I had only one disappointment on our trip to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Well, no, make that two. Although you could say it was one. Two of my favorite acts were no longer in existence. Fanny Farkel’s Theater was a lot of fun. There were two men and two women who dressed in old western saloon-type costumes and sang and danced to some of the old quaint songs. They did a little slapstick comedy, as well. They even invited a little audience participation. It was just a small theater—cozy and intimate.
That was the year we stayed at a Holiday Inn just a couple of blocks from the theater. After the performance, we walked home by the light of the street lights.
Alas, the troupe was no longer there. Instead, there was Fanny Farkel’s hot dog stand. I wasn’t interested.
The other attraction that was no longer in existence was the Smoky Mountain Opry. I was just awestruck to see the young couple do aerial ballet on long-hanging drapery. I wasn’t completely disappointed, though, because they did their act at Dolly Parton’s Stampede.
What was entirely missing, however, was their quick-change act. That young woman could step behind a prop and come out in a different outfit. Her partner would sprinkle confetti over her and she would have a different costume on. I wanted to see that again. The whole attraction was no longer in existence. There was an upside, though. I was able to get a souvenir t-shirt at one of the venues for only $3.74.
Country Tonite Theatre
So, anyway, Sweetheart and I decided to go to the Country Tonite Theatre. We thought it would have a lot of good country entertainment and we weren’t disappointed.
There was lots of singing and dancing, with a mix of contemporary and classic country songs. There were beautiful costumes, which the performers changed often. There was even an eleven-year-old girl, who could sing with the best of them.
There was a Jeff Foxworthy impersonator. I thought he was for real until the moderator informed us that he wasn’t. I guess I’m easily fooled—although I thought Jeff was just a little off his game.
There was a man and woman sitting in front of us in the audience who said the show wasn’t as good as it had been. Sweetheart and I didn’t know how it could have been any better. Maybe, we don’t get out much. Or, maybe, we just don’t have a trained eye and ear. We do know what we like, though.
Every time I see people dancing and doing acrobatics on stage I get a wistful feeling. And, when I see the flat tummies on the dancers, I feel envious. Of course, they are young and haven’t got middle-age spread. Some of the women appeared to be middle-aged, but they still had flat tummies. I chalked it up to constant exercise and practice.
When I see those perfect figures on stage, I always make a mental note to walk more and exercise more, so I will be physically fit. However, putting that thought into action takes time and work. I have little of one and too much of the other.
I’ll just be content to sit back and appreciate the time and work that other people put into entertaining me.
Dorothy is the author of two books—“Miles and Miracles” and “Getting It All Together “. You can purchase a book or make a comment by emailing her at dorothybutzknight@gmail.com