Circle B Chuckwagon

Heath Hawkins

Would you like to know what John the Baptist and Winnie the Pooh have in common? Well you will have to visit the Circle B Chuckwagon Dinner and Cowboy Show to find out. I had the pleasure to see this show in mid-March of 2005, and would highly recommend it to ALMOST anyone.

I arrived at what used to be the Dinner Bell Restaurant about 5:00 in the evening with my mother and two aunts. My wife could not make this trip, though I have plans to take her back later this summer. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a warm smile and shown to our comfortable seats. I was never in the Dinner Bell before this show took over, but after talking to people who had been there, the new owners really made some great changes. The stage area looked like a stop in the Old West right along the wagon trail. The walls were painted with beautiful murals depicting scenes from a South Dakota ranch.

An old western movie was being projected on the wall and there was free popcorn available to eat during the pre-show. Root Beer and sarsaparilla was also available for a small fee. The movie continued until about 5:30 while the Horn family greeted and met the people in the audience. It did not take long to realize that this family did it all. The Horn family greeted us at the door, would soon serve our dinner and then entertain us on the stage.

Promptly at 5:30 Kemp Horn, the father of the Horn family, walked out on the stage and asked us to bow in prayer for dinner. Following Amen, the dinner bell rang out and dinner was served. The Horn family has a working ranch in South Dakota where they host trail rides and cowboy dinner shows. They decided to try to bring that experience to Branson in this new show. They explained that on the trail in South Dakota you would have went through a ‘chow line’ like the cowboys did.

Don’t worry; the food here is served to you at your table. You still drink tea out of a mason jar and eat off of a tin plate, but it is not too rustic for us city folk. Oh yea, unlike another well-known and fun dinner show in town, you do get to eat with silverware at this show.

The vittles were great. If you are one of those people who cannot stand for the different foods on your plate to touch, this is not the place for you. The menu included: Beef brisket, sausage, cool potato salad, delicious homemade chunky applesauce, a biscuit and of course - plenty of beans. Exactly what you would expect to eat on a long cattle run. As soon as all are served and have started eating, the Horn family was walking around offering seconds. Though it is not served buffet style, it is all-you-can-eat. The brochure makes the claim that “No one leaves hungry.” I agree. If you do, it is your own fault. Dinner was topped off with a warm bowl of peach cobbler. Yummy!

I am still not sure how they finished the dishes so quickly, but they were ready to start the show right around 6:00. As the lights dimmed on the audience and a red glow filled the stage, I felt nervous. I honestly did not know what I was in store for. What I got was a great evening.

The music was not country. They sang only cowboy ballads like On the Lone Prairie, Wayfaring Stranger, and Back in the Saddle Again. Even though I was not raised with this style of music, I found that they drew me in. It is truly a unique sound. I did recognize some of the songs, but their renditions were special. I have soft place in my heart for some of the old hymns and they sang a couple of my favorites like I’ll Fly Away and Let the Circle Be Unbroken. There was even a couple original song pinned by Michael Horn, the brother of the family.

I had no problem imagining that I was sitting around a campfire in the old west listening to cowboys picking, singing and telling their tall tails. The music was calming, while the stories and comedy were classic. One sister, Katie, played the dumb blond bit so well, one would have to leave wondering of it was an act. Their tales drew you in and left you laughing and wanting more. I loved the corny cowboy humor.

I loved this show. I am already making plans to go back with my wife and experience it again. My mom and aunts were all in agreement when they left - it was so good. They even bought a CD, and that never happens with them.

My only caution would be for families with small children. There are no fancy lighting or special effects in the show. Except for the stuffed rooster and horses painted on the walls, there are no animals either. If your kids require lots of excitement in order to be entertained, this may not be the right choice for you. There were a couple kids in the audience the night I was there, and though they were well behaved, I did notice that they had their GameBoys out. Just because I was glued did not mean the kids were.

The ticket price was just right. It was about $33 per adult ticket and $15 for a child’s ticket. That included the dinner and show. For about the price of a show ticket in most theatres, you also get dinner here. I would say this is a bargain.

Another unique thing about this show is the timing. The doors open at 5:00 p.m. You eat dinner and see a show, and you are still out in time to see another show somewhere else. We left before 7:00 and had plenty time to make our next show that night. The Horn Family does this on purpose, and I think it is a great idea. I would caution though, in the busy season you should not plan to go far. If you do schedule a show after this one in July or August, I would find a show that is close.

The food was tasty and the show was a delight. It won’t take you long to see that this touching family loves being together. The Black Hill of South Dakota is well known for their gold. I would also classify the Horn Family and the Circle B Chuckwagon Dinner and Cowboy Show as a true gem of the Black Hills.

The Circle B Chuckwagon is located down the hill behind the Branson Variety Theatre. For more information or to reserve tickets call the Circle B Chuckwagon at 800-884-4536. Tell them that Heath from the Branson Critic Online sent you.

What do you think? You opinion is your opinion. Let me know at hhawkins@waynesville.k12.mo.us.

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