Around this time, when the sun is setting early and the weather is getting cooler, most people want to stay inside and be with friends and family. Wintertime is the time to get out and do something together. What better way than to experience the magic in a holiday performance with family, friends and food.
Derby Dinner Playhouse is a well-known dinner theater central to Clarksville, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. Entering the bright, illuming building is like a Christmas wonderland, with an attractive gift shop decorated and seasonally themed, alluding to a comforting atmosphere that makes their guests feel at home. It has a unique combination of live sit-in entertainment and a buffet-style dinner. It is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
This year marks Derby’s 50th anniversary. Derby Dinner employs more than 100 people who work in the theater and restaurant divisions, and this December, they all prepare for their winter shows A WONDERFUL LIFE and A Fairy Tale Christmas. Year round, they have many different shows—musicals, dramas, comedies, concerts, and seasonal performances.
They host new shows every six to seven weeks, with 46-50 showings of each production. It has been about 10 years since their last showing of A WONDERFUL LIFE. This performance specifically hosts a total of 64 showings this season.
A WONDERFUL LIFE, directed by Lee Buckholz, is a reenactment of Frank Capra’s classic 1946 film remade in a vibrant musical light. The story follows the main character, George Bailey (Matthew Brennan), as he struggles from setting his dreams aside to keep his father’s business afloat. George’s spirit is crushed when a greedy banker threatens to throw him in jail. A Christmas Eve miracle has to happen in order for George to be uplifted. “A WONDERFUL LIFE” is an uplifting chronicle that embarks on an inspiring adventure.
“It’s not very Christmassy, but it is an uplifting story that people relate to and, you know, think about during the holidays. They play it on TV all the time, so everybody knows the movie,” said Annie Myers, assistant to the producer at Derby Dinner Playhouse.
Guests can enjoy a full-service meal before or during the show. For their buffet they have a full salad bar, an entree section, and side dishes. Guests can also choose a dessert from their menu. They serve classic American cuisine with a variety of vegetables, fish, fried chicken, fresh rolls, and beverages.
“A Fairy Tale Christmas”, directed by Tina Jo Wallace, is a kid-friendly show that lets the audience experience the holidays through the eyes of their favorite fairy tale characters. The story starts with everyone preparing for the Crystal Christmas Ball, but problems start to arise when a new resident causes mayhem and an important person is left off the guest list. It is a fun, joyful tale where each character has to work together in time to save the ball from disaster while learning key values on the way.
“Our children’s theater productions are hour long theater for young audiences. So it’s different. We’re really proud of our children’s theater. We’ve been in business for 50, but we started our children’s theater about 40 years ago,” said Myers.
Since “A Fairy Tale Christmas” is only a morning and noon act, instead of having their usual dinner buffet, they provide separate breakfast and lunch options. The breakfast menu has the usual—scrambled eggs, french toast, biscuits, and more. Their lunch menu has corn dogs, chicken nuggets, baked spaghetti, and a variety of sides.
Besides the shows themselves, Derby’s theater is very unique. It is designed like a dome, some comparing it to an “upside-down bowl”. Instead of a proscenium style theater, like at Floyd Central, it is almost like a circle, where the actors perform by constantly moving around the dome. That way everyone in the audience gets to experience an up close view throughout the show.
“In your average theatre if you’re not in that first 20 rows, you’re pretty far back. You can’t really see their facial expressions. Here, we have four tiers. So it’s a very intimate setting that is unique in theater. And most people don’t experience that. I think that’s when they come here, it’s what they enjoy the most,” said Myers.
Finally, after a long holiday season, they end with their last, very special performance of “A WONDERFUL LIFE” on New Years Eve.
“They’ll come see a performance of Wonderful Life. They have dinner. They stay after the show. We have a DJ so people can get up on stage and dance. We do a countdown and then they get a breakfast buffet right after midnight. So they basically get two meals,” said Myers.
For anyone who celebrates in the winter Derby is a well-loved holiday experience— considering over the last 30 years their patron attendance has grown to over 200,000 people per year. Most performances of “A WONDERFUL LIFE” are currently sold out besides New Year’s Eve, while “A Fairy Tale Christmas” is still in stock. Consider making memories with family and friends this season at Derby Dinner Playhouse.