Hayter for May 18, 2025
“Having a Blast in Branson"
Kay and I are bound to be home by now. We couldn’t afford to stay here a single day more than we planned. Don’t get me wrong, we’re having a blast, but a blast in Branson, Missouri, has more things to see and do than anywhere I’ve ever been.
This trip was made possible by our friends Beverly and Ramon Bollinger, who kindly allowed Lanny and Carol Dressen, and Kay and me to use their timeshare to Branson. That was one great gift! Lanny drove the four of us in his extended-cab Ford pickup. We reached Little Rock, Arkansas, with five more hours of driving up, down, and around a bunch of hills that led to Branson. After a unanimous vote, we decided to get a couple of rooms at a hotel on the outskirts of Little Rock. We’re at an age where a 10-hour drive is more pain than gain. We reached Branson the following day.
By the way, Lanny’s pickup was quite comfortable. I was so pleased that he did not ask me to drive. For most of the trip, I sat up front with Lanny, and the ladies sat in the back. At times, the route was complicated. Paper maps are so difficult to find nowadays, so Lanny had to occasionally pull over so he could use a map from his cell phone. Eventually, Kay replaced me in the front seat so she could use her phone to find directions. I could’ve used mine, but didn’t want to risk us ending up in the panhandle of Oklahoma.
As it turned out, we arrived in Branson in the afternoon. Being a great planner, Lanny had purchased tickets online for our first two shows. The ones he selected were two of the greatest performances in the history of Markdom.
The first performance was called “David.” It wasn’t about the Copperfield kid. It was the story of David, the King. The stage performance included at least 100 performers, roaming around three stages, each with its own set, and all three connected in a semicircle. The props created for each set were magnificently designed. And the actions during the play included dancing, music, singing, battles, and giants.
And let me tell you--Goliath was big. And at least 25 feet tall. When that giant got hit in the forehead with a stone, he fell to his knees, stayed there for a few seconds, and then plunged to the ground. Which was good, because it allowed David to decapitate him. And, I’ve gotta say, Goliath had a massive head that sat atop a really thick neck!
By the way, the guy playing David had a beautiful voice. And David’s mother also sang beautifully. The actor playing Saul? He was an okay singer, but I just couldn’t get past how mean he was. Oh, my word. I forgot to tell you about the sheep, horses, and pigeons. I’m telling you they had about 15 sheep scurry on stage from a door at the entrance of the theater to the stage. Then they ran off stage. They did that three or four times.
And men riding real horses came from the area of the lobby, down the aisle, and then climbed up a ramp onto the stage. And pigeons flew from the stage across the auditorium, into a small opening at the back. And none of those animals relieved themselves during their time on stage. And they weren’t wearing diapers! It was a miracle.
I cannot describe all of the wonderment that took place on the stage of “David.” But I certainly recommend you see the play. The Insight Theatre has held several plays featuring Biblical characters. Even Jonah and Queen Esther!
After leaving the set of “David”, we hurried over to another performance from a group called “The Haygoods”. It’s a group of six family members—five brothers and one sister—who sing, dance, joke around, and play more instruments than is possible for six performers to have mastered, but they did.
The Haygoods performed some spectacular numbers. The show was a blast! And the siblings seemed to get along fabulously! Not like the Everly Brothers. I really enjoyed listening to those two. Fortunately, I didn’t hear about their disdain for one another until they quit singing.
The Haygoods had a big array of different outfits, and their stage had so many different colored lights as well as shooting rays of different colors. By the way, at 8:30 p.m., on December 31, the Haygoods will put on a performance in Branson for New Year's Eve. It might be a nice getaway for you and your significant other. Of course, you should’ve started saving in February.
Before returning home, I do want to mention the museum featuring memorabilia from the different wars since WWI. It would take a few days to read all of the stories, so after a while, I became more selective. My deepest despair hit me when I started reading the names of those who died in each of the wars. The names were printed in small type onto huge sheets of paper that covered the walls from ceiling to floor. It’s one thing to hear the numbers of those who gave their lives, but when you see all of the names, it better expresses the cost of war.
I realize that’s a sad way to end a story about a wonderful trip to Branson. But I see it as a good moment to recognize the lives of those who gave their all for each of us, and for their families who will always bear the pain. All of those involved gifted us with the privilege of experiencing some of the good things in life. Right now, that’d be Branson.
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