SDCFans - The Unofficial Fan Site For Silver Dollar City

No, it's really not a new show, but it could be.  Help me think this through - a grand musical based on the Marmoros.

I'll start by saying, in the tradition of reworking classic musical numbers from old movies, plays, and animated features, I think the title number could be set to the title song in "Camelot".  What comes next?

Seriously???? That would be really cool if they decided to do something like that. ;D

List of characters:

William Henry Lynch-and family

Red and Sadie Flanders

^Yes, I've thought of characters, and I think you have the right idea - keep it in the fictional realm.  I'd hate for this to be too accurate with the likes of Phoebe Snapp and Nathanial Kinney.  Some of the stories can get pretty sad, and that is not what we would want - though a tearful scene would not be out of order.  Plus, we wouldn't want it to be just a musical retelling of Shepherd of the Hills.  I also wouldn't want it to be overly cartoony, though.

It would be really awesome for Red Flanders to be the comedy relief and have his own secondary storyline.  I could also see the cave being a part of the story, with characters disappearing into the stage floor as the descend.

I thought the same thing about Red's role in the show....

The cave entrance would be a great effect HB
There could be speaking parts coming from people within the cave (off stage)

Keeping fictional would not pose any legal issues with actual family names. This doesn't mean that Blow, or Lynch cannot be referred to, just maybe not main characters

Here's a twist.  Why not make the story a comic focus on how the lives of the Ozark hill people changed with influx of tourists due to the success of H. B. Wright's book and enterprizes like Marvel Cave.  That way the Herschends could have a role too!  This could provide some interesting contrasts as the hill folk are introduced to big city ways and the tourists get a taste of hillybilly livin'. 

I think that it would be cool if there was a separate storyline going on with the baldknobbers (that is, if they decide to renact the burning of Marmaros). It would be cool if maybe they did something like blacking the stage out after the first big number, and a few lights pointed to a baldknobber camp where the balknobbers are talking about burning Marmaros.

It cannot be too close to SOTH, but with the story rooted in the "outsiders" coming to Marmaros, and the cave, it would be great.
I think I will try to get this started....

Act 1 Scene 1
Location- Marmaros Town Square-Day
William Henry Lynch and family and real estate agent
-Summary-

Lynch and agent are sealing the deal on the area of Marmaros

Anyone else think this should not be first?

This is totally off the cuff:

I was thinking before Lynch - the first scene maybe even tell the whole story with the Osage Indians and Devil's Den.  A boy and a bear fall into the cave.  Later, Spanish explorers are on the scene, looking for the Fountain of Youth.  Finally Marmaros is born, and miners are in the cave figuring out it isn't what they were hoping (Insert bat guano jokes here.).  Red Flanders is a slick mogul in the hotel biz.  Yet he rips off the wrong people, the law won't do anything about his wheelings and dealings, so his adversaries turn to the Bald Knobbers.  A fire gets out of control and burns the entire city in a dramatic scene.  What's left is the charred remains, which - through the magic of holography, suddenly reappear in glory as Silver Dollar City for a grand finale.

I love the idea of it starting with the Indians...   

Now that I think of it, the indian scene would be cool done as a shadow play - kind of a prologue to the show.

I can see that, I just wasn't sure how far back you'd wanna go!

Me neither.  I still don't have the plot - just thought it would be interesting to think about.

I had thought of perhaps a Ghosts of Marmaros idea, as well.  Has anyone seen the holographic show at the Lincoln Library in Springfield, IL?

These ideas are interesting.  Keep it up.

You might want to re-think the cave opening in the floor of the Opera House though.  Not possible through a concrete floor.  That's why the miner in Headin West descends into the "mine" from the ceiling.

You might want to flesh out an outline of the show and build from there.  Remember, it needs to grab from the beginning, have varying pace, highs and lows building to a climax, and flow naturally.  Also, begin thinking about music and dance.  Traditionally, the Opera House shows are probably 75% music and 25% dialogue.

Definitely.  I have the title song, but not the lyrics - based on Camelot's title song.  This song is pretty intense and might be during the burning sequence.  It could also be sung in different styles by different characters:  soulfully by a family who has settled there, angrily by a Bald Knobber, and eerily (after the burning) by a small chorus of survivors.  I can hear it all in my head.

For the opening sequence, when the actual Marmaros town is introduced, how about Belle's song from Beauty and the Beast (adapted of course):


I offer these as suggested adaptations, since I know the previous shows have adapted other soundtracks as well.

I like this idea HB. I think SDC does need to do some more things focusing on Ozarks history.

Those of  you old enough to remember: The Hatfield Haint, The Boxing Show, Melvin The Chicken Thief Show, Original Saloon Show with Carrie Nation, Calton Family Show, Swing and Turn Jubilee, John Goldsberry Show, Horsecreek Band, The Medicine Show, The Rainmaker Show...all theatrical or musical shows produced by SDC in years past. I'm all for bringing some of these back, plus adding a few new ones...like the opera house idea.

