Benjamin, left, Abigail, Jonathan, Amy and Timothy Dutton in Finale.
BRANSON, MO, June 17, 2013 — In a review of the Duttons written last year, I said, “It is a show that truly has been designed and produced to have highlights for everyone, adults as well as teens and younger children. Each performance is a celebration of family, one of the finest entertainment experiences available in Branson or anywhere else and is a special sharing of their family with yours. It is a wonderful experience that will be remembered long after the curtain comes down.” Having just seen the 2013 edition of this show on June 18 that opinion has not changed, except to strengthen it.
From the all cast Jukebox Medley opening ,including “Rock Town,” “Can’t Buy Love,” “Rock Around The Clock and the “girls” rendition of “Lollipop” to their signature Finale “”Boil them Cabbage Down,” the Dutton family presents a unique one of a kind Branson entertainment experience. As but one example, just about every fiddle player in Branson does their variation of the fiddle classic “The Orange Blossom Special” and most do it well, but only at the Duttons show will you see two fiddlers of the quality of Amy and Timothy Dutton “duel” it out during their fantastic performance of this number. It is, like so many parts of this show, not only impeccable in its instrumentality, but so entertaining in its method of presentation.
Their classical presentation of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons Summer Movement” is another example of how the Duttons turn the exceptional into the spectacular. On any day Amy Dutton playing the piece is a beautiful thing to hear by itself, but combined with a guitar prelude of a Hungarian “Csárdás” and the rest of the Dutton family the result is another one of those fabulous moments that can only be experienced at the Duttons show.
Cousin Julio and Jonathan.
Most of the comedy in the show is provided by the interaction of the Dutton’s cousin “Julio,” who looks a lot like his cousin “Benjamin.” In one instance, Julio, who interacts primarily with Jonathan Dutton, wants to audition for the show with his horn act. The discussion and costuming up to the actual playing of the horns will entertain adult and child alike and the actual playing of the horns, in conjunction with Jonathan playing the banjo is one of the most unique and entertaining performances of “Dueling Banjos” most people will ever hear. Later in the show things really “break up” when Julio picks someone from the audience to come up on stage and play the fiddle.
The main Dutton stars are siblings Abigail, Amy, Benjamin, Jonathan and Timothy, Timothy’s wife Judith, along with their parents Sheila and Dean perform the bulk and core of the show, but it is the strategic and choreographed use of some of the Dutton’s 25 grandchildren that help keep children of all ages invested in the show while at the same time delighting adults. It’s a delicate balance, but the Duttons are experts at it and do it so wonderfully.
The solo performance of “Danke Schoen,” by young Master Timothy Dutton and the absolutely spectacular all cast performance of “Count On Me” that ended the first half of the show are but two examples. Young master Dutton’s performance and costuming were spot on and a perfect example of the effort that goes into using the grandchildren in a manner that enhances the overall experience of the audience. The performance of “Count On Me” that ended the first half started out with “four and ended up with the whole family on stage. What an inspirational and fantastic way to end the first half of the show and illustration the one of a kind entertainment that the Duttons provide.
And those are just a few of the many show highlights. From rock and roll to blue grass and country this show has a variety of music that has something for everyone. It’s not the shows content alone however, that makes the show so special. It’s how they present it, with that unique Dutton talent, instrumentality, flair, showmanship and innate ability to instill that warm directly “from our family” to “you and your family” feeling in its audience members, that make this show the unique, special and wonderful Branson entertainment event that it is.
For additional information or tickets for the Duttons show or information or tickets for any of Branson’s shows and attractions or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services by calling 1-800-785-1550 or through its website, www.BransonTourismCenter.com.