The Sight & Sound Theatre brings the Bible to life through incredible productions that are well-written, cast and rehearsed down to the most minute detail.
This post was originally published on 6/30/2014. It was updated on 1/04/2022.
The story of Jonah is one of the first Bible stories I learned as a child. Let’s face it, a man getting swallowed by a whale and surviving in its belly for three days makes for a pretty fantastic bedtime story. It wasn’t until I was much older that I understood the story more clearly. But I don’t think I ever really made the connection of Jonah to my life until the story came to life for me at the Sight and Sound Theatre in Branson, Missouri.
If you’re looking for other Christian attractions to visit read our post, 21 Faith-Based Attractions in the United States.
The Story of Jonah
God spoke to Jonah, commanding him to travel to the city of Nineveh to preach of repentance but the Ninevites were one of Israel’s fiercest enemies. Jonah was scared and he disobeyed. Instead, he boarded a ship to Tarshish, the opposite direction of Nineveh. When a terrible storm came upon the ship, Jonah instructed the sailors to throw him overboard, confident that he was being punished for his disobedience. But God wasn’t finished with Jonah and provided a big fish to swallow Jonah and save him from drowning.
His life spared, Jonah repented and praised the Lord in the belly of the whale and in three days, the fish vomited him on to dry land. This time, he listened to the Lord and went to Nineveh to warn the occupants that in 40 days, the city would be destroyed. The Ninevites believed Jonah and repented and the city was spared.
The Sight & Sound Experience
One of the productions that Sight & Sound has brought to the stage has been that of Jonah. Their shows are based on the Biblical account, but creative liberties have been taken to develop the characters and give us a glimpse of conversations that could have taken place and events that could have transpired in the process and as a result the characters of the stories become someone we can relate to.
I had extremely high expectations for the shows I’ve watched at the Sight & Sound Theater in both Branson and Lancaster, Pennsylvania and I have not been disappointed. The productions have been incredible and from the moment the curtain opened, I was enthralled. The sets are interactive and stunning.
The large cast includes live animals for the shows that not only pass across the stage, but through the aisles of the theaters.
The actors are well-trained and the productions are well-rehearsed. If any mistakes have been made in the live shows that I’ve seen, neither my husband nor myself noticed. I don’t remember ever watching a play that I’ve enjoyed more.
About Sight & Sound
The success of the production is no accident, as it required a team of producers, directors, writers, designers, artists, engineers, animal trainers and actors almost three years to complete. Millions of people have seen the productions in both Branson, Missouri, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The Sight & Sound Theatre operates as a faith-based company and creates epic productions that share the love, hope, and truth of Jesus.
My husband thought the show was a bit long, so keep that in mind when booking your show. It does have two acts, an intermission and twenty scenes, which may be a bit much for younger children and some adults, especially the evening performance, which might cut into bedtimes. The Branson theater offers two shows most days, one at 3:30 pm and another at 7:30 pm.
The 2,000 seat theater regularly sells out, so buy your tickets in advance. Ticket prices are a bit steep, but I wouldn’t hesitate to return with my family, the show was THAT good.
Watching Jonah at the Sight & Sound Theatre was truly my favorite experience on that trip to Branson in 2013. Since then, I have returned to watch Moses, which I enjoyed even more than Jonah if you can imagine that! On that trip, I traveled with my mom and dad. We made a lot of fun stops on the way to Branson, but I think I can safely speak for them when I say that our experience at Sight & Sound was a favorite for them too. We enjoyed the production so much that we planned a trip to the location of the original Sight & Sound Theatre in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to watch Samson.
Please view the websites to see what is currently playing.
You can learn more about the Sight & Sound Theatre in Branson, Missouri at their website. You can also get a glimpse of the magnificent stage on Instagram.
Sight and Sound Theatre in Branson:
1001 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway
Branson, MO 65616
Phone: 800-377-1277
Sight and Sound Theater Ticket Prices: Check the website for current rates.
Parking is free.
You can also enhance your experience with a Behind the Scenes Tour (which I would LOVE to go on) for only $5 per person.
Find cheap hotels & Airbnb’s in Branson with our map below. Book your stay now!
Have you seen a Sight & Sound production? Which one and what did you think?
Tickets to Jonah were provided for my husband and myself, I purchased additional tickets for Moses and Samson. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
More posts about Branson:
Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri Offers Family-Friendly Entertainment
Fun things to do in Branson, Missouri
Pin this:
