Branson, MO (Wednesday, February 13, 2008) – Jim Stafford announced today that he will be hosting a special show at his theatre in Branson entitled, “Carin’ for Karen” scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 7:00 p.m. The show will feature a line-up of performers that will come together in Branson for the first time to raise funds for cancer treatment for Karen Bull, an active member of the theatre industry in Branson for almost 20 years. Tickets can be purchased by calling 417-335-8080.

“Carin’ for Karen” will feature favorite Branson performers including The Haygoods, Todd Oliver, Janice Copeland & the Branson Divas, Matt Gumm & Trent Wideman from the Clay Cooper Show, Gail Lennon, 14 Karat Country, Red
Hot and Blue and Christopher James from the Showboat Branson Belle. Also headlining this special event will be Justin David and the Justin David Band. This is Justin David’s first appearance in Branson since being named a finalist on the Nashville Star Television show last year. Promising a rousing finale for Karen’s special night will be The Thundering Red Rockets, a favorite Branson band featuring Mike Cathcart, Chris Cathcart, Tom Gass and Danny Macias – all members of the musical Lennon family.

“We’ve organized this benefit show very quickly as Karen has been put in a place where her needs are immediate,” says Ann Stafford. Karen was recently diagnosed with an inoperable cancer but is undergoing alternative treatment. Karen would like to encourage her friends that she feels very positive, appreciates their prayers, and is looking forward to visiting with her many friends at this special night of entertainment. Tickets are $22 and all proceeds will go to help offset Karen’s expenses.

Karen has lived in Branson since 1993 when she moved from Houston, Texas to join the Jim Stafford Theatre as lighting director. She was an integral part of the development of the Jim Stafford Show for 10 years. She still serves the Stafford creative team when Jim tours and performs on the road, working last year on international cruises and in Las Vegas the previous year. She has designed lights for many Branson shows and is currently with the Showboat Branson Belle.

Enjoy additional savings on top of already low outlet prices.

February 15th – 18th.

Factory Merchants is located at 1000 Pat Nash Drive.

For more information please call (417) 335-6686.

A Valentine’s Night @ Club 57 on Thursday February 14th Featuring Gail Lennon and the Lennon Brothers

Dinner and show is for $89.00 for 2-Featuring a Fresh Green Salad w/nuts and fruit, Succulent Prime Rib w/AuJus & Horseradish Sauce, Crab Stuffed Shrimp, Buttered Dill Potatoes and Vegetable Medley, and a Decadent Ghiradelli Chocolate Mousse for dessert

Dinner served at 6pm accompanied by romantic piano music
Lennon Brothers & Gail at 7pm
Followed by Gail Lennon & The Buzz Boys at 9:30
The Ramada Inn (right next door) is offering Valentine Specials as well that includes a hot breakfast the next day

Call 417-332-1960 today as seats are limited!

Contact: February 4, 2008
Lynn Berry
Director of Public Relations
417-334-4094
[email protected]

Sight & Sound Theatre opens in May; Silver Dollar City Launches Biggest Festival Year Ever

Live Shows

Sight & Sound Theatre, opening May 24, presents NOAH — The Musical. This “Christian Broadway” production is an amazing bible-based show with more than 50 live animals and 50 animatronics animals and a 4-story reproduction of the Ark.

Andy Williams and Ann-Margret perform together at the Moon River Theatre June 6 through July 26. The new Andy Williams Variety Show opens September 5 through October 27. The variety show will be patterned after his Emmy-Award winning television shows and will have up to 6 different specialty acts performing with Andy.

There is a new morning show at Andy Williams Moon River Theatre. “The Entertainers” perform everything from dueling banjos to Phantom of the Opera, Motown to bluegrass, all by local musicians who are “stars” in their own right, from other shows in Branson.

The Oak Ridge Boys will open in their new theatre on Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. Country Tonite will move to the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre. Dalena Ditto’s Country Variety Show will perform at the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre, April through December.

Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theatre welcomes Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers to their stage in a morning show. Dick Clark’s American Bandstand complex opens up Area ’57 with special events, such as BransonFest 2008, April 8-12, and more planned throughout the year.

Justin Flom and the Imaginary Theatre will feature Branson Divas and the Emmy award-winning comedian Bob Nelson.

Bobby Vinton will be performing at The Mansion this November and Tom Mullica as Red Skelton is appearing at The Mansion.

At the Welk Resort Theatre, The Rankin Brothers Classic Music Revue will debut in March and run through December. Matt and Mark Rankin, along with their cast of outstanding musicians and performers, will present timeless, classic hits covering six decades of music. The Welk Stars Reunion is set for Sept. 3-7 and The Tillis Family Reunion, starring Mel Tillis & Pam Tillis, will return from Sept. 16 through October 25. Tony Orlando’s annual Veterans Salute is Nov. 11 and he will join The Lennon Sisters for an all-new Christmas Celebration, November 1 through December 6,

Yakov Smirnoff welcomes country star Joe Diffie to Yakov’s theatre in September. Shows will feature his friends and family members, as well as comedian Paul Harris.

