Andy Williams Returns to Branson with All Star Variety Show

Beginning September 1st, Andy Williams will return to the Moon River Theatre for the Andy Williams All Star Variety Show in Branson, MO. This one-month engagement will feature a number of acts, including the husband and wife dance team of Pasha & Aliona, the dancing and singing talents of The Warnock Family, comedian Joe Trammel and the tap dancing duo of The Williams Brothers. The show will run through September 30 with performances Monday through Saturday with performances at 2pm & 7pm. Andy Williams All Star Variety Show tickets are available now.

The Moon River Theatre is also home to The Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley and Paul Revere and The Raiders, as well as Bill Haley’s Original Comets. The Comets will be on a brief break during the month of September, so the Andy Williams All Star Variety Show and The Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley and Paul Revere and the Raiders will alternate performances, with Williams offering matinees on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and evening performances on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Medley & Revere will do evenings on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and matinees on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Andy Williams will return to The Moon River Theatre November 2nd for the Andy Williams Christmas Show extravanganza.

Branson Celebrities Join Great American Pie Show Festivities

Al Roker, the popular weatherman for NBC’s Today Show, is set to attend and perform judging duties at the Great American Pie Show in Branson. And now, some other popular performers are joining the festivities as some of Branson’s biggest stars are scheduled to cook up some of their own delicious dishes.

Andy Williams will be serving up, with the help of a chef, his mom’s chicken pot pie during the Taste of Home Cooking School and Great American Pie Show, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Branson Convention Center.

The list of area entertainers joining Williams includes the Lennon Sisters, the Branson Divas, The Comets, Roy Rogers Jr., Paul Revere, Bill Medley, the bakers from Silver Dollar City and the Candy House baker.

The Friday events at the Great American Pie Show will be hosted by Branson entertainer Barbara Fairchild. The Marketplace will be open from 8am-5pm, with over 50 booths with food, kitchen supplies and cookbooks available.

The 12 semifinalists in the pie competition will begin their bake-off at 9am on Friday, and the finals will take place on Saturday from 9am-11am.

Friday, April 24
Semi-Finals 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Taste of Home Cooking School 3 p.m.
Pie Judging 3 p.m.
Finalist Announcement 4 p.m.

Saturday, April 25
Finals 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Taste of Home Cooking School 2 p.m.
Pie Judging 2 p.m.
Awards Ceremony at the Taste of Home Cooking School 4 p.m.
Al Roker Book Signing/Question & Answer Session 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Easy Breezy Spring Cooking School program will be offered on both Friday and Saturday.

CELEBRITY COOKING STAGE
FRIDAY, 4/24
10 a.m. Lennon Sisters
11 a.m. McFarlains
12 p.m. The Comets
1 p.m. Roy Rogers Theater
2 p.m. Silver Dollar City
3 p.m. Paul Revere

SATURDAY, 4/25
10 a.m. Al Roker
1 p.m. Andy Williams
2 p.m. Candy House
3 p.m. Bill Medley

Cooking demonstrations start on the hour and last no more than 30 minutes.

Branson Blooms with Entertainment this Spring

From March through May, Ozark Mountain Spring’s full calendar will feature the thrill of NAIA college basketball and one of the nation’s largest air shows; collector car auctions and culinary demonstrations; FLW bass tournaments, as well as the international folk music and cuisines of World-Fest at Silver Dollar City and historic downtown’s Plumb Nellie Days, to name just a few.

New in 2009, The Great American Pie Show, featuring NBC’s Al Roker from the “TODAY” show as a celebrity judge, will be held April 24-25 at the Branson Convention Center. Culinary events are popular nationwide and Taste of Home magazine’s cooking demonstrations will be a part of the festivities that weekend. For more information, visit tasteofhome.com/cooking-schools.

Special events are planned each week during Ozark Mountain Spring, including Legends in Concert and Elvis Presley Enterprises 3rd annual “Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest,” the Branson Tri-Lakes Building and Home Show, Kewpiesta at Rose O’Neill’s beloved Bonniebrook and Silver Dollar City’s Bluegrass & BBQ Festival.

