Branson News Guide

Best-Seller “The Shepherd of the Hills” Penned A Century Ago

When Harold Bell Wright first published “The Shepherd of the Hills” in 1907, he could never have imagined the impact that his best-selling novel would have in bringing visitors to the Ozark Mountains of southwest Missouri.

The tale is still re-told each summer evening at the Shepherd of the Hills outdoor pageant, based on actual events and inspired by the book that helped spark the beginning of the area’s tourism. Branson’s popularity as mid-America’s live entertainment destination, with its traditional American values and Ozark Mountain hospitality, continues to bring folks from all over. They come to see more than 100 shows featuring renowned entertainment, enjoy the many family attractions and relax in naturally scenic surroundings. Add to that the latest shoppers’ paradise, some new and different musical fares, additions to those already popular attractions and an elegant spa and you find yourself in one of the best vacation destinations on earth!

“This year, visitors will be treated to an unprecedented variety of new things to see and do on their vacation. Branson has a unique combination of world-class live entertainment, shopping and dining, yet close to outdoor and lake recreation. Along with our famous Ozarks hospitality, this really sets Branson apart from other destinations,” according to Ross Summers, President/CEO of the Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

A Giant Swing, the TITANIC and 50 years of American Bandstand

New in 2007, Silver Dollar City, the award-winning 1880’s theme park, presents the Giant Swing, a $6 million ride that launches riders more than seven stories in the air and nearly upside down – at roller-coaster speeds. The internationally-awarded theme park debuts its newest ride during World-Fest, the first of six festivals, with performers from six continents, including the Zunyi Acrobats of China and Polynesian FireKnife dancers. Bluegrass & BBQ brings in top performers in American bluegrass music, including performances by Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent and The Grascals, and a huge barbecue feast. Throughout summer, Kids’ Fest features the new show Circus of the Century – On Ice, along with performing dogs and Kid Concoctions. Southern Gospel Picnic presents Southern Gospel artists from Dottie Rambo to The Isaacs. The Festival of American Music & Crafts features hundreds of the nation’s best craftsmen and musicians, a new production show “Headin’ West,” and a special performance by cowboy music icon Michael Martin Murphey. An Old Time Christmas, ranked one of the world’s top holiday events by CNN.com, features a new Christmas Light Spectacular around the Square, a Holiday Light Parade, the popular production A Dickens’ Christmas Carol and more than four million lights.

Now in its second year, the World’s Largest TITANIC Museum Attraction, a 17,000-square foot, ship-shaped structure built half-scale to Titanic’s original size, is adding over $1 million in new guest experiences in 2007. Beginning in April, guests arriving at the museum attraction can stroll through the ‘London Waterloo Train Station,’ just as many of Titanic’s most prominent passengers did in 1912 while they waited for a train to Southampton, where the ship departed on its maiden voyage. And in May, the all-new TITANIC audio tour, featuring stories told by the ship’s actual survivors, will guide guests on an intensely emotional and personal journey through 20 galleries on two decks with more than 400 priceless artifacts.

Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater, already the home of Righteous Brothers’ Bill Medley, Fabian, Paul Revere & the Raiders and more, celebrates 50 Years of Cool Cars & Rock Stars with a new matinee production show commemorating 50 years of American Bandstand. The show features the songs you remember by the original voices that defined American pop rock-n-roll, with a revolving line-up of stars including The Comets, Danny & the Juniors, The Crickets, Shirley Alston Reeves of the Shirelles, Dave Sommerville of the Diamonds, and more. Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater also adds Club ’57, an entertainment lounge, and expands ’57 Heaven – the world’s largest collection of 1957 automobiles & memorabilia.

See Favorite Stars, New Music Shows – Plus Comedy and Magic Extravaganzas

Andy Williams and Charo will perform together at the Moon River Theatre this year and The Welk Resort Theatre hosts The Welk Stars Reunion, The Tillis Family Reunion starring Mel Tillis & Pam Tillis and the Tony Orlando Veterans Salute. Branson Variety Theater adds The Twelve Irish Tenors to its line-up for the 2007 season. A cappella sensation SIX and the exciting “Best of Motown” perform at Hughes Brothers Theatre; The Mansion will host “Jammin’ for Jesus” in association with Gospel Music Television with an array of artists coming to town. Music Makes the World Go Round debuts at the Tower Theatre and at RFD-TV The Theater, you can see a daily show and catch national acts like Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn and Lorrie Morgan. These entertainers join long-time Branson headliners such as Jim Stafford, Mickey Gilley, The Lennon Sisters, Yakov Smirnoff, Buck Trent, Shoji Tabuchi and more, and keep folks coming back for the best in music and entertainment.