Attractions

The internationally-awarded 1880s-style theme park Silver Dollar City launches its biggest festival year ever, with new original stage productions, performing groups, and festival showcases. New to open the Spring season: an Irish Celebration with World-Fest’s all new Irish production show, Feet of Fire, featuring authentic fire dancing. Then it’s Bluegrass & BBQ, celebrating Americana at its best with hundreds of award-winning bluegrass performances and fresh-off-the-grill foods. Summer brings family adventures at the park’s biggest Kids Fest ever, presenting a nationally-recognized slate of entertainment with The Magic of Peter Gossamer, a Kid Concoctions interactive world of play, a VeggieTales live stage show produced exclusively for Silver Dollar City, and even an Ice Circus with skating performers from around the world. Fall’s Southern Gospel Picnic features the top traditional and contemporary entertainers in the genre; and the National Harvest Festival brings the largest gathering in America’s Heartland of demonstrating craftsmen, harvest-time foods and musical performances, plus special events: A Salute to the American Cowboy and an all-new Tribute to the American Farmer. An Old Time Christmas, nationally recognized by media from USA Today to Good Morning America and Southern Living as one of the best holiday light shows in America, dazzles with the 5-story, Special Effects Christmas tree and all-encompassing sound and light show on the Square and the all-new Frosty, an interactive show for kids.

Debuting in September, Silver Dollar City, long known as “Home of American Craftsmanship,” celebrates its roots with a very special project to highlight the theme park’s most authentic focus: the interactive art of demonstration. The new Silver Dollar City Culinary & Craft School is designed to pass along knowledge of America’s heritage through fine crafts, handiwork and culinary arts. Interactive classes will be held within the stylishly decorated and themed timberframe structure, set on a hillside within the City, with experts from top chefs to renowned craftsmen teaching culinary classes and craft seminars. Along with the seminars from national experts, Silver Dollar City Master Craftsmen will feature heirloom displays, multiple demonstrations and hands-on activities for take-home skills.

The Branson Entertainment Hall of Fame & Museum, located in the Branson Mall, honors those instrumental in Branson’s entertainment success and showcases historical items for public viewing daily.

Butterflies at Branson is a community-wide art exhibit that will be decorating the Branson area from March 29 until October 10. Area artists, including Yakov Smirnoff, will turn a huge fiberglass butterfly into a work of art to benefit a local charity.

Celebration City, Branson’s Biggest Nighttime Attraction, presents the biggest park expansion to date, and the largest new ride in the Ozarks for 2008. Roaring Falls, a $2 million water adventure ride, takes riders on a water-filled journey through fast-moving rapids and features a 5-story, 55-degree angle drop for an enormous splash finale. Celebration City is a 20th-century themed family amusement park featuring more than 30 rides and attractions including Ozark WildCat, a wooden roller coaster eight stories high. Celebration City hosts “Ignite the Night” a spectacular multi-million dollar nighttime special effects show presenting a stunning finale to the day’s fun along with a boardwalk full of games, uniquely themed shopping and family-style dining.

There is new fun on the water at Gage’s Branson Landing Marina & Shoppes. Branson Landing Cruises offers daily excursions aboard the luxurious 100-foot yacht Landing Princess or the authentic paddlewheel riverboat Lake Queen in the midst of spectacular Branson Landing and Lake Taneycomo waterfront.

Tall Timber lumberjack show is moving to Hwy 76 West in 2008, located two blocks west of Silver Dollar City, across the street from Uncle Ike’s trail rides.

White River Fish House at Bass Pro Shops in Branson Landing sits on Lake Taneycomo. You can feast on local favorites like catfish and trout or enjoy a delicious hand-cut juicy steak, grilled to perfection. Come hungry for your next adventure at White River Fish House.

Developments

The new Branson Convention Center offers convention and conference goers 220,000 square feet of flexible space in a stunning, state-of-the-art setting. A curving, exposed timber pedestrian concourse gives visitors a pleasant view of the Lake Taneycomo waterfront as they travel between the center’s meeting and exhibit facilities and the adjacent Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel.

The Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel is located within walking distance of Historic Downtown Branson and the sprawling new Branson Landing shopping, dining and entertainment district. The new Hilton offers guests a chance to experience the pampered luxury of a metropolitan hotel in the heart of small town America. The 12-story hotel has 293 rooms, including 194 traditional rooms and suites, and 99 condotel units that will also be available for nightly rental.

There are two more championship golf courses in Branson — the Murder Rock course at Branson Creek and the Payne Stewart Tribute course at Branson Hills.