Branson Airport, the first privately operated commercial service airport in the United States, will host one of the nation’s largest air shows during its grand opening celebration May 8-10.

• The Baldknobbers Jamboree will celebrate its 50-year anniversary of music and comedy in 2009.

• The Welk Resort Theatre has added Lee Greenwood and the Bellamy Brothers to its fall line-up.

• Andy Williams Moon River Theatre will welcome Righteous Brother Bill Medley, Paul Revere & the Raiders and The Original Comets.

• The Haygoods, Tony Roi, plus Red, Hot & Blue, have moved to the New Americana Theatre. The Haygoods have added a fourth show in 2009 — “Cassandré, The Voice of An Angel,” with a full production show of pop, Broadway and classical songs backed by a 10-piece orchestra.

• RedHead Express has a new show at the Circle B Chuckwagon. The band has just come off a winter tour of the South and the Appalachian Mountains, bringing with them a new producer, new CD and sound.

• #1 Hits of the 60’s Show has moved to the Caravelle Theatre.

• Mary Duff will co-star with Daniel O’Donnell and then perform in her own show for limited dates in May.

Information courtesy of Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce

Branson Shows Ready to Shine in 2009

Legends in Concert has announced it has signed a multi-year agreement with GEP Inc., owner of Dick Clark American Bandstand Theater, to become its headline show in 2009.

“Legends has enjoyed tremendous success in the Branson market since 1996,” said Jeannie Horton, general manager for Legends in Concert. “This new theater will allow the introduction of many exciting enhancements to our production. We look forward to an even brighter future as our show moves to this fabulous new entertainment facility, a true state-of-the-art venue.”

The Dick Clark American Bandstand Theater boasts more than 900 seats.

Legends will perform two shows daily, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. except Wednesdays.

At the Andy Williams’ Moon River Theatre, Bill Medley, Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee and founding member of the Righteous Brothers, will appear in concert with rockers, Paul Revere and the Raiders.

The shows are scheduled for selected dates from April through October 2009.

Andy Williams said, “I have always been a fan of these guys and now I get to see them every day at my theater. This is a great thing for Branson.”

Medley, along with longtime Righteous Brothers partner Bobby Hatfield, created “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling,” a song which has been touted as the most-played tune in radio history.

Other chart-toppers include “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration,” “Rock and Roll Heaven,” “Ebb Tide” and “Unchained Melody.”

Teaming with Jennifer Warnes, Medley recorded the mega-hit “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”

Medley said, “We love Branson so much that we’ve bought homes here. The fans are great. And how could it get any better than appearing at Andy Williams’ Moon River Theatre. It’s going to be a fun 2009.”

Often cited as the comedy princes of rock n’ roll, Paul Revere and the Raiders, are best known for their smash hits “Kicks,” “Hungry,” “Good Thing” and their blockbuster “Indian Reservation.”

Fans around the world have dubbed them as one of their favorite live, onstage performance groups.

Bill Haley’s Original Comets have been rocking the world since the early 1950s when they produced never-to-be-forgotten hits such as “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” “Rock Around the Clock,” and “See You Later Alligator.”

Here is a current listing of 2009 shows and attractions and opening dates according to the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Web site.

•50’s at the Hop opens Jan. 1.

•’57 Heaven Car Museum opens Jan. 1.

•Acrobats of China opens March 12.

•Amazing Pets opens Jan. 1.

•Andy Williams’ Moon River Theatre opens April 21.

•Baldknobbers opens Feb. 13.

•Bill Haley’s Original Comets opens April 21.

•Branson Landing Cruises Lake Princess opens Jan. 16.

•Branson Landing Lake Queen Sightseeing opens March 13.

•Branson Scenic Railway opens March 9.

•Buck Trent opens Jan. 4.

•Butterfly Palace opens Jan. 1.

•Cassandre’ Voice of an Angel opens March 16.

•Circle B Chuckwagon opens March 5.

•Clay Cooper Music Express opens March 7.

•Comedy Jamboree opens Jan. 1.

•Crossties Bluegrass and Gospel opens Feb. 3.

