*2008 UPDATE*: Many of you have asked about the 2008 schedule for the Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater in Pigeon Forge, TN. The theater will not be hosting any Pigeon Forge concerts in 2008. It appears that the current owner of the Dick Clark theater in Pigeon Forge has put it up for lease, basically meaning that it will no longer be Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater. As great as the concerts were, it’s unfortunate that we’ve most likely seen the last of them. We’ll keep you posted as to what happens with the venue as soon as we hear.

*Original post*: Some of you may remember the Boyd’s Bears Country at the south end of Pigeon Forge or may have seen the building (it was the enormous red barn at the end of town closest to Gatlinburg just past the Log Cabin Pancake House). If you have never been, you missed your chance as it shut down and has now been turned into Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater. I imagine locals will call it something creative…like…big red barn (not to be confused with the Comedy Barn). Pigeon Forge became home to a brand new music venue with some popular artists performing in concert. They had a handful of artists lined up to perform that appealed to a broad range of people. The concert series kicked off in the summer of (2007) with the following schedule for Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater in Pigeon Forge:

2007 Concert Schedule

• June 22—Tommy James & The Shondells / Felix Cavalarie’s Rascals
• June 23—Crystal Gayle
• June 24—Rebecca St. James
• June 28 – Heartland
• June 29—Tony Orlando
• June 30 – Nashville Stars
• July 1 – Grand Funk Railroad
• July 2 & 3—Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards
• July 4 – Charlie Daniels
• July 5—Original Stars (including Bobby Vee, Fabian)
• July 6—Diamond Rio
• July 7 – Lorrie Morgan with Joe Diffie
• July 8 – Wynona Judd
• July 12—Terri Clark
• July 14—John Michael Montgomery
• July 20 – Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone
• July 18 & 19—Tony Orlando
• July 21—Neal McCoy
• July 22—Creedence Clearwater Revisited
• July 24 – Eric Burdon & The Animals
• July 27—Little Anthony & The Imperials
• July 29—Survivor / Starship starring Mickey Thomas
• August 1—Pam Tillis and Mel Tillis
• August 2—John Kay & Steppenwolf
• August 3—”Weird Al” Yankovic
• August 5 – Sandy Patti
• August 9—The Outlaws
• August 10—Brenda Lee
• August 15 – Doobie Brothers
• August 17—Air Supply
• August 18 – America
• August 22 – Beach Boys
• August 24 – Joe Dee Messina
• August 31—Chubby Checker
• September 1 – Clint Black
• September 7 – Blood, Sweat, & Tears with Special Guest Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night

Like I said…the lineup appealed to a broad range…there was something for just about anyone. They are saying they will be adding many more artists and dates to the schedule for 2009 (The Dick Clark Theater in Pigeon Forge will not be hosting any concerts in 2008), so keep checking back. You can also get information by calling 1-800-933-3066. Their website at www.bandstandtickets.com now redirects to the corporate Dick Clark page, so I’m not sure what the plans are for their new website.

Other areas of this new music complex will be a tribute to Dick Clark (most likely a museum-style area with the story of his life with memorabilia) and a restaurant. It’s definitely going to be a great place to stop if you love music of any era. This would even be a great place to bring the kids or grandchildren to show them what you listened to when you were their age. The goal is to keep this a very family-oriented venue so that people of all ages can visit and go to the concerts.

More information will be rolling out about Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater in Pigeon Forge (whew) so stay tuned as we’ll bring you all of the updates as we get them throughout 2008 and 2009 and we’ll post the 2009 concert schedule for Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater in Pigeon Forge, TN as soon as it’s released so stay tuned!

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Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater

Needless to say, the comments stirred up numerous Christians to speak out and stand up for their beliefs. The Miracle Theater in Pigeon Forge, TN took their voice to the next level and put a full-page ad in the USA Today on Monday, September 17. The ad will run once again on Friday, September 21. One thing that The Miracle Theater wants to make clear is that this is not an attack at Kathy Griffin. It is about standing on a national podium at a similar level that she had and making a statement to praise the very person and the faith that she denounced. You can click on the image to the left to see The Miracle Theater’s full-page article in the USA Today.

During her acceptance speech she proclaimed,

“A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award, I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. S**K it, Jesus. This award is my god now!”

