My husband’s company gave him two tickets to the Opry. I am not a music person and he is. They had a comic as part of the show doing different skits and I did enjoy that part. I was unfamiliar with most of the songs and sometimes they would only play music losing me completely. My husband immensely enjoyed the whole presentation. The very best part for me was the patriotic grand finale at the end. First they asked every one in the audience that has been in the military and fought for this country or that is presently in the military to stand up. They then thanked them for what they have done and are now doing and then stated that the last two songs were dedicated to those who are over in Afghanistan and Iraq (where my daughter is) and to those that have made the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our country and us. For me it was a very unexpected and moving tribute.

This is a great night of family entertainment. There's something for everyone: dancing, singing, juggling, comedy!! If you can only see one show, I recommend that it be this one.

To enjoy being at Myrtle Beach on a cold, rainy December day, the best thing to do is find a show. The Carolina Opry has a Christmas Special and it is unforgettable. Christmas carols take on a new spirituality when converted into a live country music variety show, especially when the cast is so good. The feeling put into a variety of piano renditions of Silent Night made me want to sit at a piano and perform my own variation. Most of the cast is academically trained. The highly skilled pianist, Jon England, can’t read a note and has never taken lessons.

The Twelve Days Of Christmas was presented with each member of the chorus singing about one day while a comedian grabbed a toy out of a barrel while feigning simple bumpkin behavior. One comedy skit on Jingle Bells featured Jedediah, Jr., a dog that can scratch his fleas to the beat of music. The performance was about backwoods hillbillies strumming out a little country Christmas music. During I’m Dreaming Of A White Christmas, one of the cast hollered out, "Take a sick day, pal." It got a lot of laughs.

Costuming for dance performances gave a formal seriousness to the Christmas season while capturing a Carolina Southern feeling. It was two and a half hours of enjoyment with a 20-minute intermission.

We ordered our tickets online and received a $4 discount and were able to pick where we wanted to sit. We got excellent seats we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to get. With conveyance tax, the whole thing came to $38.50 apiece. We sat about 2/3 of the way from the stage in the center (F21 19-20). The theater was completely filled. Bus loads of seniors from all over the Carolinas were brought there for the show. The show has won the South Carolina Governor’s Cup, the state’s highest tourism award.

You won’t have any trouble finding the place if you go north on 17 bypass or 17 bus. They intersect at that attraction.

The Theater: This theater is a beautiful replica of the Grand Ol’ Opry

The Theater

: This theater is a beautiful replica of the Grand Ol’ Opry. It seats approximately 2,200 people, but the first week of October it was only about two-thirds full. When making my reservations I specifically requested seats in front row, center stage, balcony. Excellent seats, and there were only about 10 people in the entire balcony.

Cost:

We paid $31/person with a discount coupon and this show was worth every penny of the price.!

The Show

: The performance was scheduled to begin at 8pm with a pre-show beginning at 7:40pm. In actuality, the pre-show started at about 7:25pm. Jon England, an extremely talented pianist began the show by playing a few requests from the audience. At about 7:40, a brief comedy act began with Kym Shurbutt as the lead comic, another very talented person who added a lot of lighter moments throughout the remainder of the show.

Although the Carolina Opry has its roots in country music, the repertoire covered all gambits of music from country to rock to broadway. One section of the show covered popular songs of each decade from the 50s to the present. The singers and musicians were all top quality entertainers. Some of the songs that I personally like included: "Last Date", "Private Malone", "Leader of the Pack", "Then He Kissed Me", "I Believe", "Slow Hand", and many, many more.

Including the pre-show, the performance lasted almost three hours, with a short intermission.

Other Services:

The theater also has a concession stand and a gift shop. CDs are available from the various artists and you can even get a CD of the specific performance that you attended. I would suggest that you visit the Carolina Opry website to get current information before you make your trip. Their website address is http://www.cgp.net/

My Favorite

: My favorite performer was Jon England. He is an extremely talented pianist and I thoroughly enjoyed each piece that he performed.

Overall Evaluation:

Time and money were both well-spent; I whole-heartedly encourage you not to miss the Carolina Opry is you have the opportunity to attend. I attended several performances while in the Branson, Missouri area a few years ago, and I can tell you that the Carolina Opry ranks right up there with the best of them. Go and enjoy!!

Presents family music and variety shows. Allow two hours minimum. Performances Monday - Saturday at 8pm, March - October, Monday - Saturday at 7pm, November - December; otherwise varies rest of year. Admission $26.95 students with ID $19, Ages 3-26 $14. Christmas specials November - December $24. Reservations are required. AX,CS,MC,VI. Call 843/238-8888 or 913-4000, or 800/843-6779. (Please check out this information from an AAA tourbook, like I did.)