Those shows were the heyday of my memories.  I want to put those shows into rotation in the Riverfront Playhouse (and bring back Carrie Nation!!!), with the full-blown musicals in the Opera House.  Get enough, and start rotating the musicals, too.  They would never get old.

Quote from: History Buff on June 23, 2010, 10:50:56 PM
  Has anyone seen the holographic show at the Lincoln Library in Springfield, IL?

I have, multiple times.  I've even seen different actors play the part.  It's incredible.  If any of you ever get a chance to go to the Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, IL.  This show is worth the price of admission itself.  It would be great if SDC could incorporate that type or technology into a show.  But I'm guessing it's pretty expensive.  Maybe they could get a sponsor to pay for it?

Quote from: Parson B Ready on June 24, 2010, 12:05:27 PM

Quote from: History Buff on June 23, 2010, 10:50:56 PM
  Has anyone seen the holographic show at the Lincoln Library in Springfield, IL?

I have, multiple times.  I've even seen different actors play the part.  It's incredible.  If any of you ever get a chance to go to the Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, IL.  This show is worth the price of admission itself.  It would be great if SDC could incorporate that type or technology into a show.  But I'm guessing it's pretty expensive.  Maybe they could get a sponsor to pay for it?

I agree that the Lincoln Museum in Springfield is awesome.  It would be great if SDC could do something like that show.  I could visit that museum over and over; I enjoyed everything about it, including the Eyes of Lincoln presentation.  I believe that museum was done by a company that specializes in that kind of entertainment who have done projects for theme parks.  I agree, though, the price is probably expensive.

It is absolutely the best museum I have ever been to and both shows are incredible, but the Ghosts of the Library is unbelievable.  We visited during its first week of being open, and I must have sat for five minutes with my jaw on the floor after the show ended.  Couldn't you see that at SDC?  I wouldn't want to rip off the outline, but Ghosts of Marmaros does have a ring to it.  BTW, even in the Lincoln Museum, that show is sponsored.

I will mention that the thing that put a lump in my throat was looking through the glass and realizing that MY reflection was in Abraham Lincoln's shaving mirror.  I felt like I was touching Lincoln.

Ghosts of Marmoros would be awesome!  They could start in the 1880's and segue to today or vica versa.  Either way it would be a killer show.  Or how 'bout this.  The show features a solitary actor who tells the history of Marmoros/SDC using holograms and then at the end while showing a live picture of main street he just fades away. I too sat mouth-opened several minutes after the first time I saw the show at the Lincoln museum.  The most sobering moment I ever had there was when they had a special exhibit on Lincoln's assassination.  They had the pair of gloves he had worn to the theater that night. They were white and kinda small (long but narrow) and they had blood stains on them.  Looking at those was very chilling.

I, too, stared at the bloodstains, amazed that a president's blood was on display in such a manner, or that they even had those artifacts at all.

Quote from: History Buff on June 24, 2010, 10:58:16 PM
It is absolutely the best museum I have ever been to and both shows are incredible, but the Ghosts of the Library is unbelievable.  We visited during its first week of being open, and I must have sat for five minutes with my jaw on the floor after the show ended.  Couldn't you see that at SDC?  I wouldn't want to rip off the outline, but Ghosts of Marmaros does have a ring to it.  BTW, even in the Lincoln Museum, that show is sponsored.

I will mention that the thing that put a lump in my throat was looking through the glass and realizing that MY reflection was in Abraham Lincoln's shaving mirror.  I felt like I was touching Lincoln.

I agree about it being the best museum experience!  I was ready to find more museums like that, but, at the time I looked, I didn't see anything remotely similar out there.  I try to explain the experience to people who haven't been, and I can't do it justice.  Also, the details of that museum are well-done, much like details to SDC.  I remember feeling the heat off the stove in the White House kitchen.  One of the most moving scenes for me is the scene with Willie sick in bed.  Or the last scene in the tour.  But I digress...

Bring on the technology, SDC!

I looked up that Lincoln show ya'll were talking about and... OMG I want to go to that museum!!!

So here's the page for Holavision, which is the tech used for Ghosts of the Library:

www.brcweb.com/about/holavision.html

Knott's Berry Farm, according to this page, has had a Holavision theater for 14 years!

Seeing as how Dollywood has a nice 3D (or is it 4D?) theater, I think perhaps it's SDC's turn for a bit of technology.

I'm guessing it would take a whole new theater, constructed for the purpose of the holographic show.  It would be difficult to adapt a current venue.  I'm also guessing the theater has to be intimate, so its possible this would have to be a reservation show (not an upcharge or Show Lovers, but a pre-reserved ticket).

However, how about replacing Boatworks with this?  I wonder how much room there is in that location.