Grand Rivers Variety!

Grand Rivers Variety shows and reviews. Grand Rivers Variety performs at Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers Kentucky. Read our many reviews on the following pages.

Grand Rivers Variety: Music and Mayhem in the Month of April

March 28, 2012 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Grand Rivers Variety in Grand Rivers, Kentucky in April is THE place to be if you love Johnny Cash music or laughing. Or both! One of their popular comedic shows, Smoke on the Mountain brings back its colorful characters with an all new show: Smoke on the Mountain: Homecoming, while one of Grand Rivers Variety’s best shows continues to rock and roll Johnny Cash style.

Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical Show

Johnny Cash fans will absolutely love Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical Show. Sing along with some of the Man in Black’s greatest songs and relive the life of an American legend. Without a Johnny Cash, I’m not convinced we’d have a Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, or Jason Aldean.

You can read my Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical Show review by clicking the link. Please note the dates will be different, of course. This is a show you don’t want to miss. You’ll be talking about it for weeks.

Ring of Fire will be shown on the following dates in April:

Saturday April 7 @ 7:00 pm
Saturday April 14 @ 7:00 pm
Saturday April 21 @ 7:00 pm
Thursday April 26 @ 2:00 pm
Saturday April 28 @ 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm

More Grand Rivers Variety Reviews & News on Genuine Kentucky:

For ticket information, please click HERE.

The Sweethearts of Country Music: Making Sweet Music with Grand Rivers Variety

March 12, 2012 by Joi Sigers 1 Comment

Saturday night, my husband, one of our buddies (the best locksmith in the Nashville area – if you don”t shamelessly promote your buddies, who will?), and I took in a show at Badgett Playhouse Theater in Grand Rivers, Kentucky.

Even though I had possibly the worst headache in all the world, eclipsed only by a ridiculously stiff and painful neck, I was VERY excited to be there. I knew the show would be phenomenal because Grand Rivers Variety shows are always extra, extra, extra special. As I sat there, wondering how many capsules of Ibuprofen would constitute “too many,” I tried to remember the last time we saw a show at Badgett Playhouse.

TOO DANG LONG is the answer I came up with.

During the winter months, what with Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, and anniversaries, I pretty much live in the kitchen. I don’t wander far from the oven between November and March.

Maybe that explains the headache. My body was confused by the surroundings.

By the end of the evening, I told myself that I’d never allow three months to pass between shows again. These shows are always so hilarious, fun, and engaging a person would be a fool not to see as many as they possibly could in a year. I’m always stupefied by the talent in Grand Rivers Variety shows. The singing, dancing, drama, comedy, sets, and costumes (made by the amazingly talented Sara Minihan) never fail to leave me asking one question, “How in the world are these incredibly talented people not playing to audiences in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry?”

Each time I come to the same conclusion, “Just be glad we have them HERE right now.”

I’ve said it before, but it bear’s repeating – my husband and I have been to countless shows in Nashville. We’ve had the pleasure of seeing the hottest stars in Country music today as well as the stars of yesterday. I only bring this up to qualify myself to say this: The quality of talent in Grand Rivers Variety is on par with the talent in Nashville shows. Yes, even shows at the Grand Ole Opry and The Ryman Auditorium.

But the seats are ever so much more comfortable.

The ridiculous talent we’ve come to expect was certainly on display last night.

[notification type=”standard”]From Grand Rivers Variety:

A Tribute To The Legendary Ladies Of Nashville! Join three very different ladies as they pursue one common goal… the elusive dream of fame and fortune on Music Row in Nashville. Along the way, these Sweethearts pay tribute to the ladies of country music that have gone on before them; Dolly, Loretta, Tammy and many, many more.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office toll free at 1-888-362-4223. Box office hours are 12-5 Tuesday through Thursday and 12-7 Friday through Saturday.

Show times for 2012 are as follows: Evening performances start at 7:00 PM CST and matinees are 2:00 PM CST. Doors open thirty minutes before each performance. [/notification]

When writing a review for a show with a cast of more than 5 people, I get a little antsy. I never want to leave anyone out or throw more compliments in one direction than I do in another. There are absolutely no weak links when it comes to Grand Rivers Variety. For example, the band is always outstanding. Each member makes magic with his musical instrument. I could literally listen to the band for hours on end.

