Hot Hits Theatre

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  Let me preface the entire review by saying this: the night I checked out the Motown Downtown show was one of the last that they were hosting for the season. Fewer people in town translated into an audience of only about 25. Advertised as more of a party than a show, it's clear what the problem was: only so much of a party gets started when the guests aren't in the mood, or there simply aren't enough to start a party with...
  
  Guests arrive at Hot Hits Cafe, checking in at the desk immediately to the right of the doors (there's no box office per se). Parking for the storefront cafe and theatre is along Downtown Branson's streets and was very open on the winter Saturday evening that I visited. The Landing is nearby and, while walkable, would be a somewhat long trek for many people.
  
  The cafe offers a variety of coffee-style drinks, a few bottled sodas, some gifts and a place to relax before the show. There are classic car murals running along both sides  of the cafe that complement the 'nostalgic' theme set by the salmon orange and purple seats and tables. It's clean, as are the bathrooms.
  
  About five minutes prior to the show's starting, seating began. The "theatre" is a converted strip mall space with a two-step stage elevating performers maybe a foot above the audience. Capacity for this intimate space is perhaps 90, if even that many. Decorated in shades of purple, painted columns and a holographic curtain, the theatre isn't particularly impressive, both compared with other theaters in town and compared to more than a handful of bars that host bands on the weekends. It's also worth noting that in order to accommodate a backstage area, the stage is skewed to the stage right/house left side; not that there are really any seats that are that far away, but it may be nicer to sit on house right if you have a choice.
  
  The show itself is kind of difficult to describe.
  
  Imbued with unmistakeable passion, the performances were nevertheless glorified karaoke with a (in the performance that I saw, very capable) live drummer adding some flair to the pre-recorded tracks. The host introduced himself, swung into a song and light dance routine and ended his initial set with another song. A few jokes later, the next performer came to the stage, shared a song, told a story, then did another song. This went on for the better part of an hour and brought four different male singers to the stage in various costumes and with tributes to various artists. After a group set of Temptations songs (including some heartfelt impressions of the legendary group's steps), there was a 20 minute intermission.
  
  The second act was basically a reprisal of the first, but shorter.
  
  During both sets, the singers treated the stage like they were on one of Branson's biggest, stepping and swaying about, shaking hands with the audience members, calling ladies up to dance with them and trying to get the audience to clap and sing along. Every bit of dreaming and sincerity that they could impart, they did and on a few notes, there were flashes of pleasant surprise. After the show, they stood at the theatre's exit selling and signing CDs. Were it another audience, their party-starting ways might've worked!
  
  Alas, you can probably get a better entertainment deal for $25-30 elsewhere. The bigger shows may lack the personalization that Hot Hits can offer, but make up for it several times over with moneyed polish.

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  Posted on 12.18.11 Dennis W.

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