Sight & Sound Theatres — Attraction in Branson

Absolutely Worth It – A Must-See in Branson!

We’ve been to Noah, Esther, and now David at Sight & Sound, and they never disappoint. Out of the three, Noah is still my favorite just because of how massive the ark and animal scenes were, and the water effects were amazing; but David is second in my book. The production was insane—huge sets, stunning effects, and some really powerful moments that made the story hit differently. Still not sure how they made the giants look so realistic, but it was awesome!

Now, if you’re expecting a word-for-word Bible retelling, just know they take some creative liberties to make it flow as a theatrical production. But honestly? It works. They keep the heart of the story intact while making it engaging, emotional, and visually unforgettable. The way they show David’s struggles, victories, and relationship with God was so well done.

A few things to know before you go: • Tickets range from $60-$80 per person, but after seeing three shows here, I can confidently say it’s worth every penny. Our family sat in row H Section 104 starting with the aisle seat, and we loved it! Just close enough to see it all and watch the animals come down. • Arrive early—doors close right when the show starts, and you don’t want to miss a second. I would recommend being there around 45 minutes to an hour early. This will help you beat the crazy traffic and get situated. • Booster seats are available for kids, which is super helpful so they can see better. Ushers are always incredibly nice and will gladly show you where they are if you ask. Personally if you can avoid these or bring your own, then do that. The ones at Sight & Sound never seem to want to stay on the seat. I find myself fixing them a lot through the show as my kids keeps slipping down.

• There’s a nursery upstairs for parents who need a quieter space but still want to watch the show. Huge plus for families! I have had to use this before and although it is not the same as being in the audience, it really is a cozy spot where you can still hear and see the show.

• No large bags or backpacks allowed, so travel light. We always bring a small bag with some snacks for our 6, 3, and 1 year olds. I love how they allow you to bring some outside food and drinks, it really helps families that have food allergies.

• Speaking of food allergies, the roasted almonds in the lobby smell and taste amazing, but keep that in mind if you have a nut allergy. With that being said, our 6-year old son has a severe peanut allergy, but we have never had an issue with this. (No, we do not let him eat any almonds obviously, but he has never gone into anaphylactic shock due to the nut aroma/particles in the air)

If you’re on the fence about going, just do it. Sight & Sound puts on a show like no one else. You really get an amazing bang for your buck, plus the family/kids...

The Queen Esther show at the Sight and Sound Theatre in Branson Missouri was beyond our expectations. To be honest we were not sure what to expect because this was our first Sight and Sound Theatres production. I bought tickets to Queen Esther for my girlfriend and I as a surprise to her, however, we were both surprised by the incredible talent of the performers, the production crew, and the set designers.

Driving up the driveway to the parking area is where the experience begins, as the massive and beautiful building comes to view. The parking attendants guide the traffic to two roomy parking areas with handicap-accessible spaces and easy walking paths to the incredible building entrance. At the front of the grand entrance showcases an impressive statue of a Lion laying with a Lamb. Entering the huge foyer you are welcomed with what appears to me to be a modern Middle Eastern-influenced design with statues, palm trees, inspiring artwork, and the sweet aroma of roasted almonds from the concession stand.

Once you enter the theater everything looks to be expected for a building of that size. A large multi-level seating area that can accommodate more than 2,000 souls. However, after you are seated and the curtains part the unexpected left us with our jaws dropping open eyes wide, and heads turning to take in the state-of-the-art panoramic stage that wraps around the audience on three sides. The Persian King Ahasuerus Palace and city is the largest stage built by Sight and Sounds Theatre to date. Ahasuerus is evidently to be known as Xerxes and is referred to as King Xerxes in this production. The Palace section alone is approximately 70 feet wide, 41 feet deep, and 37 feet tall and this structure is only a small portion of the complete set. Throughout the presentation, the set moves and transforms to meet the needs to telling the story.

If the stage itself doesn’t blow you away the talented acting and singing along with live animals will. The cast and crew are phenomenal at their roles and draw you into the story with their voices, wardrobe, and set design details. You laugh, cry, and rejoice with them as they tell of Esther and those around her. I can’t forget to include the delicious roasted almonds is so much better than popcorn and I love popcorn.

There is so much more that we enjoyed about this experience, however, I do not want to ruin your own experiences of the many wonderful surprises of this production. This may have been our first time at the Sight and Sound Theater but this will definitely not...

Just wonderful! That's all... I just saw the Christmas show with my family and it was fabulous! The theater itself is really impressive. They have a couple of souvenir shops (of course), plenty of restrooms and plenty of room to sit before the show. They recommend you show-up 45 minutes early... that's plenty of time. They don't open the doors until then anyhow.

The show itself is really awesome. This is the only Sight & Sound show I've personally seen...very well put together. The changing of backdrops is super-impressive and seamless. The cast did a fantastic job! Plenty of animals (camels, donkeys, etc...) to supplement the story. Several angels were flying around at dizzying heights! The musical singing and spoken word is perfect... I've seen several Broadway musicals and this was right up there with and of those. The ONLY negative for me (and commented on by several in my group) was that the cast over-used the "showing of they're palms with they're hands in the air"... It seemed that literally every time the word "Lord" or "Jehovah" was spoken, they threw their palms up in the air... which seems to be more common these days in the 'modern' church services (or contemporary Christian concerts) than in the past. One literally said she felt like the show was being highjacked by a Olsteen service...which may be a plus or minus depending on your preferences.

Of course there was some creative liberty of the Christmas story, which I appreciated and thought it added coherence and humour. That is to also say there is plenty of humour, tension, danger, drama and tension in the show. And if course the ending is wonderful, powerful and joyous...all of the aspects of this wonderful time of year we celebrate the birth of our savior!

Definitely worth it to make a trip to Branson if possible and see a show (and partake in many of the other cool things Branson has to offer)! If the drive is too far, they offer DVD's of the show available for purchase on their website (also check Amazon). It's...