Comedy + Jamboree = Fun

by Joshua Heston & Dale Grubaugh

Last week, Dale Grubaugh (publisher and Elias Tucker columnist) and I had the chance to see a show we’d both been wanting to check out: Comedy Jamboree at Grand Country Music Hall. “So,” you ask, “How was it?”

Well, as editor of StateoftheOzarks, it’s important to remain balanced, journalistic and not hyperventilate too much about a show no matter how much you happen to like it (or in a town as small as Branson, no matter how well you know the performers). That said, Dale and I walked out going, “You mean it’s already done? We want to keep laughing!”

This show lives up to its promise of Comedy + Jamboree.

That said, what makes the show great? First, the cast is made up of veteran craftspeople dedicated to quality ensemble performances.

Second, although the band’s pedigrees remain understated, the Grand Band is one of the best in Branson. For each number, Wayne Massengale (fiddle), David Creach (lead guitar), Robbie Blackburn (drums), Larry Allred (bass) and Tracy Heaston (piano) are allowed to shine on their own merit.

Third, Comedy Jamboree is fast-paced, largely due to solid, exciting performances by Tiffany Sassanella, Matt Snow and Gigi Hutchison. Hutchison, a long-time vocalist, is also a superb choreographer and dancer in her own right. Her style is evident .

Sassanella, recently nominated for Branson Female Vocalist of the Year, shines with — as described in the Bobby Darin film Beyond The Sea — “that inexpressible it.”

When she sings — often powerful, bluesy jazz-style numbers — and dances, the audience simply cannot take their eyes off her. She commands the stage.

“My favorite moment when I’m on stage,” shares Sassanella, “would be Lady Is A Tramp because it’s a sassy song and it is always fun being sassy. I also enjoy having Gigi and Matt dancing behind me during this song.

“Everyone in the show brings something unique to the table and I would like to think I add a bit of Louisiana soul and blues. [However] My favorite moment in Comedy Jamboree is the improv section. I am not part of this skit but Gigi and I are usually backstage watching and cracking up!” furthers the south Louisiana native.

Snow, another veteran Branson performer, sings and dances, yes, but he brings authenticity, power and gravitas to his performances. He is also gifted with not inconsiderable improv skills — and a willingness to go out on a limb for comedy! At one point, Snow — in a towering black fright wig — joins the comedic cast for a hysterical improvisational skit. “It’s hilarious to see what Matt and Apple Jack come up with everyday,” says Sassanella.

At another point, Snow falls out of his Pharoah costume — to the lyrics of Walk Like an Egyptian seductively sung by Sassanella and Hutchinson — in his underwear!

Comedy reigns consistently through the  Comedy  Jamboree, carried securely by Shannon “Apple Jack” Thomason, Perry “Harley Worthit” Edenburn and Justin “Stretch McCord” Sifford. All three are veterans of the Branson stage. All three are gifted with an extraordinary sense of timing and — at Grand Country — are given the opportunity to develop much of their own material (with the audience as the often laughing-hysterically guinea pigs). It’s a good combination, as the trio works in professional harmony, throwing one-liners or inserting even just a look or movement that, when taken in context, elevates a funny, if-staged, situation into a gut-busting moment.

Thomason, a burly bear of a man in a lime-green tuxedo, is possessed of a warm, instantly approachable style which only increases as he plays the buffoon, interrupting a powerful rendition of Peggy Lee’s Fever — while dressed in a body-hugging leotard — and then hip-bumping Gigi Hutchison nearly off-stage.

Later — during a percussion instrumental performance by Tracy Heaston — Thomason dances across stage dressed as an extraordinarily tall, green Teletubbie sporting a pink, sparkly tutu.

Sifford, tall, lean and with a great smile, is emcee. He connects immediately with the audience and often plays the part of the everyman, allowing us watch along — and connect — as the ridiculousness unfolds, noting, “I’ve always seen myself as the straw that stirs the drink.” However, in skits like “The Sweaterman” (in which the trio play aging folk artists, complete with walkers), Sifford joins in with impeccable timing.

Edenburn, a comedic icon in this town, proves his worthiness every moment he is on stage. From collapsing under his walker in the Lettermen skit to interviewing an audience member as talk show host “Miranda in the Morning... in the middle of the afternoon,” Edenburn’s timing, wit and panache is evident. “Perry comes from the traditional Branson comedy recipe,” explains Sifford. “He tells jokes better than anyone I know.”

As the show progresses, another dichotomy unfolds. There is great power in the stage buffoon who can hold his own with vocal and instrumental abilities and Sifford and Thomason do not disappoint. Whether it is the powerful, crisp rendition of Michael Martin Murphey’s Carolina In The Pines or Brad Paisley’s emotional  This Is Country Music, Sifford’s singing shines through.

Thomason — in, of all things, a parody of Hotel California — showcases Don Henley-style vocals in all their haunting glory. Both are members of respected bands; Thomason with the Super RedHawks and Sifford with the increasingly renowned bluegrass band Missouri Boatride.

However, perhaps the best part of Comedy Jamboree is the ensemble itself. “We get pretty silly and crazy sometimes. It takes everybody to make the show happen and we each have a point of view like puzzle pieces. Without all the pieces you don’t get the full picture!” says Thomason.

Truly effective, the cast makes comedy the star yet balances each piece with power and skill. This is one powerhouse of a show and well worth anyone’s time.

June 20, 2015