Twelve Irish Tenors performing Scarborough Fair.
BRANSON, MO, July 11, 2013 – There is no lack of variety in the types of live shows that Branson offers on a daily basis during its season. The Official Branson.Com Branson Show Schedule, powered by the Branson Tourism Center, shows almost 100 shows, from acrobats to outdoor dramas and music shows of every genre, but, after seeing the July 10th performance of the Twelve Irish Tenors this writer can say that it stands alone in terms of the harmony, power and beauty of its vocals; and the unique and exciting entertainment experience it provides.
Individually the 12 performers making up the Twelve Irish Tenors are Jay McManus, Justin Sassanella, Jeff Wait, Chism Ruden, Cory Seay, Tony Turner, Alex Webster, Alex Oberholzer, Clark Roberts, Martin Bennett, Gavin Rees and Rhys Tees. As some perform solos during the show their individual vocal talent becomes obvious, but from their very first number, it is the power and beauty of those voices singing in combination that brings “goose bumps” and makes one realize that they are hearing and experiencing something very special.
The simply beautiful and powerful rendition of “Danny Boy” the 12 opened the show with is a perfect illustration as it sets the tenor for the unique wonderful musical entertainment experience that follows. The key words here are “musical entertainment experience.” As I was taking notes the words “powerfully and beautifully sung” were used a lot and if that was all there was this would still be a great show, but it’s not. Whether it’s the whole group or part of the group, each number is choreographed to combine different additional elements and actions such as dancing humor, special effects, sets and audience interaction. This enhances the total audience enjoyment of the show.
A perfect example would be their performance of one of my favorite segments of the show, a three number medley from “Les Miserables.” It starts with a darkened stage and Cory Seay sitting at a table with a single “candle” as he sings the poignant “Empty Chairs and Empty Tables,” which expands into the full group singing a rousing version of “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from which Tony Turner emerges as the featured singer in the group’s performance the beautiful and moving “Bring Him Home.” Wow, talk about a powerful and inspirational experience!
And that’s just one segment of the show. It makes no difference if the song is an Irish folksong like “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” “An Irish Lullaby (Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra),” the Barry Manilow hit “I Write The Music,” the Bette Midler classic “The Rose” or the aria “Nessun Dorma,” it is simply one amazing performance after another from both a musical and total entertainment perspective.
Realizing that my show highlights might not be the same as someone else’s, I generally mention one or two of my favorite highlights. That would include, in addition to the “Les Miserables” segment noted above, their performance of Josh Groben’s “You Raised Me Up,” and “The Prayer.” Ok, I just have to mention one more, their performance of “Phil The Flutters Ball” was a fun high energy piece with some great dance moves by all, but especially the Irish Dancing display put on by Jay McManus.
The show’s creator and producer David King said, “The music will make you melt and the individual voices would be enough to hold their own on any stage, but when you combine twelve the result is breathtaking.” That it is, as well as unique, fun, inspirational and extremely entertaining.
For additional information or tickets for the Twelve Irish Tenors or any of Branson’s other shows, attractions and activities or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center (BTC), one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website.