by VICTORIA HENLEY
CTFashionMag.com
The Hughes Brothers Theatre, built in 1985, gained instant notoriety as the first ever Branson, Mo. theater to be owned by an international renowned celebrity, the legendary country music sensation Roy Clark.
Upon being rebranded as the “Hughes Brothers Theatre,” after the dynamic Hughes Family bought out the theater in 2000, this venue soon became famous for an altogether different reason: hosting one of the largest performing families in the world.
Today, the men who were once known as the “Hughes Kids” now have many kids of their own and have been charming audiences from across the United States and beyond for decades with their enigmatic charms, stellar vocals, tight harmonies, killer choreography, and equally talented wives and children, most of whom are involved in the show, in some capacity.
I was afforded the opportunity to return to this gem of a theater to provide the inside scoop on the multitude of shows at the theater and what to expect during your visit.
HUGHES COUNTRY SHOW:
Featuring a live band, a high-octane line up of music from the country genre’s golden era, western theme attire, and a delightful light lunch (included in the show ticket), the Hughes Brothers Country Show is your ultimate destination for mid-afternoon entertainment.
The Hughes Brothers are comprised of: the hilarious and boisterous Jason (who emcees the show and frequently pauses to interact with the audience), Ryan (who wows throughout the duration of the two hour show with his celebrity impressions and versatility), Marty (the patriarch of the family, who stepped into his beloved father’s shoes after his passing and regularly sings bass during harmonies and brims with positivity each time he takes the stage) and Andy (whose smooth vocals and delightfully deadpan humor add a special element to the groups dynamic).
We began our Hughes Country Music Show experience with a BBQ meal, consisting of scrumptious, tender smoked BBQ meat adorned in a hickory sweet sauce, served between soft fresh sandwich buns, complimented with savory baked beans and crispy potato chips on the side.
The show features a multitude of country hits ranging from upbeat foot stomping chart toppers to slow, poignant classics, including Rodney Crowell’s “After All this Time,” a rousing rendition of the Oak Ridge Boys’ smash hit “Elvira,” and Aaron Tippin’s “You’ve Got to Stand for Something.”
The brothers flex their comedy muscles numerous times throughout the show, and a few of the standout comedic segments include the incredibly clever (and not to mention quite catchy), “We’ve Been in Branson Too” (a ballad sung to the tune of Dan Fogelberg’s “Longer,” in which the brothers soulfully croon that they have been in Branson just as long or longer than many of even Branson’s most well-known acts). Another uproariously funny bit consists of the brothers harmonizing using animal noises for a wildly unique version of “Old Mc Donald” that you truly most see in order to believe.
Fans of darker and more dramatic country fare will delight in a memorable rendition of the classic “16 Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford, Frankie Lane’s “Rawhide” and the inimitably eerie “Ghost Riders in the Sky” made famous by the Man in Black, Johnny Cash.
Heartwarming moments in this two-hour country music extravaganza include performances featuring the precocious and undeniably talented Hughes Kids (including a rampaging rendition of “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” featuring the Hughes boys and Cowboys Sweetheart, sung by one of the outrageously talented young Hughes girls with a commanding stage presence and a beyond-her-years yodeling prowess that would undoubtedly make Patsy Montana herself proud .
RE-VIBE:
Due to popular demand, the Hughes Kids, ranging in age from preteens to 28 years old are starring in their very own show entitled Re-Vibe, which features state of the art lighting and sound, an award-winning live band, dazzling costumes, and a thrilling array of song selections (spanning a multitude of genres ranging from pop to rock to soul, Broadway/theatrical , folk, country).
Re-Vibe can be enjoyed with a delectable dinner package or by itself, and we chose to enjoy the dinner, which consisted of garden fresh salad with a flavorful vinaigrette dressing, succulent, tender roast pork with a hearty gravy, roast chicken with tomatoes and peppers, healthy and delicious green beans, complimented with a freshly baked dinner roll and your choice of sweet or unsweet tea, lemonade or water.
Arguably some of the most diversely and dynamically talented young performers in Branson, the Hughes kids kick off Re-Vibe with a high octane mash up of hits that have dominated the Top 40 charts set to the backbeat of Kanye West’s “Stronger,” followed by a rousing rendition of “Blue Moon” and a menagerie of hits from the iconic Jackson 5.
The show takes a softer turn with acoustic hits including a stunning rendition of the Beatle’s “Blackbird,” U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m looking For,” and a breathtaking and touching performance of “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper. Regularly fusing together unexpected harmonies, melodies, and instruments, Revibe boasts its own boldly unique aesthetic by putting its own spin on some of the greatest hits by the most legendary artists of our time.
Additional stand out moments include a pulse pounding performance of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” featuring relentlessly unique forms of percussion and violins and a cover of the Bee Gee’s Classic “Staying Alive” (during which the young performers don retro 1970s fashions), and a jaw-dropping performance of Coldplay’s “Fix You.”
