song and will learn how every student can Write Like a Rock Star!!

Promote like a Rock Star!!

Thaddeus Rex teaches arts marketing theories and provides practical steps to develop and maintain a successful arts marketing campaign. His program has been equally well received by professional artists, arts presenters and University Students.

T-Rex has played at venues such as:

New York City Parks Foundation
The Cincinnati Zoo
High Sierra Music Festival–Bear Valley, CA
Field Museum of Chicago
The Jones Center (Springdale, AR)
Brookfield Zoo (Chicago Metro)
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
University of Missouri - Rolla, MO
Indiana University South - New Albany, IN
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Cincinnati Museum Center
Suwanee Day Festival (Suwanee, GA)
Summerfest (Milwaukee, GA)
Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Children’s Museum of Louisiana- New Orleans, LA
San Francisco Public Library – San Francisco, CA