The talented band members are:

Scot Durham, piano and vocals
Eddie Holland, bass
Chad Mullins, banjo, guitar, and vocals
Thomas Michael, guitar and vocals

There were a few other band members in the back who were also outstanding. The drummer absolutely tore it up and the gentleman on the steel guitar added so much to the show I wondered how any shows got along without him. The entire band is simply awesome and, again, leave me wondering how we can be so lucky to have them in our own backyard. As I said before though, I’m not going to question it, I”m just going to enjoy the heck out of it.

Scot, Chad, and Thomas sang during The Sweethearts of Country Music and flat out blew everyone away. Mr. Mullins had over half of the female audience swooning. I thought one lady was going to pass out. During intermission, the women behind me talked of nothing else. One said she could listen to him sing all day long, while the other quickly agreed.

I’m pretty sure the next sound I heard back there was the ladies fanning themselves off.

Two other names I’m anxious to mention are Steve Sherling and Barry Jobe. These two took what would have already been an great show and made is a Must See show. Steve, along with another of Grand Rivers Variety’s wickedly funny hams, Bill Minihan, makes all of the Greater Tuna shows such side splitters. As soon as Steve shows up on the scene, my funny bone surrenders. I take one look at whatever character he’s embodying and just die laughing. His character in this show is no exception. He’s a riot and a half.

His partner in hilarity during this particular show caught me off guard. I know Barry Jobe as one of the singers. He has an absolutely wonderful voice and, like his co-stars, a very powerful stage presence. I had no idea he was as big a ham as anyone! He did an excellent job as the narrator of the show, sang beautifully as always, and positively brought down the house with a character (choreographer) he played. I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard. I guarantee you this, the entire time he was prancing onstage, I forgot my headache existed. When he sashayed off stage, I thought, “Oh, that boy’s not right!”

And I loved it!

Now, for the ladies. The three beautiful girls who star in this show are Tiffany Okerson, Stephanie Jo Newton, and Owensboro’s own Natasha Neely. When they stepped onto the stage, I thought, “I didn’t know Charlie’s Angels were in town. Cool.” The beautiful trio, however, have a lot more going on for them than looks, but not a one of them was shortchanged in this particular department. Their personalities were larger than life and each had a commanding stage presence that just dared you to look away. Their dancing skills would make anyone jealous (especially those of us who are the proud owners of not one, but two left feet) and their voices were nothing short of beautiful.

Each time one of the girls sang, I thought, “I’m in love with her voice.” I kept falling in love so many times I thought I was Taylor Swift. The only difference, I never fell out of love with any of their voices.

Grand Rivers Variety had a stroke of genius when they cast these particular girls together as The Sweethearts of Country Music. Not only are they beautifully talented and beautifully beautiful, they compliment each other in a way show producers dream of. Each girl’s voice is distinctive and each one brings her own special quality and presence to the show. Their comedic timing was also impeccable, which is just another way of saying they’ll make you laugh out loud so much you might even snort.

A few of my favorite songs from the night (though I honestly enjoyed all of them immensely):

Barry Jobe and Natasha Neely’s Duet I Told You So
Stephanie Jo Newton and Thomas Michael’s Island in the Stream
Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad by Tiffany Okerson
I’m a Woman by the girls
I’m Gonna Miss Her by Chad Mullins

Some of the other songs you’ll enjoy in The Sweethearts of Country Music show are:

Stand By Your Man (Tiffany)
Coat of Many Colors (Natasha)
Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
Coal Miner’s Daughter (Stephanie)
Golden Ring (Tiffany/Chad)

The songs in the show are a perfect blend of old classics and new favorites. I guarantee that you’ll find yourself singing along, clapping, smiling, laughing, and even doing a little seat dancing. I did all the above with the headache from hell, so imagine how you’ll roll if you’re on top of your game.

