Branson 2007 - Shows  

Updated: 11/09/08

Jim Stafford    Shoji Tabuchi    Baldknobbers Jamboree    Showboat Branson Belle

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SUNDAY - Jim Stafford

y hh su js sign 022.JPG (24318 bytes)Our first show on the tour was the Jim Stafford Show. He did a combination of guitar playing, singing and comedy.

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He started the show playing a guitar. Throughout the show he performed comedic stand-up.

 

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y hh su js laser 030.JPG (8772 bytes)A small laser show showed the use of technology. When he presented his signature song, "I Don't Like Spiders and Snakes", technology really enhanced the performance.

 

 

 

 

 

He had an assistant who played the disgruntled employee. Behind Jim's back he did 'funny' things.

 

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There we other entertainers in the cast.

 

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This dancer was spinning like top. In the second photograph, she is stopped in mid-spin 

 

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y hh su js show 44.JPG (16329 bytes)y hh su js daughter 029.JPG (32971 bytes)His daughter performed by herself and with him. Of course, he was the proud father.

 

   

 

 

 

 

During intermission, we had an opportunity buy some Jim Stafford "stuff". They also showed some members of the audience on the screen with humorous comments verbally and running across the screen. 

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The bald guy in the third photograph, "spent three house getting his hair just right to come to the show tonight , and then forgot it".

 

 

After intermission, he announced the groups and some selected people in the audience. Our group, HitchHikers of America was mentioned along with several others. 

 

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When he introduced a group of WWII veterans,
he had a widow stand. She was almost 100 years old. 

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y hh su js am flag 039.JPG (19826 bytes)All of the shows we attended performed some kind of patriotic number towards the end of the performance.

 

     

 

 

 

Jim Stafford ended his show as it began - with his guitar in hand.

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MONDAY - Shoji Tabuchi

 

u hh mon st bldg 007.JPG (33964 bytes)We consider this to be the best show - musically and technically. He started his show with an introductory video about his personal history. Beginning in Japan, with his mother's support of his career starting at the age of six. He is a classically trained violin player.

 His sophomore year of college he heard a Roy Acuff and the Smokey Mountain Boys play and he was "hooked" on country music. After graduation he came to America with $600, looked up Roy Acuff in Nashville and from there his career has grown. After 25 years of playing in Nashville and around the country, he now has his own music theater in Branson.

Throughout the show, Shoji told stories of his life. He was very proud of being an American citizen and the opportunities this country has offered him.

 

 

The HitchHikers were ready for the show.

 

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u hh mon st flag 016.JPG (28762 bytes)The entertainment began shortly after we arrived and were lead to our seats by the 'flag' lady.

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During the pre-show children of all ages enjoyed the clown and balloons.

 

 

He was very specific during his introductory talk that he had a different jacket for each segment of his show.

 

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Look at the speed that
violin bow is moving!

 

 

 

u hh mon st two 415.JPG (26855 bytes)The show included music you would not expect to come out of a violin. The range of sounds was tremendous. Only once did we see him change instruments. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Once he appeared on stage by drifting out of the ceiling.

 

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In addition to being proud of his selection of jackets, he stressed the uniqueness of his animated laser show. 

 

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His patriotic segment included a lot of pyrotechnics.

 

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Shoji's music was so good, Mary Lou purchased a CD. And to his credit, he spent considerable time expression his appreciation to his staff of entertainers, technical people and stage workers.

 

 

We did not want to start our postings about the Shoji Tabuchi Show with what we were told to see first. Whether we needed to or not, we were told to visit the restrooms.

 

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Opportunities to purchase a souvenir were many.

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TUESDAY - Baldknobbers Jamboree

 

m hh bjs sign 07 002.JPG (25702 bytes)The Baldknobbers Jamboree was Branson's first country music and comedy show. It started in 1959 when brothers Bill, Jim, Lyle and Bob Mabe set up 50 folding chairs in Branson's old City Hall and began entertaining visitors. Today, their children and grandchildren are the performers in their own theater.

 

 

 

 

The lobby served multiple purposes - it included the Baldknobbers Hall of Fame, gifts for sale and snacks.

 

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      Jim and Katie Mabe

 

 

 

The Baldknobbers pre-show was a Vaudville type of stand-up comedy. Including some audience participation.

 

 

m hh bjs women 07 073.JPG (13966 bytes)   m hh bjs women 07 078.JPG (25954 bytes)   

 

 

m hh bjs ohead 07 083.JPG (15820 bytes)This scene was in one corner of the auditorium.

 

 

If you question if people like seeing themselves on the screen, look at all the HitchHikers waving.

 

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Fred also has proof that he was not the only one photographing the screen. Larry did his share also.

 

m hh bjs f&ml 07 091.JPG (28316 bytes)   m hh bjs f&ml 07 102.JPG (23199 bytes)

 

 

The little girl on the right threw a kiss every time she appeared on camera. Of course, the audience loved it. 

 

m hh bjs girls 07 117.JPG (20915 bytes)

 

 

The comedy of these three guys and the 'straight' guy in the comedy act were very good. It was 'family friendly' humor. 
Their comedy was interspersed between musical acts by the other entertainers in the show.

 

 

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As he discussed the scrapbook of his life, they showed images on the screen. Here he is talking about licking his cat when it was sick.

 

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This toilet on wheels was used by his mother when she was sick.

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During the patriotic part of the show, they asked military and former military to stand as they play and sang each service branch's song. 

 

           

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   Photographs from various parts of the performance. . . . 

 

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The Energizer Bunny . . .

 

 

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WEDNESDAY - Showboat Branson Belle

 

r hh sbb bow 07 017.JPG (23010 bytes)r hh sbb stern 07 025.JPG (19978 bytes)The Showboat Branson Belle is an authentic 1880's style paddlewheeler.

 

 

 

 

 

The boat seated 750 people for a 3-course dinner followed by entertainment.

 

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r hh sbb 07 037.JPG (36225 bytes)Every seat faced the stage. When the curtain went up the first time, a band started playing dinner music for us. 

r hh sbb 07 048.JPG (25279 bytes)    They played throughout dinner.

 

 

All the HitchHikers sat in the same general area.

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One of our fellow HitchHikers had met the Captain in town. During that conversation, they discovered he owned a HitchHiker he traveled in during the off-season. Between dinner and the show, we were encouraged to roam around the boat. The boat was not cruising that night, due to mechanical problems, so we were able to visit the captain in the wheel house.

 

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While Mary Lou talked to a crew member, Fred made photographs around the boat and of the dock area. 

 

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A singing/dancing group of two couples entertained us for most of the evening

 

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Part way through the show, a husband and wife team of acrobats performed.

 

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During this sequence, the group changed costumes from blue to red in the flash of smoke. 

 

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Todd Oliver and this talking dogs put on a ventriloquist show. He was good, and the two live dogs he used were well trained. He had artificial faces on the dogs that he operated mechanically.

 

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But, when he had two audience members replace the dogs, the performance became hysterical. The man from the audience stole the show. The woman nor Todd could keep their composure.

 

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In another segment, the group made numerous costume changes on seven minutes.

 

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r hh sbb 07 148.JPG (30163 bytes)Some songs, like one from the Phantom of the Opera, demonstrated the talent of the group members. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They performed their patriotic songs in front of symbols of our county's history.   

 

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It was a show enjoyed by all. Unfortunately, the Showboat Branson Belle was having mechanical problems. So, it never left the dock. It would have been too dark to see much anyway during the short time after dinner before the show started.  

 

 

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