Review of Jonah at Branson’s Sight and Sound Theatre

Jonah Sailing onto the Stage at Branson’s Sight and Sound Theatre

Avoiding clichés like “it’s a whale of a show”; I’ll simply say that Jonah is the best production that I have seen at Sight and Sound Theatre, and I’ve seen them all. The staging and effects are superb and the musical numbers are the best that I’ve heard at Sight and Sound.

A Show Everyone can Enjoy

I recently saw Jonah with some of my extended family members. We had men, women, and children ranging from 78 to 10 years old. I can honestly say that we all enjoyed the production, but perhaps for different reasons. Though there are obvious embellishments (for character development and to make it more entertaining), the Bible’s story of Jonah and the Whale is lavishly produced not only on the stage, but in the wings, down the aisles, and over the audience’s head. The technical wizardry that it must take to create three dimensional ancient cities, a fleet of boats floating across the stage, and a 50 foot ship caught in a storm at sea is mind boggling (and that’s just in the first half of the show). After intermission, the entire theatre is transformed to an undersea wonderland with schools of exotic fish swimming about, beautiful iridescent jellyfish gracefully floating above, sharks prowling for prey, and of course a giant whale swimming over your head. While I was appreciative of the special effects, the kids were awestruck! After all, this isn’t television or movies, its live theatre.

Much More than Special Effects

In addition to the technical aspects of this production, there are also some stand-out performances by the actors, costumers, and composers. The musical numbers were extremely polished and the performances of those works were well done. The vocals of the actor playing Jonah, the actress playing the Queen of Nineveh, and another female vocalist in Nineveh were inspired. Unlike many productions, the costumes weren’t just the clothes that the actors wore – they really helped to tell the story and show the evolution of the characters.

What Sets Jonah Apart from other Branson Shows?

Sight and Sounds’ productions are fundamentally different from most Branson shows in two ways. First, this is musical theatre – not a music show. There is a story with a plot and lots of character development. Second, Sight and Sound is a Christian, faith-based, company. There is plenty of entertainment at Sight and Sound, but there is also a message. In Jonah the message is about ignoring God’s will, and avoiding unpleasant tasks – or perhaps fleeing from your responsibilities. As always, the message at Sight and Sound can be related to our everyday lives. I believe this is why Biblical stories are so enduring – even though they are historic, the message is timeless.