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SOMETIMES
SMALLER IS BETTER
by James F "Jim"
Barrett
Curiously
enough, people still have a powerful
desire for the small but important things
in life. Almost anyone you talk to hopes,
one day, to get back to the "simple life,"
to relax, lie back and just absorb all
that surrounds them. Sounds great, doesn't
it? To be like children once again, to lie
on a grassy bank and make pictures from
slowly drifting clouds. To sit beneath a
great old tree and cut inner tubes into
rubber bands for our "rubber guns." To lie
in our warm safe beds while our mother or
father read us our favorite story once
again. Or to sit in the swing on Grandpa's
front porch and listen raptly while he
spins tales of the First World War, or of
his dad's escape from Europe, or of the
farm animals he and his brothers helped
capture and raise.
Of
course, the big songs, the big stories,
the big picture is still highly important
in our modern life and times. But, guess
what? There has been, for quite some time
now, a potent swing to the return of those
olden times. Yes, big glitzy theaters are
interesting and usually fun, but people
are finding out that the new, small,
intimate theaters, shows, storytelling
places and music listening places are
entrancing, entertaining and engaging
almost beyond belief. Slowly but surely,
many of us are rediscovering the old days
of friends, neighbors, kinfolk and fellow
townsmen, gathering in a home, assembling
in a church, spreading quilts to sit in
the park - to listen to storytellers, to
listen to potent but unknown musicians or
groups. To be almost able to touch what we
are seeing and hearing. Certainly to feel
intimately connected, individually
addressed, personally looked upon and
appreciated. While we personally return
the attention and appreciation.
Georgia
Rowe, in Classical Notes, on the Internet,
tells us: "BIG HALLS ASIDE, these days
some of the area's best music is being
played in back yards and living rooms.
Taking their cues from the salons of past
eras, promoters are increasingly turning
to home concerts as a new way to cut costs
and attract audiences. The events are
intimate and informal - and people seem to
love them.
"People
like the intimacy and the spontaneity of
them, and they like to be able to eat and
drink. It's more festive, more personal,
than being entertained in a great concert
hall."
Yes,
and this isn't the only commentator or
critic who has taken note of this trend.
In the East and now in the Midwest, the
Chautauqua Theater is being powerfully
revived. Why? Because people, once they've
experienced this intimate, great fun
venue, crave and demand it close to their
home. Once upon a time, before movies,
before television, even before radios -
when very few people out on farms and
ranches ever saw a newspaper - the
Chautauqua came to town, or to a nearby
area. People would travel for days in
wagons and on horseback, or sometimes by
train, to attend. Why? Because it was
amazingly interesting, fun, educational
entertainment, that's why. It was held in
a tent, or tents, by gaslight or by
lanterns, and the crowds were reasonably
small, but wildly enthusiastic and
attentive - and appreciative! People knew,
or rapidly got to know, one another there.
Food was brought out and shared. People
chatted before and after the shows.
The
family was together, enjoying something
together, learning and loving - together.
It was a time to look forward to, a time
to be wonderfully enjoyed, and a time to
be happily remembered.
So,
the Chautauqua is returning to prominence.
And there are now many other gatherings of
storytellers all across the nation,
usually in the fall when folks can enjoy
the marvelous colors, drink the exotic
local wines, sample the freshly made
cheeses and foods - while they sit in
tents to listen to stories, old songs,
humorous tales, dramatic re-enactments and
all the great old things they once did (or
their folks did) many years ago when life
was simpler, dearer, and great good fun.
People go away from these events feeling a
warmth, fulfillment and charm that they
haven't felt in years and years. And,
along with their children, perhaps they've
learned a few new things. Perhaps, they've
found a different and fun approach to
entertainment and education. Perhaps
they'll even take up reading to their kids
once more, or telling their own stories
for the family to take to heart, treasure
and tell to future children. And, my,
wouldn't THAT be grand!
There
is no place in the world with more fun
history and old tales than the Ozarks of
Missouri and Arkansas. Through the heart
of this historic land runs the Wilderness
Road of the Ozarks. It has always been the
greatest vital artery over which the
lifeblood of the Heartland has flowed.
Starting as game and Indian trails, it has
evolved into multi-lane highways of modern
times. But it still serves the same
purpose, to furnish a way, a path, for
people and things to get from here to
there. Once on horseback or afoot, now in
eighteen-wheelers and flashing cars,
people and things still move from source
to destination, from wandering to home,
from creation to use. And the stories, the
tales, the history of the Ozarks and that
surrounding the Wilderness Road is more
varied, colorful, entertaining and amazing
than the most exotic patchwork quilt of
events and heroes ever devised anywhere -
in any time.
In
the spirit of Chautauqua, in the spirit of
the old Wilderness Road campgrounds and
firesides, in the spirit of Ozark families
gathered around on grandpa's porch for a
time of storytelling or old fashioned
singing - we of The Road Gang have created
The Wilderness Road Dinner Theater. It
will never be, never compete with, never
even resemble our wonderful neighbor,
Branson, Missouri, where fifty theaters,
countless hundreds of seats, thousand
dollar guitars and rhinestone studded
costumes by the barrelful vie for your
attention. No, we of the old Road Gang
have a small, intimate, fifty seat theater
where the food is old fashioned and fine,
the entertainment is "the way it usta
was," and the Ozarks country intimacy and
friendship is as genuine and honest as it
can be.
Not
two shows a day, not even one every day -
just once a week, on every Thursday
evening we gather to bring our guests a
fun, hopefully a bit educational, and
always entertaining show. Attend on
fourteen Thursdays - and you'll see
fourteen entirely different shows. Yes, we
do repeat the best ones from time to time,
by popular demand - sometimes out of
necessity. But we always try to bring each
audience something new, different and
special to take home and tell their
friends and relatives about. We tell of
history, we sing the old songs, we laugh,
we cry and we shout out the fun parts -
and our audience joins in with us all
along the way. Our "stars" spend an hour
before the show, chatting with the guests
as they dine on Randy's excellent
"spreads." After the show our "stars"
don't vanish into giant busses, they go
back out into the audience, who now feels
that they are well acquainted, to thank
them for attending, to answer their
questions, to bid them a fond farewell,
and to ask them to please return soon. And
I tell you, friends, I don't know who has
more fun, we of the Road Gang, our
entertainers or our audience. But it makes
no difference; all of us have a great
evening! And that is why small theaters
are making a potent return, folks like
'em! They like being individually thanked
for coming. They like actually meeting the
people of the evening. They like the food,
the camaraderie and all the good fun.
Small theaters, in home venues, the
intimate entertainment is making a
serious, good fun comeback. And The
Wilderness Road Dinner Theater, at RT's
Family Restaurant, down in Kimberling
City, on Table Rock Lake, in the very
heart of the Ozarks - well - it's one of
the best!
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