The article in the USA Today reads:

Dear America,
We are the actors, singers, dancers, crew and managers of The Miracle Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We are proud to stand on stage every night and use our God-given talents to portray the life and the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We, along with thousands of other Christians in the entertainment industry, know our talents do come from God, and we take offense when His name is battered and bruised by people through the media.

Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus was mocked and few stood up for Him. We at The Miracle Theater consider it an honor to stand for Jesus today. We may never win a national award. We may never be household names. We may never be seen in Hollywood. Although others may choose to use their national platform to slander our God, we are honored as professional entertainers to stand for Christ.

First of all, many will argue that she had the freedom of speech. True. This isn’t about that. The Miracle Theater is not seeking legal action against her nor are any Christian organizations, entertainers, or other people. She can say what she wants and legally get away with it. This isn’t about the law. It isn’t about people coming after her with pitchforks or even being angry at her. It’s about the faith she downgraded to being less worthy than an emmy trophy not letting her comment pass through the nation without sharing another point of view. They’re simply using their freedom of speech to share their message.

Second, people will complain about the cost of running the ad in a national magazine whereas the money could have been spent for “humanitarian” purposes. If The Miracle Theater could have made such a national proclamation as quickly for less money, I guarantee they would have! In order to get the Christian message out as quickly as possible, they chose the USA Today…at a price. This has stirred such conversation, though, that if one single person is brought to the salvation that The Miracle Theater shares, then it was worth it. Why? Because that’s priceless to Christians.

The Miracle Theater received numerous comments from Christians wanting to join the cause and stand up for their belief. In response to this, they have created a petition in which people can sign online. If you would like to sign the petition you can do so at http://www.petitiononline.com/miram/petition.html.

See also: Our review of The Miracle Theater in Pigeon Forge, TN

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Miracle Theater Responds to Kathy Griffin

Description of The Miracle Theater

The Miracle in Pigeon Forge, TN is an awe inspiring epic musical production about the life of Christ featuring a huge cast of actors, singers, and dancers, along with live animals. Angels take flight to proclaim the birth of Jesus. Majestic kings in regal attire ride camels through the crowd. Roman Centurions on horseback maintain order. The sights, sounds, celebrations, and drama of 2000 years ago are masterfully recreated in remarkable detail. Experience the unforgettable glory of The Miracle!

What the Insider Says

Let me begin by saying that I am a Christian and that my review is from that perspective. I’m always interested in new and engaging ways to share the Gospel with the world and so I was excited to see The Miracle Theater come to life in Pigeon Forge, TN. This town has historically had very few productions with Christian stories, so The Miracle was a breath of fresh air from the rest of the entertainment in town.

When you first pull in to the parking lot, you’ll notice Roman centurions on horseback, large camels available to ride, shephards tending to lambs, and other characters fully costumed to make this an incredibly unique experience. It’s so entertaining just to watch childrens’ eyes light up when they see these people. It really is an amazing experience that families won’t forget.

The theater is formerly the Louise Mandrell Theater and it has been completely renovated from the lobby all the way back to the back of the building where an “arena” has been built to walk the live animals that are used in the show.

As far as the show goes, I don’t want to give too much away, but it centers around the life of Christ and the Miracles He performed throughout His life. The Miracle is a two and a half hour production (which includes a 15 minute intermission) that covers Creation (Genesis) and jumps straight into the Birth of Christ and then weaves a completely engaging journey through the New Testament. The Miracle is a Broadway-style production with original songs & music (there are only a couple of songs you will recognize), an enormous cast, special effects (flying angels, smoke, fire, rain, and more!), live animals, and so much more. Much like The Passion of the Christ (the movie), The Miracle is a profitable production rather than a mission. It has the same bottom-line as any other theater or show in town, but it delivers a message that is so much more powerful and beneficial.

One of the things I noticed while watching The Miracle is that children and adults alike were asking questions to people around them as to what character was speaking, what was going on, and why things were happening the way they were. It became an opportunity to witness to numerous people and gave them many topics to discuss after they left the theater. There’s no doubt in my mind that at least one life is positively changed after each show. It truly is an amazing experience.

