It’s a conundrum many parents know all too well, how do I find quality entertainment for my kids that doesn’t leave me wanting to either rip my hair out or fall asleep?
![Matt Levingston and Gareth Sever bring their Buckets N Boards show to St. Jacobs next weeked. [Submitted]](https://www.observerxtra.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/post_arts_bucketsnboards.jpg)
Matt Levingston and Gareth Sever’s Buckets N Boards show might be just the ticket, with drumming on – you guessed it – buckets and boards, ukulele songs, quick wit, tap dancing, and hilarious improv.
Steve Roth, executive producer of Drayton Entertainment, said they’re lucky to be able to offer the show at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse this month.
“I do know they have a really busy schedule doing a lot of Disney cruises as well as Branson (Missouri),” Roth said. “There was a window of time where they were able to come down and do a one-nighter with us and it’s a perfect fit, really.”
The comedy percussion show has been a hit in Branson for years. After the show in St. Jacobs they’re off to perform on Disney cruises until mid-March, when they’ll return to Branson for nine shows.
Roth said they brought the dynamic duo on board because they’re trying to do some more family programming, not only in their regular season, but in their extra shows.
“It’s perfect for [ages] 4 to 400. It’s a pure entertainment type of show where they don’t speak above kids, they don’t speak below them,” Roth said. “When you find entertainers like that and you see that they’re so natural in their performance, that rubs off on the audience and everyone ends up leaving going ‘wow that was great fun.’”
As a parent to a 10- and a 13-year-old, Roth says it’s the best feeling in the world when he can bring his kids to a show, and they leave having just as much fun as he did.
He describes their performance style as natural. They have real chemistry together and a great ability to harmonize.
“It looks like there’s a lot of improv that happens onstage too. That stuff doesn’t happen magically, it usually evolves over time,” Roth said.
They were rated best show of 2013 and 2014 by www.BransonRank.com and best comedy show by www.BransonCritic.com.
The show shares some similarities with Stomp, a music, dance, and theatre show which uses household items to create beats and music. The major differences are the Buckets N Boards show is geared toward families and it incorporates comedy into the show.
“Stomp is such an innovative show where they use everyday objects as percussion, and these are items we touch and feel everyday and all of a sudden these five buckets we have in our basement make magical sounds,” Roth said. “They do that and more. They also pull out their ukuleles and they’ll sing songs. There’s a lot of interaction. These guys are way more than that and that’s why I think it makes a perfect family show. You’ve got music, you’ve got humour, you’ve got visuals. It’s one of those perfect family outings.”
This show is being presented as a fundraiser for Drayton Entertainment. He adds it’s the ideal vehicle because moms, dads, and grandparents can bring the kids and enjoy an afternoon together.
“There are a lot of pop culture references, a lot of things that are familiar to us in everyday life,” Roth said. “The two performers are very down to earth people. The songs they sing, for example, they do ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow.’ It’s a really upbeat version of a song that’s so iconic in one of their acts. I would say it’s very contemporary, very hip, very fun, very accessible.”
The show hits the stage at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse at 1 p.m. on January 18. Tickets are $25, available at www.draytonentertainment.com, in person at the box office, or by calling (519) 621-8000 or toll free 1-855-DRAYTON (372-9866).