In addition to the singing, dancing, and laugh-out-loud comedy, there are quite a few wonderful film clips. You’ll enjoy interviews with Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn as well as glimpses into their lives and things they had to go through to become household names. There are also a few surprises in these film clips that’ll leave you laughing so hard you’ll have to set your popcorn and drink on the floor. Well, that or spill it all over yourself – a Greater Tuna show did that to me one time – and it was coffee! Now I know…. when Steve, Bill, or Barry (who now comes with a “spilled drink warning label” as well) show up, the drink must go on the floor before it goes all over Joi.

You’ve heard of Live and Learn? Well with Grand Rivers Variety, it’s Laugh and Learn.

If an evening (or afternoon) filled with laughing, clapping, singing, and pure good old-fashioned entertainment sounds good to you (and, seriously, how could it not?), I strongly urge you to buy your tickets for The Sweethearts of Country Music today.

Grand Rivers Variety’s Sweethearts of Country Music will be shown on the following dates: (UPDATED FOR April 2013!)

April 6, 2013 – 7:00pm
April 12, 2013 – 2:00pm
April 13, 2013 – 7:00pm
April 20, 2013 – 2:00pm

If you choose one of the 2:00 shows, you can enjoy the singing & dancing, then you, yourself, can dance across the street for supper at the famous Patty’s 1880’s Settlement Restaurant!

For more information about this wonderful show as well as the other wonderful shows at Grand Rivers Variety, please visit their website.

More Grand Rivers Variety Reviews & News on Genuine Kentucky:

Red, White, and Tuna: You’ll Laugh Until You Cry and That’s a Promise

July 21, 2011 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

I sat at my computer (much needed coffee cup to the left, much beloved cat to the right) for about 10 minutes this morning trying to think of an appropriate opening sentence for this review. You see, I’m impossibly obsessed with the Greater Tuna shows at Grand Rivers Variety. And this isn’t just any review, this is a Tuna Review. Everything has to be just right!

Here’s the thing. One of my most defining characteristics is this: I love to laugh – the more the better. Got it from my dad. He was incredibly generous with laughs and I’m not the least bit stingy with mine. Naturally, a lifelong lover of laughter is drawn to things that make them burst out with CRAZY laughter – the kind that makes everything in the world disappear. Everything except the raining endorphins brought on by laughter.

The Greater Tuna shows put on at Grand Rivers Variety don’t just rain laughter, they cause floods. It may not have been on the news, but there was a flood in Grand Rivers last night. Fortunately, we were all washed away by “feel good” endorphins as opposed to “get wet” water.

The boys (Bill Minihan and Steve Sherling) were all over their game last night. These two incredibly talented and hilarious actors could hold their own with anyone – Steve Carell, Jack Black, Robert Downey, Jr., Dane Cook… In fact, and this is no lie – as much as I love this list of comic actors (each are personal favorites), I had just as soon see a Greater Tuna show in Grand Rivers as one of their movies. I’m not sure how we, as Kentuckians, got such a lucky draw. These guys could be in Hollywood right now, in movies or on tv, making millions do the CRAZY laugh – as opposed to working their mojo in beautiful Grand Rivers, Kentucky.

We got VERY lucky.

Even though it was a Wednesday, the crowd last night was really good. I was afraid that the middle of the week would cause a problem, but apparently I’m not the only one who loves to laugh. The crowd (of all ages) was practically in a fit of laughter the entire time. Some who were sitting around us had never seen a Greater Tuna show and I felt like looking at them and going, “I know, right?!” but it’s hard to speak when you’re doubled over laughing.

Speaking of crazy laughter – why, when we’re in fits of laughter do we hold our cheeks or cover our mouths? Are we attempting to keep our facial parts in place? I understand the doubling over. One has to find a position in which they can breath. Such gyrations!

At one point, I even slapped my husband’s arm – as though it was his fault I was being swept away in a fit of laughter. Fortunately he has big arms and was busy laughing, himself.