The Branson/Lakes Area community is looking forward to the first flight landing at the new Branson Regional Airport in May of 2009.

For more information or to order a free Branson Vacation Guide, call the Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-214-3661 or visit www.explorebranson.com.

Media kits and videos are available by contacting the Branson/Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-214-3661.

The French Hen Cafe and Coffee House will be holding their grand opening Friday February 8th, 2008. The opening will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The French Hen Cafe and Coffee house offers a gourmet market and gift boutique as well as serving breakfast and lunch.

Come in on February 8th and enjoy gourmet coffee, door prizes, food, live music, and more.

The French Hen Cafe and Coffee House is located at 1015 Highway 248 Suite D. For more information please call (417) 336-4436.

Monday January 28th, 2008 the Branson Fire and Rescue Department will be displaying the new aerial fire apparatus purchased last fall. The 105-foot ladder will be on display from 6:30 – 7 p.m. in front of Branson City Hall. The new ladder replaces a 75-foot aerial fire apparatus bought in 1988.

The ladder will be extended to the full 105-feet for visitors but will not be available for the public to climb on.

Branson.com is excited to announce that they have released a new section of their site: Branson.com/Gadgets. The free gadgets allow Branson-related websites to display show schedules, Branson area events, and Branson weather.

All of these gadgets automatically stay up-to-date through the Branson.com internal sytems. This allows a Branson website to just copy and paste a gadget into their site and no longer need to worry about their website staying current.

With so many hours spent by countless businesses attempting to keep current with Branson show schedules, events and weather, this will take the burden off of a website’s need to update constantly and allow them to focus on other areas of their site.

To get Branson.com Gadgets for your site, go to www.Branson.com/Gadgets.

For more information or questions please call: 417-334-2360

Tri-Lakes Community Theatre Presents:

“Grease” running January 25-27 & February 1 – 3, 2008. Show times are Friday & Saturday 7 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m.

“Noises Off” (One weekend only!) February 14-17, 2008. Show times are Thursday and Friday 7 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m. & 7 p.m., and Sunday 2 p.m.

Performances will be at the Welk Theatre. For more information please call (417) 335-4241. Adults $14/Students $7.

Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.

Relay For Life of Taney and Stone Counties Kick-off event is almost here

In a nation where more than one million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year, the residents of Taney and Stone counties are invited to celebrate, remember and fight back. Relay For Life organizers have announced kick- off activities for the 2008 Relay For Life of Taney and Stone Counties.

The kick-off event, which is scheduled for Thursday, January 17, will provide information about the American Cancer Society, Relay For Life and how to get involved plus there will be refreshments, door prizes and fun. Kick-off festivities will be held at Branson's old Primary School Gym, which is located downtown on at Brown and 5th. Make plans now to drop by between 5 and 7 p.m.

For more information about Relay For Life of Taney and Stone Counties or to RSVP contact Cinda Bauer at 417-239-5844, Kristie Williams at 417-334-2121.

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life, a nationwide effort, is a unique community event that allows individuals to celebrate the lives of cancer survivors to remember loved ones lost and to rally together as a community to fight cancer. Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated.

As they begin their 5th successful season of the Hamner Barber Variety Show, Jim Barber and Dave Hamner announce the launch of their latest marketing project, BransonWebcast.com. Together, Hamner and Barber will host an ongoing series of audio and video interviews featuring many outstanding Branson celebrities, movers and shakers, and “just plain folk.” The webcast is produced in association with Branson.com and the first official interview was released on New Years Day.

“We were excited to interview Bucky and AJ Heard as our first guests on the webcast,” stated Dave Hamner. “Bucky is currently featured in a new production called “The Entertainers” at the Andy Williams theater and has been an outstanding Branson entertainer whose talents go far beyond his incredible singing abilities.” Bucky’s wife AJ also discusses her career over the years as a dancer, singer and choreographer in some of Branson’s finest productions. “AJ has an exciting announcement for folks who may not have seen her in awhile… actually, two exciting announcements,” added Jim Barber.

The show hosts look forward to many new additions to the webcast in the coming weeks, and will be scheduling interviews after the holidays subside. Interested parties who would like to appear as guests are invited to contact the producers by visiting the BransonWebcast.com site. “This has been an extremely busy year for us all,” stated Barber, “but we are very enthusiastic about adding this project to our schedule. It’s a refreshing way to promote Branson artists to a global audience in a way that print ads, tv spots or radio commercials just can’t do.

As each new episode is uploaded to their server, it will be archived in an easy to search database so that visitors far into the future have an opportunity to enjoy their favorite Branson celebrities, and meet many new undiscovered personalities in the Branson area. The site will also feature occasional news articles and stories of interest to Branson visitors. Visitors may subscribe to the webcasts by e-mail or via an RSS reader. A commenting and rating system has also been implemented to give visitors a fun way to interact and share their thoughts about the interviews online.