With so many choices of music, comedy, magic, acrobats, Broadway-style production shows and the Dixie Stampede, it’s hard to see everything. And Branson’s family shows are better than ever! Bounding with youthful enthusiasm, shows such as Presleys’ Country Jubilee, which celebrates 40 years and four generations all on stage together in 2007, and the third generation of the Mabe family at Baldknobbers Jamboree, along with the Duttons, Haygoods, Hughes Brothers, Lowe Family, Doug Gabriel and many others, continue the time-honored tradition of bringing wholesome family fun to Branson audiences.

Branson’s grandest lake experience, the 700-seat Showboat Branson Belle, features elegant dining and a beautiful cruise as well as the spectacular Showstoppers! show. A talented cast performs, headlined by nationally acclaimed comedian Todd Oliver and his live talking dogs, as the Showboat cruises Table Rock Lake.

Branson Landing, New Hotel and Convention Center, More Great Golf

A $420 million sprawling shopping, dining, luxury lodging, condominium and convention center facility, situated along 95 acres of Lake Taneycomo shoreline in the historic downtown, Branson Landing is the largest development of its kind in the state’s history. Anchored by Belk department store and Bass Pro Shop’s White River Outpost, Branson Landing boasts over 100 specialty shops and restaurants. In Town Square of Branson Landing is the new boutique Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing with 242 beautifully appointed guest rooms, many of which have spectacular views of the $7.5 million water spectacular that synchronizes light, sound, music and fire. Adjacent to Branson Landing sits the new Branson Convention Center that will open late this summer and accommodate some 4,500 people in a stunning, state-of-the-art setting. A curving, exposed timber pedestrian concourse offers a pleasing view of the waterfront as visitors walk between the center’s meeting and exhibit space and the adjacent Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, where guests will have a chance to experience the pampering luxury of a metropolitan hotel in the heart of small-town America. Convention-goers will soon have even more reasons to extend their stay with Murder Rock championship golf course at Branson Creek set to open in August and The Tribute, honoring the memory of Payne Stewart, opening next year in Branson Hills.

Relaxation and Recreation

On top of the tremendous variety of live entertainment and attractions awaiting guests in Branson this year, the 301-room, AAA Four Diamond Award-winning Chateau on the Lake Resort and Convention Center presents the ultimate in relaxation, a $6 million, 14,000-square foot spa overlooking Table Rock Lake. Spa Chateau features 10 treatment rooms, an outdoor Roman bath, men’s barber spa, salon, fitness studio for group and individual instruction, and an all-new state-of-the-art fitness center located in the main resort.

At the Butterfly Palace and Rainforest Adventure, guests have the opportunity to walk among thousands of exotic butterflies, watch a 3D movie about their life cycle, and experience the sight and sound of a real rainforest.

Of course, the surrounding Ozark Mountains provide a gorgeous backdrop for all of this spectacular entertainment and are the perfect playground for the growing number of outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors can hike, bike or ride horseback through the beautiful wooded hills; there are three crystal-clear lakes offering water activities and fishing galore with easy access to boating, canoeing, kayaking, cruises, houseboats, jet-skiing and even “duck” rides.

“Branson has seen record-breaking growth in the past few years and we will continue to see expansion for years to come. Our new and better roads make coming into and getting around in Branson much easier for our visitors. And we continue to be the friendly, hometown place that people have enjoyed for many, many years,” said Summers.

A talent search event that has launched more Country Music stars than any other competition is coming to Branson’s Welk Resort Theatre on Friday, April 13. Country Music superstar Pam Tillis will host a first-round competition Colgate Country Showdown on April 13 at 8 p.m.