A little background, in case you aren’t familiar with the Greater Tuna shows. Two actors (the aforementioned Bill Minihan and Steve Sherling) brilliantly portray a town of colorful nuts and hysterical misfits from the fictional town of Greater Tuna, Texas. When the boys step out in drag, they literally have to wait to say their lines after the laughter dies down. Words cannot possibly do their characters or their performances justice. I’ve seen a great number of bucket lists and “Things to See Before You Die” books, but I’d respectfully suggest each one add this one: See Bill Minnihan and Steve Sherling as the ladies (ladies???) of Greater Tuna.

Visions you’ll never, ever forget. Bill makes a lot of woman… a whole lot of woman, and Steve’s footwear was absolutely killer. The thought of him strutting around in heels makes me laugh even now. These two performers lose themselves in these deliciously outrageous characters the way LeBron James loses himself in basketball, John Grisham loses himself in writing, and Halle Berry loses herself in loveliness. They are willing to go to any and all lengths to entertain their crowds – and that’s just what they do.

It’s as though laughter is their life source and the more laughter they bring about, the longer they’re allowed to live. If there’s truth behind this theory, apparently these boys want to live forever.

From Grand Rivers Variety’s website: The much anticipated third installment in the Tuna trilogy takes the audience through another satirical ride into the hearts and minds of the polyester-clad citizens of Texas’ third smallest town. Along with Tuna’s perennial favorites, some new Tuna denizens burst into the 4th of July Tuna High School Class Reunion. This sets the stage for a show full of fireworks and fun!

Fireworks, fun, and a flood. They forgot to mention the flood.

During the first fifteen minutes, I kept trying to remember favorite, classic lines to tell my daughters (and to include in this post). However, after about 20 minutes into the show, I’d ran out of fingers to count them on as well as the ability to reason. It’s all good, though. Crazy laughter can sweep me away anytime it wants. I was delighted to see that some new insanely funny characters had been added, but even more thrilled to see old favorites back – more deliciously entertaining than ever.

My husband told me that he’d heard that this one was EVEN funnier than the others. I kind of scoffed and thought, “As if. Nothing could be funnier than the other Greater Tuna shows.” At one point (it was either right after I popped my husband’s arm or right at the time the stranger beside me slapped mine), I stopped scoffing and conceded that this one was, indeed, the funniest one yet.

If the thought of three hours of GREAT entertainment, CRAZY laughter, and rushing floods of endorphins sounds like a good time to you, I strongly urge you to head over to Grand Rivers Variety and buy tickets. Pronto! There aren’t many shows left and this is one you’d be a nut to let get away.

As we were leaving, I noticed that (like us) everyone else was still laughing – and most of us were holding our stomachs. Laughter is such a glorious ab workout.

One final thought: It doesn’t matter what age you are, Greater Tuna will give you an evening you’ll never forget. Directly in front of us were two rows of high school kids.

They spent the evening doubled over laughing hysterically. Directly beside us (and in the row behind us) were people who… well, let’s just say they’d been out of high school longer than most of us have been out of diapers. They were also lost in fits of crazy laughter. All of us had the time of our lives and felt it from our heads to our toes.

At one point (and it’s worth noting that we were only an hour into the hilarity) a woman behind me laughed so hard she snorted. It was after one of Bill Minihan’s big women sashayed onto the stage. The lady told her husband, “I’ve never laughed so much in all my life!” They both just kept laughing and laughing – along with everyone else in the theater. A bunch of red-faced, doubled-over, laughing, snorting, people having the time of their lives.

That’s my kind of evening!

People who, if they could take the time to think and reason, would feel woefully sorry for anyone and everyone on the outside of the theater. There was so much happiness and fun in the air that it crackled.

That, dear readers, is what you can expect from a trip to Greater Tuna.

Again, please go to Grand Rivers Variety and order your tickets right now. I want YOU to have the same wonderful time we all did last night. I want YOU to remember what it’s like to get so swept away by laughter and fun that everything else slides away.

It’s a natural high that even caffeine can’t touch.

Also, if you’re on Twitter… and you really should be!… follow Grand Rivers Variety (@GRVariety). They’ll keep you updated on new shows, show times, and a lot more.

Click HERE for 2013 Red, White, and Tuna Dates!

