PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (October 2012)– Christmas at the Smoky Mountain Opry Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., opens Nov. 2 and is the largest, most elegant and majestic Christmas show in the Smokies, according to company co-owner and CEO David Fee.
“Our Christmas show is the best holiday themed show in the Smokies. We have a large cast of some of the country’s top musicians, singers, dancers and comedians, whose exceptional talents all blend onstage to deliver the magic of Christmas. We have also added a spectacular adage dance couple and some extraordinary ice skaters to our Christmas show this year,” Fee said.
The first half of the Christmas at the Smoky Mountain Opry Show features songs from the sounds of the season with all the Christmas favorites, and the second half of the show has a country Christmas and ends with the gospel story telling of the birth of Christ.
The Christmas celebration show features flying musicians and sugarplum fairies; the area’s largest living nativity with live camels, sheep and a donkey; and nearly two hours of holiday-themed entertainment. Throughout the show, new and old Christmas music fills the air with rich and brassy orchestral music, complete with Christmas chimes and hand bells.
“We have joyous Christmas music and new arrangements of old Christmas favorites, new costumes, elves and toys that come to life, lots of indoor snow in the theater and a visit in the show from Santa Claus himself,” Fee said.
Fee said people should expect to be very entertained.
“Our Smoky Mountain Opry Christmas Show features a nationally auditioned cast with flying angels and an elaborate living nativity that focuses attention on the birth of Christ and the true meaning of Christmas,” he said. “It is a very high-energy, emotional show,” Fee said. “After seeing the show, you will be in the mood for Christmas.”
The show is produced by Fee and Jim Hedrick and directed by Michele Colvin.
“We have captured the spirit and excitement of the holiday season,” Fee said. “We have a 12-piece band with a full brass section. Children can have their picture taken with Santa in the lobby of the theater.”
Lights will play an important role in the Christmas at the Smoky Mountain Opry Show. The theater offers a host of special effects, including a laser light show, black lights and fiber optic costumes.
The property itself will display more than a million lights in the form of multiple tree displays and lights on the theater. Every half hour, the exterior lights on the theater will spring to animated life in sync to Christmas music to create a light spectacular. Fee describes this as their version of the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas.
“Outside of the theater, we have an outdoor synchronized light show,” Fee said. “We want to add a little sparkle to the area, so the whole property will be dancing with Christmas lights. We provide an evening filled with song, dance and laughter.”
“We want this to be a place where families start traditions and memories, and we hope tourists and locals will continue to return to The Smoky Mountain Opry year after year,” he said. “This show will absolutely delight the whole family – everyone from the ages of 4 to 104. It is going to be a popular show, and we are already filling up fast.”
Christmas at The Smoky Mountain Opry Theater will continue until Dec. 31. The show is performed this season in the afternoon matinee slot at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and in the evening at 8 p.m. nightly.
Tickets for the Christmas show are $39.95, plus tax each, and children 11 and under are $19.95 plus tax. The theater is located at traffic light 0 in Pigeon Forge. For more information, call the theater’s box office (865) 428-7469 or 1-800-768-1170 or visithttp://www.SmokyMtnOpry.com.
The Christmas at the Smoky Mountain Opry wraps at the end of the year with a special New Year’s Eve Show on Dec. 31.
The theater will then go back to the regular show on Jan. 1, featuring Broadway, 50’s, 60’s, rock ‘n roll, bluegrass, gospel and country music and will be open year round.
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 area including “The Comedy Barn®”, the “Hatfield and McCoy Dinner and Show” and “The Country Jamboree Breakfast Show” featuring the Blackwoods.
The Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment Group is running a special combination show deal that offers customers a chance to buy a ticket to the Smoky Mountain Opry Show and then for $20 more, they can purchase a ticket to The Comedy Barn® or the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show. Customers are also offered the opportunity to buy a ticket to the Opry Show and get a ticket to the Country Jamboree Breakfast Show for half price. The company also owns Tony Roma’s and Happy Days restaurants and a website, seepigeonforge.com, that helps guests plan their entire Smoky Mountain experience online.
Deborah Fee Newsom
(865) 774-8877 or (865) 414-6887