Local alpaca debuts in Bend Follies

When Bend Follies producer Brad Ruder asked Marlene Baldock, Sisters resident and owner of Desert Song Alpaca Ranch, if they could use one of her alpacas during a skit in the Follies, she was delighted - and nervous.

"It was exciting to think about, but Hakon, the alpaca I chose to be in the skit, has never been in a building before," said Baldock. "You never know how an alpaca will react in a new environment, especially with lights and noise. So I have been practicing by bringing him inside the house for a few minutes each day."

The Bend Follies is an annual fundraiser that benefits The Tower Theatre Foundation. The Follies are two nights of comedy starring local personalities performing sketches, singing parodies, and making sure Bend laughs at itself.

Ruder explained why they wanted to use Hakon in a specific skit at the follies.

"Less than a year ago Anheuser-Busch bought out 10 Barrel Brewing in Bend, and some fans haven't been that enthusiastic about our small town craft brewery being sold out to a huge corporation, even though Budweiser claims nothing will change," Ruder said. "So this skit is to make fun of Budweiser using Bend's version of a new marketing phenomenon, an alpaca over a Clydesdale. It's between a good joke and what fits Bend; we are being Bend-centric."

The Baldocks used a ramp to get Hakon up the steps that took him backstage behind the scenes for the two-night show. Hakon was a smashing success and everything went off without a hitch. In fact Hakon delighted in walking across the stage with his handler for his moment of fame at the Bend Follies.