More Grand Rivers Variety Reviews & News on Genuine Kentucky:

Red, White, and Tuna at Grand Rivers Variety

July 1, 2011 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

Are you ready to find out what “rolling on the floor laughing your butt off” really feels like? If your butt’s game, here’s your chance. A “Greater Tuna” show is back in all of its hilarious glory at Grand Rivers Variety in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. If you’ve read Genuine Kentucky for very long (and if not, where have you been?!), you’ve no doubt read my Greater Tuna reviews and are well aware that they act upon my funny-bone the way catnip acts upon a cat.

About Red, White, and Tuna:

The much anticipated third installment in the Tuna trilogy takes the audience through another satirical ride into the hearts and minds of the polyester-clad citizens of Texas’ third smallest town. Along with Tuna’s perennial favorites, some new Tuna denizens burst into the 4th of July Tuna High School Class Reunion. This sets the stage for a show full of fireworks and fun! – Grand Rivers Variety

The writing is outrageously funny and the performances are even funnier. These shows make you miss the good old days of comedy – when writers and actors depended on humor to get a reaction, rather than shock value.

You’ll lose yourself in the fictional and deliciously zany little town of Tuna as the town’s outrageous characters (male and female) are hilariously brought to life by Bill Minihan and Steve Sherling. I’ve often wished that Grand Rivers Variety had each of their Tuna shows on dvd – they’d make excellent Christmas presents for people who love to laugh!

The seasonal shows at Grand Rivers Variety are just that – seasonal…… as in you’d better act now or they won’t just be gone, they’ll be long gone. Trust me, this one’s far too fun to let get away. There are only 5 shows for Red, White, and Tuna on the schedule: July 13, 20, and 27 and August 3 and 10. Each of these shows is on a Wednesday and, mark it down, you’ll still be talking about it when the next Wednesday rolls around.

True story: A few days ago, my husband Michael told me the official opening date of Red, White, and Tuna and I laughed. I said, “I’m laughing already!”

Still am…. yeah, they’re that funny.

More Grand Rivers Variety Reviews & News on Genuine Kentucky:

Visit Grand Rivers Variety’s website for ticket information now!

Always Patsy Cline, Back By Popular Demand, at Grand Rivers Badgett Playhouse

June 2, 2011 by Joi Sigers Leave a Comment

“Always…Patsy Cline” returns to Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers, Kentucky this weekend – back by popular demand! That, alone, should tell you how wonderful the show is and how much you should grab your tickets as soon as possible. Whenever something is “Back by Popular Demand,” you’d better believe it’s worth seeing.

Three or four times even.

Always… Patsy Cline is a very moving tribute to the late, great Patsy Cline. Patsy Cline, who many of today’s artists claim had the greatest voice ever is an American icon. Patsy died tragically in a plane crash in 1963. She was only 30 years old.

30. Years. Young.

This beautiful musical/comedy (ironically, there’s a great deal of humor) is based on a true story about Patsy Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger. The two colorful ladies struck up a unique friendship in a Texas honky-tonk in l961, and continued to correspond right up till the horrible plane crash took Patsy Cline’s life. The show’s title, itself, comes straight from Cline’s letters to Seger, which were consistently signed “Love ALWAYS… Patsy Cline.”

Well, I don’t know if that last sentence is completely true. As long as there are Patsy Cline CDs (one of my personal favorite, and most often played cds is a Patsy Cline cd), Patsy Cline videos, and entertaining shows like “Always.. Patsy Cline,” her life hasn’t been completely taken from us at all. We can relive the magic that was Patsy Cline anytime we choose to!

Relive many of her unforgettable hits such as Crazy, I Fall to Pieces, Sweet Dreams and Waking After Midnight in Always… Patsy Cline. The show features 27 songs in all – each beautifully performed by the singer as well as the band.

As you may have guessed, I’m a huge fan of Patsy Cline (Click the following link to read a special post I wrote about Patsy Cline on my Golden Age of Hollywood and Entertainment blog). Her music takes me to a whole other place that I never tire of visiting. Shows like this one are a dream come true for Patsy Cline fans – take it from me.