Smoky Mountain Opry

The Smoky Mountain Opry is a family-oriented musical variety program with songs and skits from the Big Band and swing era through today's Country music that is performed on The Parkway in the resort community of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
The Opry is housed in a building formerly known as The Miracle Theater, a Christian-themed attraction. The theater was built in 1997 for Louise Mandrell. In November 2005, David Fee and Jim Hedrick, co-owners of the Fee/Hedrick Family Entertainment Group]bought the theater and made a $15 million investment in renovating the theater and creating the musical production "The Miracle", which ran from 2006 to 2011. The theater seats 1,400 people.

Most of the Smoky Mountain Opry cast consists of young people performing song, dance, and comedy and playing many kinds of musical instruments. Occasional audience members may be called upon stage to participate. The Opry has laser lights, giant video screens, elegant costumes, and musicians held up by high-flying wire. The program features Broadway and film musical favorites, the blues and jazz, and patriotic and Gospel numbers. Among the highlighted songs are those made known by The Beatles, Garth Brooks, Etta James, Janis Joplin, George Jones, Frank Sinatra, and Stevie Wonder.

Fee said that the The Miracle Show ended its run to close with high demand. According to Fee, The Miracle Show is "an original production, and we created it. Most importantly, though, the theater has become a faith-based ministry, and people have been saved because of the influence of The Miracle Show and the life-changing message."

The Opry, also a Fee-Hedrick production, opened with a Christmas program in the fall of 2011 and will present another series of holiday shows in 2012.

According to The Knoxville Journal, the Smoky Mountain Opry is the "largest musical variety show" in eastern Tennessee. It has a cast of renowned singers, musicians, dancers, illusionists, and comedians. David Fee said that the Miracle Theater underwent a "whole metamorphosis" ... with a multi-million dollar upgrade the Opry features the best of everything - fantastic lights and lasers, lavish sets and costumes, incredible music, a live band, and lots of talent."

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