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Our annual pre-holiday, early November trip to Branson/Silver Dollar City was again aglow in fall colors, but there was a nice touch of red in the crowds as everywhere, visitors were sporting Cardinal Red in honor of the World Series champs.

While the Ozark Mountain Christmas is wrapped up in holiday tradition, we’re always looking for something new.  This year, we found some new shows we liked, traditional ones and one slight disappointment, but not in the production itself. (more later in the story on this subject) Here’s a sampling of what we experienced.

   The Showboat Branson Belle has an entirely new show and concept, but missing on old favorite, ventriloquist Todd Oliver and his talking dog Irving.  A Showboat fixture for many year, Todd and  Friends are now performing at Jim Stafford’s theater on Highway 76.

   Aerial violinist Janice Martin is part of the new Encore show on the Showboat Branson Belle this holidays season.

The Showboat Branson Belle has more than made up for the loss with a new emcee/magician in Christopher James and a new singing group called The Showman, who belted out classic Christmas favorites. James selects audience members for his stunning magic tricks.

The highlight of the new show billed as Encore is the world only aerial violinist, Janice Martin. This U.S. Army veteran climbs hanging silks midway to the ceiling to perform magical sounds from her fiddle. Plus she’s also an accomplished pianist and vocalist. This is one of the most original acts you’ll ever see on stage.

The Belle has a new 4-course menu plus offers the Captain’s Row premium dining with several entrees including steak, chicken and fish. Christmas shows on  the Belle continue up to New Year’s Eve. Most days in November there are three shows daily. For holiday ticket information/packages call 800-775-BOAT or visit www.showboatbransonbelle.com.

   Six is called an orchestra of human voices, blending six brothers’ voices to emulate instrumental sounds, creating high-octane harmonies.  It’s one of those shows you have to see to believes, or in this case hear to believe. There are no instruments, just the six brothers with one bro, Jak providing the comedy to the act. There are actually ten Knudsen brothers (no sisters) , but only six are performing for this Norwegian roots family.

  3 of SIX:  Three members of the singer brothers called Six belt on a song at their Christmas show in Branson.

As Jak tells the story, the boys were weaned on gospel music, like many of the family acts in Branson, but sometimes they got off track and didn’t want to rehearse.  But, according to Jak, “Dad, was the original motivational speaker” who got the message to them they had better practice! For the Christmas show, Six has its own version of the 12 Days of Christmas with some unusual comical gift offerings.

Six plays at the Hughes American Family Theater on Highway 76, also home of the Hughes Brothers show. For information call 877-SIX-BROS www.the Sixshow.com.

The Andy Williams Christmas Show has long been one of the most popular holiday offerings in Branson right up with Shoji Tabuchi and Yakov Smirnoff. We saw Andy’s Christmas show a few years ago and wanted to revisit it to hear show he sounds at age 83.  This is where the disappointment came (at first) when we were told Andy wouldn’t be performing that night, which was the opening of his Christmas show. A day later he announced he had bladder cancer and wouldn’t be performing the rest of the holiday season, but fully planning a recovery and  back performing in Branson next Spring.

The Lennon Sisters are now part of the Andy Williams Christmas Show at his Branson theater. The women still have those same angelic voices.  Pat Lindsey photo

Thanks to the always-adorable Lennon Sisters, the beautiful stage setting reminiscent of Andy’s TV holiday shows, the veteran substitute host Bob Anderson, the evening was still memorable.  Anderson is one of those entertainers who looks familiar. A long-time entertainer in Las Vegas and on television, Anderson has been doing some nightclub shows at the 57 Club at Dick Clark’s Branson Theater.  He might best be remembered for his impersonations of the Rat Pack, including Frank, Dean and Sammy. He does a little of this at the Any Williams Show, but even more important gets the show flowing in Andy’s absence.

Of course, the youthful Lennon Sisters bring back the holiday shows of the ’60s and their Lawrence Welk days with their Christmas repertoire like chestnuts roasting on an open fire. (The Andy Williams favorite The Christmas Song).

Another group helping Andy’s show this holiday season is called “Oh What A  Night” and they portrayed the Williams Brothers in their early years with Andy. But they have a show of their own, which shouldn’t be missed. The group’s  10 a.m. show at Andy’s theater is a musical tribute to Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons.  All four have falsetto voices and take turns as lead singer. The results are a  cleaned-up “Jersey Boys” type show without all the personal problems of the Four Seasons singers who were depicted in the Broadway show. Still,  Oh What A Night pays homage to ” The Jersey Boys” and how it brought this amazing group back on top once again.  Andy Williams theater: 800-6094 or www.andywilliams.com

Before the show we had dinner at Andy Williams’ Moon River Grill, an upscale restaurant in Branson, but with reasonable prices and some down home entrees such as Andy’s mom’s chicken pot pie. That night some of the show performers stopped by the tables and we met Bob Anderson, Kathy Lennon and Patty Boone who is playing with the Gatlin Brothers.

For the best holiday lights you can’t beat Silver Dollars City, consistently rated as one of the top ten Christmas displays/attractions in the nation. Every evening at dusk to-middle photo) the 5-story Christmas Tree comes to light with holiday musical selections before the nighttime Christmas parade through the streets of SDC.

Add to that the many other crafts, the  Culinary School, the outstanding food selections. attractions, rides and shows such as  A Christmas Carol— Silver Dollar City is a must visit this time of year.

  A Christmas Carol is a one-hour version of the Dickens story in a musical format produced at Silver Dollar City. This photo is the final scene from this  award-winning colorful show complete with Scrooge and the three spirits.   Bob Lindsey photo

Another recommended attraction we drove through for the first time is the Shepherd of the Hills Trail of Lights atop a hill on West Highway 76 on the way to Silver Dollar City. On this 90-minute drive you ride past everything imaginable decorated and lit up for Christmas.  Some are movable scenes behind glass cases reminiscent of the window display that once were part of downtown St. Louis department store windows.

All the other attractions you find in Branson are also open during the holiday season including Ride the Ducks, the many museums and the best Titanic Museum in the country, which is  getting ready in 2012 to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the ship’s fatal day. In April 2012.  (More on the Titanic Museum plans for 2012 in a future story)

For more on Branson and the holidays: call 1-877-Branson, or www.ExploreBranson.com

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