PIGEON FORGE, Tenn., Feb. 9, 2018 — “Magic Beyond Belief™” starring internationally acclaimed magician Darren Romeo will reopen for a fourth season on Feb. 16, 2018, after being closed for a four-month production hiatus. This newly revamped Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment show will resume back in the The Smoky Mountain Opry™ Theater in Pigeon Forge six days-a-week. The magical show will include approximately $250,000 in upgrades, most of which are in production elements. The move back to the Smoky Mountain Opry™ is to enable Romeo to perform larger illusions on a bigger stage and allows for the return of large animals to the show.
“Our Magic Beyond Belief show starring Darren Romeo is bigger, better and brighter this year,” said David Fee, president and chief executive officer of Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment Group. “We have a considerable bigger stage in a larger theater, but the show is still a very intimate experience. This year’s show will be more family friendly and we have some new elements in the show including a live magical unicorn and a mermaid who swims among coral reefs and a sunken pirate ship. We also have the return of our serval cat and our amazing beloved white tiger named Hollywood.
“We have more vibrant colors in new lavish sets and costumes, improved state-of-the art mood-setting lighting and fantastic visuals throughout the entire production,” Fee said. “It is a higher energy show with spectacular effects.
“We are also installing a whole new sound system including a new sound board to enhance the audio quality in the theater,” Fee said. “Two large video screens will complement the show, as well as engaging music.” Fee says the show will leave the entire family spellbound.
Romeo, the first and only protégé of Master Magicians Siegfried and Roy, will pay tribute this season to those who inspired him: Bobby Darin (for whom he was named), Harry Houdini, Harry Blackstone Jr., Siegfried and Roy, famed American ringmaster P.T. Barnum, and many great military heroes. He will also showcase arrangements from his favorite Broadway melodies.
“We will have a circus atmosphere this year with tunes from the new hit movie, ‘The Greatest Showman,’” Fee said. “Darren will have an entourage of animals both real and make believe, actors who play side show misfits, a girl shot out of a cannon, dancers and other oddities of magic. He will also pay tribute to a special pioneer in the entertainment industry with a song number in a ‘tale as old as time,’ where Darren and his assistants will invite the audience to ‘be our guest.’ At one point in the show children from the audience will even be allowed to come on stage and be part of the show.”
This full, two-hour “Magic Beyond Belief™” starring Darren Romeo production will feature stunning illusions, mind-boggling special effects, hilarious comedy, and vocal performance. Romeo will do some new parody celebrity impersonations this year including Darius Rucker, Lady Gaga and Dolly Parton.
“As a former magician myself, I have loved magic all of my life,” said David Fee, co-owner of the new theater. “Darren Romeo is one of the best magicians I have ever seen. He is extremely special and unique. His show mixes amazing magic with music, and it is mesmerizing! We are very proud of Darren and of the success of his show in Pigeon Forge, and it became obvious to us that he needed a larger stage to do some of the illusions that he wanted to do so we have decided to bring him back to the Smoky Mountain Opry Theater. This is a fun magical experience for the entire family! It is Pigeon Forge’s biggest and best magic show! Darren brings magic, mystery and music together for an incredible show the whole family will love.”
Romeo will appear Tuesday through Sunday, February through December, at The Smoky Mountain Opry™ Theater. Romeo’s “Magic Beyond Belief™” starring Darren Romeo is known for his combination of live singing with the art of magic and illusion for a one-of-a-kind magical performance.
“Magic Beyond Belief™” at the Smoky Mountain Opry™ Theater is performed this season in the 8 p.m. evening time slot until Friday, March 2 when the Smoky Mountain Opry™ “Feel The Music” Show Opens. After that the magic show will be performed in the afternoon matinee slot at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It will also be performed at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The theater is located at traffic light 0 at 2046 Parkway in Pigeon Forge. Ticket prices are $34.95 plus tax for adults and $9.95 plus tax for children ages 3-11. Children under 3 are free. For more information or reservations call the theater’s box office (865) 428-7469 or 1-800-768-1170 or visit www.pigeonforgemagic.com.
Before coming to Pigeon Forge, Romeo previously performed in his own show as “Siegfried & Roy presents: Darren Romeo” at the Mirage in Las Vegas and all over the world. He has also performed in Las Vegas at Caesar’s Palace, at the Flamingo Hilton and at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.
Magician Romeo said, “Magic is my passion, and I will be able to present the biggest and best versions of my show to date in The Smoky Mountain Opry Theater.”
One of the most awarded magicians in the history of magic, Romeo has garnered an extensive list of accolades including:
“Show of the Year” (2 years in a row) from the Branson Critic Association,
“Magician of the Year” from the Magic Castle, The Academy of Magical Arts, Inc., the prestigious Merlin Award for “Entertainer of the Year” from the International Magician’s Society and the Milbourne Christopher Award for “Notable Contributions to the Art of Magic” from The Society of American Magicians (SAM).
In addition to all of the large illusions people would expect to see on stage from Siegfried and Roy’s protégé, Romeo will also perform close-up magic and sleight of hand tricks in the new show. Romeo will carry on Harry Blackstone Jr.’s legacy by performing his famous “Floating Light Bulb” Illusion. He is the only magician in the world granted permission from the Blackstone family to perform this tribute.
The New York Daily News called Romeo’s show “Irresistible” and the Las Vegas Review Journal said it was “the most unique and compelling show to hit the strip in many years.” Entertainment Today said his show was “Extraordinary. Fantastic!”
“We want to provide clean wholesome entertainment for families who will return to see our shows again and again,” Fee said. “Darren’s new show will be Beyond Belief!”
The Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment Group, one of the largest show production companies in the southeast, also owns and produces other major shows in the Smoky Mountain area including “The Smoky Mountain Opry™,” “The Comedy Barn®” and The “Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud.™”
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Contact: Deborah Fee Newsom
(865) 414-6887 (cell)
(865) 774-8877