The Blue Show

[Junior]

Back in the 70's and early 80's, some of the younger, hip people at SDC in attractions and entertainment would stage what was known as "The Blue Show." It was held off park, in the evening, usually at somebody's farm where there was a lot of parking space, and no neighbors close by. Those attending spread a blanket on the grass, or brought a lawnchair. Everyone brought a cooler full of their favorite beverage, and some even brought along a "funny" cigarette or two. Then, all in attendance would kick back and enjoy a bawdy, or "blue" show put on by their fellow workers. I attended one of the events in the early 80's. It was a fun time. Most everyone showed up to work the next day in fairly good shape. It was usually staged in the middle of summer, like July or early August, about halfway through the season when everyone at work was getting pretty wiped out due to large crowds and much summer heat. It was a way to blow off steam, and have a good laugh. Any current citizens ever heard of the Blue Show? Or is this something that was held for a decade or so post-Woodstock? I do remember that Terry Sanders showed a home made film at one of the shows around 1980. He used skills he picked up going through college drama, film, TV classes, I'm sure. One segment of the film showed a person being thrown from the balcony of the saloon to the street below. (It was a dummy, of course, but it was funny.) Seems like the film was based on the song Jim Stafford had out at the time called "Cow Patty." Any memories? Any questions?

[Zephon]

Yes, I remember the Blue Shows. 

They were first held at the Corn Crib Theater.  A bit of background here...for years, SDC supported a Christian discipleship group called Young Life (I believe they still do although it may go by another name), giving college students jobs in the summer as they trained to supervise high school Young Life groups around the country.  One year a group of these kids showed up at the Blue Show, and obviously "taken aback" at what they witnessed, they complained.  As result, SDC urged Shad not to host the Blue Show anymore.  From that point on, the shows were held on private property and admittance to them was "regulated" through ticket sales, with the proceeds going to MDS.

The shows were bawdy, raucous, disrespectful, irreverent, with great music and skits...and lots of fun if viewed in the right frame of mind.  Some of the best comedic and musical minds of the Branson and surrounding area contributed to them.  Eventually, they became so big and producing them became such a logistical nightmare that it was decided...forget it.  And that's all I'd better say about that. 

[KBCraig]

So, they became so popular no one could stand them? 

Sounds like a fun time. Sounds like it was also a good (but wasted) opportunity for some young folks to remember that living a disciple's life means living in the world, even if you're not of it.

Jesus himself would have been disfellowshipped from most modern churches. Hanging around with the wrong sorts of people, not only tolerating wine but producing it, regularly violating rules handed down by the religious leaders of the day...

Naw. That's probably as far as we should go down that rabbit trail. 

[Junior]

Come to think of it, the show I went to was held on the private property of one of the cast members of the Toby Show. Several of the performers in the Blue Show were Corn Crib Theater folks! No Shad or Mollie Heller, though, particpating in the show I saw. These shows could get pretty "rough" in terms of the off-color, bawdy, "blue" content, and it does not surprise me that somebody complained. I think the reason we folks in our younger day enjoyed the show so much is because of the shock value. We saw people, who, like ourselves, entertained families all day with wholesome content, and to see someone drop in "language" or content into that one show a year that would get us fired during the day was funny. Looking back, all these years, the shows were really pretty harmless. Just a way for tired, worn out employees to have a night of laughs.

[Junior]

By the way, I worked with many people over the years who were part of the Young Life Christian Program at SDC. I even attended some meetings. The vast majority of them were very, very, good people. Fun to work with. Many of the Dugan boys were Young Christian Program folks. A handful of them attended a Blue Show or two, recognizing it was pretty much harmless, but a bit of strong language or bawdy humor in the sketches. However, I could see how some of the program members would completely reject being part of this night of fun. That's OK, too.

[Zephon]

So, they became so popular no one could stand them? 

