Newly opened, the Sight & Sound Theaters in Branson continues the tradition of quality family entertainment that has come to be associated with the area. The theater offers unique Broadway style musical productions with a Biblical theme. Marketed explicitly at Christians and families, the high quality of the productions will have even those outside the target market lining up for a show.
The theater opened a month ahead of plan in May of 2008. Undeniably massive, the theater is 339,000 square feet with a stage area of 26,550 square feet and seating for 2,085 patrons. This makes the Sight & Sound Theaters in Branson one of the largest performing stages in the world.
The size of the stage is not the only element that has been delivered on a large scale. The company's first production, Noah: The Musical, uses state of the art technology and top-notch theater effects to create a realistic feel. Set on a 300-foot stage that wraps around three sides of the theater, the production has 40-foot high sets that tower over the audience. Hundreds of live and animatronic animals make up the ark, and some of the live animals are even led through the audience as they are loaded on the ark.
The show has proved so popular that there are no signs that it will be ending its run anytime soon. If it does, the Sight & Sound Theaters in Branson could easily launch one of the shows perfected at its sister theater in Pennsylvania or something from the back list of the company. Founded in 1975, Sight & Sound Theaters typically has more than 800,000 patrons a year, with the Branson addition bringing total viewership to more than a million souls annually.
Tickets are on sale year round. Prices for children are approximately half that of adult seats, which cost around $70. Shows do sell out, so it is best to reserve tickets well in advance to ensure a seat. The wrap-around stage means that seating placement is less of an issue than in traditional theaters, but to experience the live animals up close it is recommended that an aisle seat be selected.
