Go to Branson, Missouri, for the Dinner Theater, Stay for the Real Show | Eater
"A vast, 35,000-square-foot dinner arena built around a 32-horse performance troupe, this show blends flashy rhinestone costumes, horsemanship stunts (including a rider standing on two horses through a ring of fire), corny but catchy songs, and loudly partisan crowd rivalries divided into North and South seating. Guests are funneled through a gift shop and served alcohol-free meals and very sweet mocktails at a bar; theatrical flourishes range from pig races and a rescue-dog derby to a brief, controversial vignette portraying Native Americans that has drawn criticism. The production, which removed explicit Civil War/Dixie references in 2018, culminates in a patriotic finale meant to proclaim unity even as the performance’s nostalgic, kitschy pageantry and on-site politics provoke mixed reactions." - Amy McCarthy
