PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (May 7, 2018) –High-diving hillbillies and competitive long-jumping canines have splashed into the 2018 season at the “Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud™” show in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
After three years of undergoing a $3 million renovation to the stage area, the theater has added a 24-foot-deep Olympic diving pool with 300,000 gallons of water. It is the only stage of its kind in the Smoky Mountains, and it has made possible the addition of two new acts to the traditional dinner show.
Hillbilly divers from both the Hatfield and McCoy clans take the plunge in the new water scene of the dinner feud. The hillbilly performers spring from diving boards that are high above the stage to see which family can win the diving competition. The water scene also incorporates a new rain curtain that pours water on the performers to add the dramatic effect of a “feuding storm” in the theater.
The addition of the diving pool scene in the the show does have historical significance in the infamous Hatfield and McCoy feud. David Fee, president and chief executive officer of Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment who produces the show explains, “The Hatfield and McCoy feud began in the mountainous Tug River Valley, where the Tug Fork River formed a border between West Virginia and Kentucky. This caused a geographical separation between the two family clans. And just like everything else, they began to squabble at the river too.”
The idea for the in-stage diving pool came from shows Fee and Jim Hedrick, senior vice president, had seen in Las Vegas. “After countless times of seeing the show ‘O’ by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, we have brought our version of water technology to Pigeon Forge,” Fee said. “In our new show the current performance stage is transformed from a dry stage to a huge Olympic sized diving well that seemingly appears and disappears within seconds. It is super cool! The stage floor goes up and down and is capable of stopping at various levels.”
We’ve also added a splash zone to the first row of seats in the theater, which is a first for our shows,” said Fee. “It’s been a project years in the making because the technology required to flood the stage with such a big water feature was quite a challenge. So 3 billion headaches later the outcome is worth it when you see the fun antics it’s added to the show.”
In addition to the high-dive act, the new Olympic pool also enabled the show to add another new act to the show. Fee says, “We’ve had the idea for many years now to incorporate long-jumping canines to the show, but of course, we needed the pool to do it. Now, the audience can cheer along as the team of athletic dogs leap across the new pool to retrieve a toy or stick. It’s fun for the whole family, and especially the kids, to see the dogs in action.”
The show is a mixture of clean comedy, music, clogging, singing, acrobatics, and now high-diving country bumpkins and athletic-jumping dogs. The two new acts in the show did bring new performers to this season’s show. Fee said, “Our hillbilly cast has acrobatic tricks, amazing, thrilling stunts, and lots of hillbilly feudin’. We have lots of high dives, laughs and family fun.”
Divers in the new “Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud” are seen doing dives such as” the “cabbage roll,” “swimming hole,” “rock ‘n roll,” “jack hammer,” “helicopter,” “I Dream of Jeannie,” “Cupid’s arrow,” and the “jump rope.” In addition, Lu Lu, a curvaceous lifeguard from the Moose Lodge makes her first appearance to the clans in this new show.
“This show was created to be funny,” Fee said. “Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment strives to bring new types of entertainment to East Tennessee. Pigeon Forge has never seen anything like this before. We are proud to be the first to take feudin’ to a higher level. In our new water version of the show we have a flame-thrower, a pool on fire, a mischievous mayor and his sheriff, dynamite, and a water cannon that all make for fun blasts of water going up into the air,” Fee said.
“The show has been successful beyond our wildest dreams. We change up the show each year for repeat visitors, but this year’s version of the show is the newest update in script, cast, and technology that we’ve had since the show began several years ago,” said Fee. “It is an experience that will continue to appeal to all generations with lively music, clean comedy, and toe-tapping fun.”
The “Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Fued™” is a hilarious hit production inspired by real-life events that will put a mountain feast in people’s bellies and a smile on their faces, as they watch a lively talent competition between Pa Hatfield and Ma McCoy and their clans where the battlefield is the stage. This two-hour live show offers loads of laughs including a rowdy battle at a barn dance, extraordinary country, bluegrass, and gospel vocal and instrumental musical performances, and award winning hillbilly musicians and cloggers. The feud is kicked-off at 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. nightly, with occasional 2:00 p.m. matinees. Guests of all ages in the audience are encouraged to support their own side of Hatfield or McCoy “kinfolks.”
This feudin’ show comes with a Granny’s ‘All You Can Eat’ mountain fest, served by a hillbilly waiter or waitress. Granny’s menu includes: feudin’ fried chicken, open pit pulled-to-pieces pork barbecue, southern style creamy soup, smashed mashed taters, buttery corn on the cob, ma’s hot homemade bread, no tellin’ what’s in it coleslaw and Granny’s famous specialty desserts. A vegetarian option is also available upon request.
For more information about the show, visit www.HatfieldMcCoyDinnerFeud.com or call (865) 908-7469. The Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Theater is located at 119 Music Road between traffic lights 0 and 1 on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge between WonderWorks and the Titanic.
The Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment Group, one of the largest show production companies in the Southeast, also owns and produces three other major shows in the Smoky Mountain including “The Comedy Barn®”, “The Smoky Mountain Opry ,™” and “Magic Beyond Belief™” starring Darren Romeo. In addition, the company produces a summer seasonal “Amazing Animals®” show at The Comedy Barn® Theater.