•Dinosaur Museum opens Jan. 1.

•Dixie Stampede opens March 4.

•Friday Late Night Country USA opens Jan. 30.

•Grand Jubilee opens Jan. 12.

•Hamner Barber Variety Show opens Feb. 12.

•Haunted House opens Jan. 1.

•Haygoods opens March 3.

•Hollywood Wax Museum opens Jan. 1.

•Hughes Brothers opens Feb. 4.

•Imax Entertainment Complex opens Jan. 1.

•Jim Stafford opens Feb. 5.

•Keith Red Allen opens March 17.

•Kirby Van Burch opens March 13.

•Legends in Concert opens Feb. 12.

•Liverpool Legends opens March 10.

•Lomascola’s Million Dollar Piano Show opens March 10.

•Magnificent 7 opens March 9.

•Moe Bandy opens March 19.

•News Country opens Jan. 22.

•Noah! The Musical opens March 20.

•Ozark Mountain Jubilee opens Feb. 15.

•Paul Harris opens March 5.

•Pierce Arrow opens Jan. 1.

•Presley’s Country Jubilee opens March 13.

•Redhead Express opens March 5.

•Red Hot & Blue! opens March 15.

•Ride The Ducks opens March 7.

•Righteous’ Brothers Bill Medley & Paul Revere and the Raiders opens April 21.

•Ripley’s Believe It or Not opens Jan. 1.

•Roy Rogers Jr. Show opens Feb. 26.

•Roy Rogers Museum opens Jan. 8.

•Showboat Branson Belle opens March 20.

•SIX Show opens Feb. 3.

•Strait Country opens Feb. 3.

•Sunday Gospel Jubilee opens Feb. 8.

•Titanic Museum opens Jan. 1.

•Tony Roi’s Elvis Experience opens March 5.

•Veterans Memorial Museum opens Jan. 1.

•World’s Largest Toy Museum opens Jan. 1.



Information courtesy of Branson Daily News

Branson Sets Sail into 2009 with Cruises, Titanic-Themed Party

Partygoers will have to choose whether to sail or rock in the new year on Wednesday, December 31st.

Chateau on the Lake will give partygoers a chance to welcome in the new year with a trip back in time when the resort hosts “Titanic Revisited.” For weeks, Ed Agers and his crew have been constructing a 1/15th scale replica of the Titanic inside the Chateau. The ship, at the top of its smokestack, measures 26 feet tall.

Agers said he originally designed and built the cardboard replica 10 years ago for one of Chateau’s first New Year’s celebrations. This year, Chateau decided to revisit the Titanic theme.

“You just felt like you were there,” said Agers’ wife, Darlene. “You have to see it to know it.”

She said when the Chateau hosted its first Titanic celebration, the resort attracted national attention and was featured as one of the top places to spend New Year’s by CNN.

“It was just beautiful,” Darlene Agers said.

Chateau officials hope to revive that magical feeling this week. “We’ve selected a menu that was served on the Titanic,” said Chateau General Manager and Vice President Stephen Marshall.

The grand staircase and a massive iceberg will be among other touches in store to take its guests back in time.

“It will be a nice feel,” Marshall said.

At midnight, fireworks will light up the sky, but inside, about a 1,000 balloons will drop from the ceiling. Reservations are required and festivities begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

For those looking to literally sail into the new year, Branson Landing Cruises is offering a late-night cruise along Lake Taneycomo aboard the Landing Princess, a $2.5 million yacht. Festivities begin at 8 p.m. and include a buffet dinner, dancing, party favors and midnight champagne toast.
Tom Paden, Branson Landing Cruises director of sales, said this will be the second time for the New Year’s cruise and said he had a blast last year.

“It is so much fun,” Paden said. “There is something about being on the boat. It is not a gigantic ballroom, so people befriend each other. It is a great opportunity to make friends and have fun.”

For those who would prefer to rock in the new year, Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater will be hosting Rockin’ New Year’s Eve 2009. The Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley and Paul Revere and The Raiders will help welcome in 2009. The festivities include entertainment, a buffet dinner and a champagne toast.

Information courtesy of Branson Daily News