LOL  They were so popular that they were attracting the attention of the local law (but thankfully, we never got busted), which was, I'm sure, a factor in letting them fade from the scene.  We were a wild and partying group back then, born of the culture that came out of the 60's and Viet Nam era.  But as we got older, got married, had kids, etc., that kind of thing gradually faded out.  It happens, probably for the better.  The May Babies Party used to be a big annual event as well.  People would camp out at the event location for a couple of days, partying all day and all night.  It was more of a family style party with games and lots of music, but none of the lewdness that was featured in the Blue Show.  It, too, eventually faded out in the early or mid 90's. 

[Junior]

Ditto what Zephon says in the previous post. It was fun, a different time and era, we were somewhat loose in our behavior to an extent, but, we all grew up, finished college and/or entered the workplace, go to church, have done well, and have families. The wild days are gone...even Hank Williams Jr. wrote in a song that "cornbread and ice tea took the place of pills and 90 proof." Hey, all my rowdy friends have settled down...me too!

[KBCraig]

LOL, I sure understand.

Most of my old friends and I are settled down into Everyday American lives. But the last weekend of every April, my old fraternity brothers and I go camping out in north-central Arkansas, and pretend we're 19 and bulletproof. For most of the bunch, it's the only time they let their hair down all year long. What happens there, stays there.

Even the preachers (2 of them), the defense attorney, and the district judge stay quiet. Just as we do about them! 

[Zephon]

LOL  That sounds like a good time.  Some of my friends, including myself, don't have much hair to let down anymore.

[ozarkdrb]

Hi, All! i am an old-timer that has finally had his memory tweaked.
There was The Blue Show at Corncrib folks like Wayne Milnes,Ray Jones, Jana Henleben, DA Callaway, Maybe Jim Moskeau (?) and of course Shad, and Dan Embree and others.
When it moved out to a house and farmland over by the State Park, that was rented by JIIIIMMMMM WWWWAAAADDDDEEEELLLL!!! ( a traditional greeting we had for him..) it got huge! I was in a couple of them as was Terry Sanders as a singer (yes) and he did bring a film or two that he narrated live. I was most memorably pasr of a big Blues Brrothers type blues band called The Blue Show Brothers Show Band. Let's see... I sang blues, Bo Brown (undergrass Boys ) was on lead elecrtric, George Horne (Undergrass Boys) was on Bass and I think he also worked out arrangement. Guys from DixieLand band played strong horns. Vert fun! Loud! Big act to follow... We even played a bar in Springfield after that as it WAS winter back then and there was nothing going on. A VERY different time in the Ozarks to be young and free. Show did get too big and weird and someone was either going to get killed or arrested in a serious manner. Lots of camping - me and Richard Valhdick drug a player piano through a bonfire there with his Landcruiser as kind of a Finale. Yes, there WAS liquor involved.

Do any of you old cats remember "The JR Jam?? It was an invitation outdoor music party festival that got big ang weird and fun thrown by JR Rollins - Fiddle player. It was out really in the sticks towards Cape Fair if I recall, and it might have moved a few times. Once again, got too big, too weird, too many possible liabilities. 
Sigh! What have we come to?
Now I have no place to hang-out for days and nights at a time with beautiful girls at bonfires on an Ozarks night surrounded by people I worked with day and night who were VERY talented and would never do me any harm.
I am getting pretty old! I was Pa McCoy out on the streets with Theresa Ayres, Bonnie as a hatfield, Terry Sanders as well... whatever the day brought, Jim Waddell, Judy andRichard Young,  DA Callaway ( I think he was also one of the band Midnight Plowboy) Richard Valhdick, and Rex Burdette, Wayne Milnes, Dan Embree, and sssooo many other old faces that really lit the place up. Those were truly unique and strange time that will never be duplicated now that the worl d is so Organized and Uptight. I will always treasure those folks and that SDC place!

[Junior]

Ozarkdrb, I think you and I were in attendance at some of the same blue shows! Bet we worked directly or indirectly together at SDC or in the theaters at the time! Yes, they were fun times! Glad to have you here, and am interested in reading more of your thoughts and memories about the "old days" as well as today. Thanks for contributing.