The Boar's Nest was produced by Oso Studios, Fresh Produce Media, and Audible and uses the medium of audio to tell an intimate, immersive story about an important figure in country music history who is often overlooked.
In the mid-1960s, Sue Brewer’s humble living room floor was not just an after-hours clubhouse for artists looking to escape the Nashville establishment, but a creative sanctuary. Before Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson were household names, these budding legends called Sue’s Nashville apartment—lovingly dubbed the “Boar’s Nest”—home. Sue’s place was an intimate staging ground where a new breed of singer-songwriters came together to create something more “real” than they could have initially imagined.
The Boar’s Nest is the untold story of Sue Brewer and the dawn of Nashville’s outlaw country movement. Written by Rachel Bonds, Dub Cornett, and Holly Gleason, this Audible Original stars Emmy-, Grammy-, and Golden Globe-nominated actress/singer Mandy Moore (This Is Us, Dr. Death, A Walk to Remember) as Sue Brewer. Emmy winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear, Girls) as the freewheeling Shel Silverstein and a full ensemble cast round out the storytelling.
The strategy for The Boar’s Nest was to use the power of audio storytelling to bring to life a largely unrecognized chapter in country music history and transport listeners back in time to the early days of Nashville’s counterculture.
The project was a collaborative effort between Oso Studios, Fresh Produce Media, and Audible, bringing together a talented team of creators. The production showcased an all-star cast, including Mandy Moore and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, whose performances were crucial to making the characters come to life. The immersive experience was carefully crafted to evoke the feeling of being in Sue’s living room, surrounded by the artists who would go on to change the landscape of country music.
Through thoughtful scriptwriting, a dynamic sound design that captured the atmosphere of Nashville’s 1960s music scene, and the integration of key musical moments, The Boar’s Nest aimed to both educate and entertain. The execution was strategically focused on presenting Sue Brewer’s untold story while also paying tribute to the iconic figures who passed through her home, ensuring the show’s cultural significance and emotional depth would resonate with listeners.
Upon its announcement and release, The Boar's Nest was written about by Variety, Billboard, American Songwriter, The Tennessean, Southern Living, Country Insider, and more. The project was also able to garner press through interviews with its star Mandy Moore, who gave a first-hand account of what it was like to work on the podcast and the importance of this story.