Backstage Pass: Amish Country Theater keeps model Victoria Elizabeth laughing

by VICTORIA ELIZABETH

Nestled in the foothills of the beautiful, peaceful and serene “Amish country” in Millersburg Ohio, the Amish Country Theater is a dynamic, innovative, one-of-a-kind theater experience that features a plethora of signature and touring shows, sure to excite and entertain everyone in your party.

Since its inception in 2018, this relatively new theater has firmly established its reputation as a destination for laugh-out-loud comedy, world-class variety acts, and some of the finest quality touring productions you’ll ever see performed live .

The Backstage Pass Team was elated to return to this unique destination for live entertainment for a spotlight feature on the ‘25 season of house shows as well as one of the theater’s superb touring productions.

HAYSTACK HILARITY:

One of the Amish Country Theater’s outrageously funny house productions, Haystack Hilarity features an acclaimed cast of comedians, musicians, parody artists, magicians, and even a ventriloquist.

This nearly two-hour variety show spectacular kicks off with a rousing rendition of “I’ll Fly Away” by Amish Country vocalist, Donnie Abraham (an established musical artist who started his career as a part of the iconic “Abraham Brothers” touring gospel group), leading into a botched English lesson with the theater’s resident hapless-yet lovable- goofball, Lynyrd (portrayed by John Bunn) after which plenty of audience volunteers are called upon to further enhance the comedic and interactive elements of the show.

The 2025 season features a stellar line-up of variety performers including world-renowned ventriloquist, Kevin Johnson (who has been seen on the hit reality television competition series, “America’s Got Talent” as well as the “Late Show with David Letterman”) , who captivates the audience with his smooth and seamless talents, bringing to life an array of animated and colorful characters.

Johnson, amicable, personable, and engaging with the audience speaks in depth about “voice throwing” and asks the crowd what fun and unique things they may accomplish in life if they could “throw their voices”. (Editors note: “Throwing one’s voice” is a vital element of the trade of ventriloquism and a skill which can take many years to master.)

The Beachy Boys (a charming and lovable duo who parody the iconic chart-topping songs of The Beach Boys) bring to life an assortment of toe tapping renditions of classic hits by varieties of well known artists. This production features sing along re-imaginations of The Beach Boys’ “Fun, Fun, Fun” (laced with Amish references such as “She’ll have fun fun fun till daddy takes the buggy away”) and “The Beachy Amish Way” (a Beachy Boys remake of the 1963 classic “Surfin’ USA).

The affable country bumpkin Lynyrd takes the stage once more with a completely “bass-akwards” retelling of “Goldie Locks and the 3 Bears” that you truly must see in order to believe, followed by a performance of “Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” by principal vocalist, Abraham.

This non-stop, action-packed show wastes no time in presenting back to back top notch acts for the audience’s entertainment, next presenting to the stage widely acclaimed magician, Rick Smith Jr., who holds a Guinness World Record in “card throwing” and has amassed a staggering billions of views on YouTube. Smith , lightning fast with both his wit and performance art, displays dazzling feats of dexterity in the fields of mentalism as he seamlessly reads the mind of audience members, guessing dream movie roles and vehicles people aspire to own with very little clues provided to help them solve these seemingly unsolvable riddles.

During one truly unfathomable act, the unconventional illusionist summons a small child onto the stage as a volunteer, before subsequently chopping a piece of celery the young lad held in his mouth in half, by simply throwing a playing card which was precisely aimed in order to execute the unbelievable and unusual trick.

Additional stand out moments include sharp and witty banter between two colorful birds named Clyde and Matilda, commanded by master ventriloquist, Johnson, and an interactive segment starring the scene stealing Lynyrd and three audience volunteers, portraying a menacing villain, a chivalrous hero, and a “damsel in distress”, Little Cindy Lou.

The show ends with a patriotic tribute featuring a real-life war veteran, a live painting of the iconic 1945 photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, set to the tune of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”

ALL QUACKED UP:

My Backstage Pass team was thrilled to spotlight the other Amish Country Signature show, All Quacked Up (named by Bonnie Kirkman, who helps manage the front of house and box office along with her husband Dan , who has become a staple of the Amish Country Theater creative team), which features all the signature cast members you’ve grown to know and love including the laugh -inducing lovable Lynyrd, gospel crooner Donnie Abraham, the quirky parody artists, The Beachy Boys, as well as 2025 guest headlining cast members, master ventriloquist Kevin Johnson and award winning illusionist, Michael Mage.

Amish Country’s most outrageous variety comedy show opens up with the headlining comic, Lynyrd, nonchalantly chatting with host Donnie about the one time he was banned from staying at a five-star hotel for sunbathing nude on the sky -top window (as well as plenty of other outrageous shenanigans), leading to a segment starring ventriloquist Kevin Johnson, who has been acclaimed for his world class ventriloquism skills on “America’s Got Talent” as well as a plethora of top cruise lines.

Johnson’s segments include a fiery red headed Amish puppet named Zeke (short for Ezekiel), who unbashedly sings “Froggy Went a Courtin’ and demonstrates with Johnson how truly difficult it is for a ventriloquist performer to properly pronounce “P’s and B’s” while performing.

Next Up, the Beachy Boys took the stage with their original take on Beach Boy Classics and an array of additional songs spanning the decades, including “The Longest Time” (during which the duo lamented having to stand in a lengthy bathroom line during an emergency of the utmost kind). Adhering to some of Billy Joel’s greatest hits, the comic songsters keep the laughs rolling at lighting speed with a reimagining of “It’s Still Rock and Roll” (detailing just how the Amish “roll” in their day to day lives), and last but not least, a rousing rendition of “You May Be Right” (“I may be crazy. But it just might be an Amish Man you’re looking for.”)

Michael Mage serves up mesmerizing feats of magic during his set including jaw dropping reactions when he escapes from a tightly sealed bag, mysteriously reads the thoughts of an audience volunteer, and summons additional audience participants for non-stop thrills that will surely have you second guessing your sense of reality.

Additional uproarious Lynyrd moments include the lovable lunatic attempting to convince Donnie Abraham to let him facilitate the singer’s funeral arrangements, and “Hee-Haw” reminiscent jokes with Lynyrd and the ensemble.

As usual, each show ends with a soul stirring patriotic tribute featuring a real life hero: a war veteran who leads a salute of the American flag.

Special thanks to John Bunn and the entire Amish Country Theater Team for having us back for this spotlight feature.

WEBSITE: https://amishcountrytheater.com

PHONE NUMBER: (888) 988-7469

INSTAGRAM @theamishcountrytheater