The biggest question that people have seems to be the price of admission. An adult ticket is $34.95, which leads many people accustomed to Pigeon Forge shows thinking that it includes dinner! The Miracle is honestly unlike any other production in town. It features so much more for your money and is on such a larger scale than arguably any other show in the area. Also, children under 12 are free! For a great idea on how to save money, read the tips below.

Insider Tips

• Eat before you go! There are shows at 2pm and 8pm, which is just after lunch or after dinner. Alabama Grill is next door, so you can eat there and just walk straight over!
• Sit as close to the center of the stage as possible. Also, sit at least 5 rows back…it’s easier to see everything going on than if you’re in the front row catching sweat off the performers! ewww
• If you plan on seeing the Black Bear Jamboree then ask them about the “Buy Two Get One Free Show Special”…they also call it the “Free Show Special”. You basically buy admission to The Miracle and Black Bear Jamboree and you get to pick a third show for free! The free choices are the Comedy Barn, Blackwoods Breakfast Variety Show, and Triumphant Southern Gospel Show. It currently amounts to around $90 worth of entertainment for about $60.

Website:
http://www.miracletheater.com

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The Miracle Theater

What They Say

Are you hungry as a bear and want to see a great show too?

Then don’t miss the Black Bear Jamboree Dinner and Show Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! The 10 million-dollar theatrical extravaganza includes extraordinary sets, elaborate costumes, state-of-the-art lighting, colorful lasers, surround sound and a large award-winning cast. The show tells the story of the Legendary Black Bear Jamboree. It is said that once a year, all the black bears in the Great Smoky Mountains gather together in a secret mountain cave, where they celebrate with food, dance and song.

Join these amazing creatures for a fabulous Country feast and fantastic variety show as you watch the Black Bear Jamboree‘s ultra-talented cast of actors, singers, dancers and musicians entertain the bears. If you listen closely, you can hear their favorite music from High-flying Country to Bluegrass, as well as Gospel, 50′s and Broadway tunes all while enjoying a fabulous country feast in Pigeon Forge, TN.

I drove by the Black Bear Jamboree in Pigeon Forge for three years until I finally decided to go to this Dinner Show in Pigeon Forge one evening. I had this vision of Chuck E. Cheese and entertainment suited for children and was never interested in going. Fortunately I was very wrong as this Pigeon Forge Dinner Show ended up being one of my favorites! What I like about this dinner show is that it provides an “experience” more than anything. As you enter the building, you hear bluegrass music along with birds chirping and even a flowing waterfall inside. Before you enter the actual theater, they take your picture in front of a “green screen” and then place you into a mountain scene that fits the season. They take your picture for free, so why not do it? It may end up being your favorite picture of you and your family in Pigeon Forge!

As you enter the Black Bear Jamboree Theater, you’re seated at your reserved table by a friendly host or hostess. At this point, you can stay parked in your seat for the entire dinner show (2 hours) as the staff takes care of everything! Unless of course you need to go to the bathroom…then you’re on your own. Your waiter or waitress immediately takes your drink order and brings hot rolls…followed by an incredible vegetable soup…followed by a plate full of ribs, chicken, green beans, potatoes, and corn on the cob…and finally followed by a chocolate dessert. If you don’t eat meat (gasp) you can request their vegetarian plate. You’re missing out though! The food is amazing!

As you eat your meal, the Black Bear Jamboree Band plays some tunes you’re likely to know. They are a talented group that gets the evening started off on the right foot. Just about the time you finish dinner, the band wraps up and you’re given a 15 minute intermission to do whatever you do when you finish eating a huge, tasty meal. Once intermission is over, the show begins!

As I said, I was expecting a show geared towards children, but there is literally something for everyone in this show. There are the bears for kids, a good-looking & talented cast, a story line, and music from the 50′s, broadway, country, gospel, and more. I don’t want to give everything away, but this show would please the entire family from grandchildren to grandparents. The food is excellent and the show is icing on the cake as it is my favorite among Pigeon Forge Dinner Shows. Do not miss this one! Also, they tend to give discounts to their other shows such as The Comedy Barn when you purchase tickets, so be sure to ask if they have any specials or coupons!

Also, save some money on each ticket buy purchasing them through Discount Show Tickets.

If you’re going to see any Dinner Shows in Pigeon Forge then make this one of them! The Blackbear Jamboree Dinner Show is located right beside WonderWorks.

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Black Bear Jamboree Dinner Show