The Dutton Family Theater — Attraction in Branson

It really bothers me to say that I would only give the show 3 stars. I love the Duttons and when I knew we were going to spend 4 nights in Branson last week, the first ticket I bought was for the Duttons. Saw the show on Thursday, December 9th.

But, I have to be honest. You guys looked really tired. So many shows makes an impact and I'm glad for you that this is your last week before your break. So why only 3 stars.....

Well first, started out with saying you picked out 2 of your favorite videos out of the 100's you have...but they are the exact same ones we saw when we saw the show in May. How about some variety?

Second, the first half of the show - no Timothy. I was so disappointed. As soon as he came into the show, I could feel the energy pick up. No Timothy, no Horn Man - therefore when Horn Boy came out, it sort of lost something. Lots of repeat routines in the first part of the show.... (audience "favorites" don't ya know)

Now about the Christmas part of the show.....It was nice. My two favorite parts were where the 4 guys where singing in front of the curtain and I really loved the blue grassified Christmas set. Not a fan of the Toyland scene as it appeared to me there was recorded music and possibly even one song that was lip sung (but I'm not sure). We come to Branson for the awesome live music. It was really disjointed that you ended the show with the patriotic salute after the Christmas segment. Seemed like you might want to rethink the order.

So, I hope you guys have a good plan on what to do as the kids are growing up and going to mission work. It might be a couple of years before we can get back out there so hopefully will see a brand new show. Will still be watching on YouTube until then. Maybe some sort of Donnie and Marie vibe with the two younger siblings sort of taking over the host duties? - just...

My mom and I were in Branson for my parents' scheduled anniversary trip. Unfortunately, my dad didn't live to celebrate it with her. Mom and I had a hard time with so many bittersweet moments throughout the week we were in town. As we drove around the city, we saw advertisements for The Duttons, and then we saw a few of them perform a piece in a variety show. My mom recalled my dad and her experience watching The Duttons in years gone by when they had visited Branson. She talked about how great of a show it was and how much she enjoyed their fiddle skills. The last day of our trip before we headed home, Mom decided she wanted to go to their show again.

As we sat in the audience in the front row, I watched my mom genuinely laugh and smile for the first time since Dad had passed. The Duttons are phenomenal. If you want a clean, family-friendly show with talented performers, this is it. I was blown away by the abilities of so many of the group being able to play multiple instruments. One of the granddaughters/daughters performed a rendition of "Danny Boy" that brought tears to my eyes (it was my Dad's favorite song). It was such a blessing that felt like an individual tribute to him. Their patriotic medley at the end contained a heartfelt message of personal experience from one of the family members that left me wanting to wave an American flag during the piece .

I would recommend this show to anyone that asks and probably to a few...

Every time I see this show I walk out happy! This incredible family will have you wondering how so much talent and charm can possibly be on one stage. And seeing the youngest performers evolve and develop skills that are uniquely their own is so much fun year after year! I’ve seen the show enough times that I can remember when Damien was a tiny 6 or 7 year old behind a keyboard, playing impossibly perfectly for someone his size… when Timmy was able to easily leap over Selena because she was so much shorter than he was... when Marcus was a toddler and Jessica was a young teen! When you’re a regular you journey with them through challenges that so many families face - illness, injury, time off for education and exploration - and the end result is always seeing everyone back together onstage, resilient and smiling, always loving each other and clearly loving what they do. It’s a joy to see each of the Dutton children on stage and behind the scenes, whether it’s working the ticket counter, serving ice cream at Abby’s tourist trap or scooping popcorn at the concession stand! And Dean and Sheila remain ageless. The Duttons’ love for each other and for their audiences is endearing and contagious. If you’re in Branson (or Mesa AZ during the winter season - both theaters are equally fun to attend!) please do not miss this show. It’s joy and...