KHOZ Radio 102.9 in Harrison, Arkansas is partnering with the Welk Resort Theatre to present the April 13 event. Between 8 and 10 contestants will perform live, backed by Pam Tillis’Nashville/touring band. General admission to the live event is $10. Tickets are available at the Welk Resort Theatre Box Office, by phone at 417-337-7469, on-line at sullivanshows.com and at KHOZ in Harrison.

In addition to hosting the Colgate Country Showdown and appearing in the BransonFest 2007 Big Show on Friday afternoon, Pam Tillis will also give fans a sneak preview of her new CD due out April 17 called “Rhinestoned, Bridges Present and Past.”

Colgate Country Showdown

Long before American Idol or Nashville Star, there was a long-running American icon called the Colgate Country Showdown. Now in its 26th year, the Showdown has been a career-booster for more future country music stars than any other contest in history. The Showdown was the first national event to spotlight Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Billy Dean, Billy Ray Cyrus and a stage full of other performers who went on to earn major recording contracts.

The talent search is produced by Special Promotions, Inc. (SPI) of Nashville and backed by Colgate. The Colgate Country Showdown attracts more than 10,000 acts annually through partnerships with over 470 radio stations across America. Local winners compete for state championships and state winners go on to five regional contests. The five regional winners contend for the national title on a syndicated television special judged by a panel of distinguished music industry professionals. Great American Country (GAC) airs the special during primetime in May and the show is also carried internationally on the overseas network. The winner of the Showdown’s National Final takes home a cash prize of $100,000. An additional $300,000 in cash prizes is awarded each year at the various other levels.

Two important events take place this Friday, March 30, at Branson Landing when city officials unveil a recognition plaque at the Landing and later cut the ribbon for the new downtown parking garage by the convention center.

At 9 a.m., Mayor Lou Schaefer and Mayor Pro tem Ron Huff will conduct the plaque unveiling ceremony to permanently acknowledge those people in the public and private sectors responsible for the development of the Town Square and the Branson Landing project.

The plaque unveiling will be held in the west entrance to Branson Landing at the intersection of Branson Landing Boulevard and Main Street.

Then at 10 a.m., city officials will cut the ribbon that opens a portion of the new downtown parking garage across from the convention center and convention center hotel on Sycamore Street. The top three levels of the five-level garage will open to the public on Friday providing about 300 parking spaces. The remaining two floors are scheduled to open in August at the same time as the convention center and convention center hotel. When completed, the parking garage will have 500 spaces.

The ceremony takes place at the Pacific Street entrance on the garage’s west side.
Pacific Street has been widened and repaved from Commercial Street to the parking garage to
accommodate the extra traffic.

For over two decades, the Braschler Music Show has been an important part of the Branson entertainment scene. Now after 23 years, The Braschler Music Show has officially announced it will close. Although it was not an easy decision, the Braschler family, cast and crew felt it was the right time to end the show. The show received many awards through the years, including several Gospel Group of the Year honors. Of the closing, Show Owner Rex G. Weiss stated that, “Although we saw a dramatic turnaround in business these past two years, and 2007 looked very good, many other factors helped determine this action.”

The staff and management of The Hamner Barber Theater wish to express their gratitude to all involved with the show, and will miss working with them on a daily basis. In particular, they wish to thank Rex and Sherri Weiss who were dedicated to keeping the show running, even through challenging times. The Braschler Show was highly entertaining, inspirational, and featured an exceptional cast of talented musicians and singers who always put personal values ahead of professional ambitions. Their decision to close the show was not an easy one, and we wish everyone involved much success in their future endeavors.

Many thanks of support are offered to the local citizens and fans who supported The Braschlers in their decision to always maintain their personal integrity. The Braschlers also wish to express their appreciation for the support of the Hamner Barber Theater where they are finishing their musical journey. Matriarch of the family, Jan Braschler, will continue her role as the theater box office manager, a position she has held since the theater was built in 1995.

The departure of the Braschlers will not affect the current performance schedules of the other two shows, The Hamner Barber Variety Show and Ricky Boen & Texas Mud. There are no immediate plans to bring in a new show to fill the afternoon vacancy left by the Braschlers.

Popular lakeside park to reopen in late April

Improvements are underway to restore North Beach Park, which has been closed due to the Branson Landing development, and to re-open it to the public by May 1.

