No, a meteor didn’t hit the “backyard gang.” Contrary to what you’ve heard, Barney the Dinosaur did not go extinct in the 1990s. While the PBS show Barney and Friends has been off the air since 2009, the friendly Tyrannosaurus Rex puppet is still alive and well. However, due to recessionary worries and the fact that puppet dinosaurs cannot live on peanut butter and jelly alone, Barney has had to hit the road and travel directly to his fans for a live stage show.

The Barney: Live in Concert tour is a Vee Corporation production and is currently celebrating Barney’s birthday. You may remember the name Vee Corporation as the producer and operator of Sesame Street Live. So you can be sure that Barney and friends will have a respectable and “in character” type celebration. This production includes all of the show’s favorites including the proverbially happy Barney, the precocious Baby Bop, B.J. and Riff.

What kind of birthday is Barney having? His birthday shows features new material, an interactive format, and 25 sing-along tunes. The show is written for children and emphasizes important lessons about sharing, caring and friendship. No chance of Barney doing any “blue” material, although he is known to write a lot of purple stuff sometimes.

The producers are definitely pushing this event as an educational show, more so than even the original PBS series. The producers advise parents to explain to young children the difference between live entertainment and entertainment on a TV or computer display. It will truly be a jaw-dropping experience for children who are only use to seeing Barney on TV or on home video.

The show even received a favorable review by the usually cynical Star Telegram publication out of Dallas/Fort Worth for its heartfelt sentiments. Naturally, many of the children who first fell in love with Barney in the early 1990s have grown up. However, some of these youngsters have now grown up and have become parents themselves, and are no doubt looking for wholesome and educational shows for their children. Barney: Live in Concert is not just a show…it’s a live and interactive experience that will make a major impression on your children.

Remember, this production is from the producers of Sesame Street: Live, who know how to create a Broadway-style show that has educational value as well as lots of peanut butter and jelly jamming fun.