Fans of more nostalgic musical content will undoubtedly delight in the greatest hits of yesteryear including a lovely and powerful rendition of “Put Your Head on my Shoulder” by Paul Anka, performed by 12 year old Noah Hughes who wows the audience with his comedic chops (he convincingly carries an ongoing bit where he tries and fails to “audition” for the show, much to the chagrin of his older brother), and a Broadway segment featuring a performance of “Steppin’ Out with my Baby” as made famous by the late, great, Tony Bennett.
Fresh, young, fun, and brimming with life and creativity from start to finish, Re-Vibe is a must see at the Hughes Brothers Theatre.
HUGHES MUSIC SHOW:
The headlining show at the Hughes Brothers Theatre, The Hughes Music Show, features the entire Hughes cast in a song and dance spectacular like no other. A plethora of song styles and genres are performed throughout the duration of this jaw dropping production, ranging from classic Broadway productions, country western, Pop, Rock, Top 40 hits, breathtaking percussion and show stopping instrumentals. This show, action-packed from start to finish, is sure to offer something to excite and delight everyone in your party, with sufficient variety to whet the entertainment appetite of even the most discerning theater-goer.
Speaking of appetite, dinner packages are also available with ticket purchases, and we highly recommend booking the dinner option to enhance and optimize your overall experience. Arrive early for seating on the elegant balcony overlooking the show space, complete with chic decor and mood lighting as the friendly servers (the vast majority of them “Hughes Kids”) greet and seat guests , take drink orders etc.
The delectable Hughes Music Show dinner includes your choice of sweet or unsweetened tea, or lemonade, followed by a crisp, garden fresh salad, tender pork with house-made gravy, flavorful grilled chicken breast with savory mushrooms and tomatoes, and whole russet potatoes, accompanied by a freshly baked bread roll and finished with a decadent chocolate mousse dessert.
Featuring Broadway quality vocals, choreography, and unparalleled performance technique, The Hughes Music Show kicks off to a rousing start with a hand clapping performance of “Come On Get Happy” from the Partridge Family, the Eagles’ haunting “Seven Bridges Road,” and a powerful rendition of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” blended with a high octane “Born to Be Wild” from Steppenwolf.
The adorable and talented-beyond-their-years Hughes children performed in a myriad of stand out numbers throughout the span of the show, including a tribute to their respective moms, featuring a jubilant and heartfelt cover of “Mom” by powerhouse pop sensation Meghan Trainor, as well as numerous country western numbers that heavily feature the talented Hughes Kids as well.
Theater aficionados will be most pleased by the staggering number of Broadway chestnuts performed throughout the duration of the Hughes Music Show, including numbers from “Annie,” “A Chorus Line,” “Hairspray” (featuring an unbelievable rendition of “You Can’t Stop The Beat”), a gorgeous instrumental number from the legendary “West Side Story” as well as the hilariously self-aware “A Musical” from “Something Rotten.”
Video packages, including a charmingly clever original episode entitled “Hughes School” details a chaotic, slapstick look inside a day in the life of the massive Hughes Families, all of whom homeschool their children.
The show concludes with a beautiful, red white and blue adorned salute to the troops, honoring all of the veterans in attendance with a stunningly compiled array of carefully curated patriotic musical pieces.
ESCAPE REALITY (starring BRIAN LEDBETTER)
Enjoying its new home at the Hughes Theatre, Escape Reality starring Brian Ledbetter is a chic, stylish, edge of your seat magic extravaganza.
Ledbetter, warm, approachable and relentlessly charming, and remarkably skilled, never misses a beat, effortlessly oscillating between traditional sleight of hand, classic grand scale illusion, and modern mentalism. This highly interactive show regularly calls upon the assistance of audience volunteers and employs the help of numerous kids and kids at heart alike throughout the duration of the nearly two hour show.
I was even called upon to be sawed in half during an especially suspenseful moment of the show. Having never been summoned for a task quite so daunting and unusual as this, Brian made me feel extremely welcome and comfortable as I braced myself for the unknown and climbed inside the magician’s box (which was aptly labeled “Sawing a Lady in Half”). The intimidating buzz of the chainsaw began, and I felt the saw’s pressure on the box as the lower half of my legs dropped dramatically, strobe lights flashed, and the audience roared with applause as they could clearly view the negative, open space between my upper and lower halves (as if I had quite literally been sawed in half).
I was flabbergasted and completely blown away by this exceptional illusionists skills, and although I was present throughout the entirety of the act, I still cannot begin to fathom how he possibly executed this bit with such poise and grace.
Ledbetter is accompanied by the outrageously talented Alexandra Hughes, who mysteriously vanishes, then reappears, contorts And shape shifts, is disassembled and reassembled in record time, and many more inexplicable feats of magic, while dazzling with her graceful dance abilities.
Special thanks to the incredible Hughes Brothers Theatre chief choreographer and media liaison, Carina Hughes, for facilitating our visits for all of these award-winning shows and to the entire Hughes team for having us back.
WEBSITE: http://www.hughesentertainmentinc.com
PHONE NUMBER: 417-334-0076
INSTAGRAM: @the_hughes