“It’s one of the prettiest parks in the city, and our intentions all along were to reopen it and make the park better for our residents and visitors,” said Branson Mayor Lou Schaefer. “The natural beauty of North Beach Park along the shores of Lake Taneycomo complements our lakefront development.”

The city closed the park in 2004 at the start of the Branson Landing construction with plans to reopen it when the retail development was completed.

City crews are now refurbishing two fishing docks to place in the park as well as installing five picnic tables and three barbeque grills. A new feature at the park will be a horseshoe pit.

Branson Public Works Director Larry VanGilder says the North Beach walking path along the lake has been repaved, and it now connects to the Branson Landing boardwalk. That means the boardwalk now extends from the Bass Pro Shops parking lot in Branson Landing to the north end of North Beach Park where Roark Creek runs into Lake Taneycomo — a distance of almost a mile.

North Beach Park can be accessed from the parking lot north of Belks department store.

Schaefer said the city saved the giant cottonwood trees on the west side of the park. “These stately trees have always been a feature of the park and provide plenty of shade for late afternoon and evening walks, picnics and other recreational activity,” Schaefer said.

City officials plan a ribbon cutting to officially re-open the park at the end of April just in time for the busy tourist season, according to Schaefer.

Branson City Engineer David Miller has been elected the 2007 president-elect of the Transportation Engineers Association of Missouri (TEAM). His election came during the Association’s 97 annual conference in St. Louis March 20-22. His term is for one year.

The 650-member TEAM is focused on all aspects of transportation in Missouri, and provides educational and networking opportunities for transportation related engineers from throughout the state.

Miller, a University of Missouri graduate with a degree in civil engineering, has been director of the city’s engineering department since 1990, and he has supervised the construction and improvements of more than 20 miles of streets in Branson at a cost of over $50 million.

The city of Branson provides a service of animal control to the community. In order for our community to have an effective animal control program, the city of Branson has an animal control officer and several animal ordinances. These ordinances are guidelines for the community to ensure that we provide a safe and healthy environment for our pets and loved ones.

One of the most important animal ordinances in the city of Branson is the requirement that all pets, cats and dogs, be licensed. The importance of this ordinance is without mention. It assists the animal control officer in identifying your pet if it were to get loose or escape from your residence. If your pet is found with a license tag, then it can be returned to you with minimal delay. If your pet is NOT licensed and the animal control officer finds it running at large, it can be mistaken as a stray where it would be taken to an animal shelter and put up for adoption. An animal license that identifies the proper owner can prevent this from happening. Another benefit of the animal licensing program is it assists the city in keeping record of the number of animals within our community, which provides us with the information we need to provide adequate service to the community.

If you reside outside the city limits, it is still a good idea to license your pet or have some type of identification for your animal. This will assist the Taney County Animal Control in identifying your pet and returning it to you without delay.
Rabies tags given by a licensed veterinarian are a very good method of identification for your pet.

If you need any information regarding licensing your pet or animal control, please contact the City of Branson Health Department.

Bambi Van Burch is awarded the coveted Merlin Award as Female Magician of The Year 2007 and Kirby Van Burch is awarded the coveted Merlin Award as The Entertainer of The Year 2007 by the International Magicians Society, The Largest Magic Organization in the World as recorded in the Guinness World Records with over 37,000 members worldwide.

Bambi and Kirby Van Burch join previous winners Penn and Teller, David
Copperfield, Siegfried & Roy, Doug Henning, and Harry Blackstone as recipients of the most prestigious award given in the World of Magic.

Kirby Van Burch is no stranger to receiving awards. He has received the coveted Merlin Award as The Magician of The Year 2001 at the International Magicians Society’s Gala Merlin Award Presentation at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

In the profession of magic, the Merlin Award is the equivalent of the Oscar for film, the Emmy for television, and the Tony for theater. It is presented only to those entertainers who have achieved the highest level in their craft on an International Global Consideration. The voting members begin with approximately one hundred names and narrow the list down to a select few. The criteria considered for a winner include talent, showmanship, originality, skills, and above all, the rare ability to entertain under any conditions. All these attributes describe the Van Burch duo right down to the charisma and stage presence that make them the world class entertainers that they are. The Van Burch duo is due to receive their Merlin Awards on Saturday evening, March 24 in Branson, Missouri at their own theater.