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Beautiful aerial view of Pigeon Forge TN.

Stars of the Grand Majestic Theater in Pigeon Forge Tour New Zealand

Here at Visit My Smokies, we’ve always said that Pigeon Forge is home to some world class shows. Now, the Grand Majestic Dinner Theater is proving us right! The cast of America’s Hit Parade, one of the signature shows at the Grand Majestic Theater in Pigeon Forge, recently completed a two week tour of New Zealand. Visit My Smokies has all the details on the Pigeon Forge performers’ exciting trip around the world.

About America’s Hit Parade

America’s Hit Parade is a fun dinner show featuring spectacular performances of some of the biggest songs from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, and beyond. With singing, dancing, and a whirlwind of costume changes, this high energy show is a real blast from the past. When you see America’s Hit Parade in Pigeon Forge, you’ll enjoy a great meal while you watch the show, although we don’t think they brought any food on the road!

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With its focus on American music throughout the decades, America’s Hit Parade is the perfect cultural time capsule for international audiences. In an interview with Local 8 News in Knoxville, Jackie Miranda, a producer and performer in the show, took pride in the fact that Pigeon Forge was representing the U.S. abroad:

“I want them to remember that this was a place in Pigeon Forge, TN, didn’t have to be Hollywood, didn’t have to be somewhere like New York, and we brought a show to them that they could enjoy.”

To hear more interviews with the cast at the Grand Majestic Theater in Pigeon Forge before their trip, check out the video from Local 8 News below:

A Stop in Las Vegas (and a Tribute to the King)

On the way to New Zealand, the stars of America’s Hit Parade had a stop in Las Vegas. Making the most of their layover, the cast visited Elvis Presley’s penthouse at the top of the Westgate Resort & Casino. America’s Hit Parade has their very own Elvis impersonator, the talented Lou Vuto, so they couldn’t resist singing a special rendition of Amazing Grace in the King’s penthouse. You can watch a video of their performance below:

A Memorable Visit to a Primary School

The cast of America’s Hit Parade performed five shows in New Zealand. One of the most memorable performances was their visit to the Flaxmere Primary School in Hastings. This unique school offers classes in both English and Maori, the language spoken by the native people of New Zealand. When the cast arrived at the school, they were welcomed into the auditorium by a Maori song from the students. You can hear the song in this video posted by Dre Hilton, a cast member in America’s Hit Parade:

Even an Earthquake Couldn’t Slow the Cast Down

The stars of the Grand Majestic Theater in Pigeon Forge had quite a surprise on September 1st when they awoke to an earthquake in Gisborne around 4:30 a.m.! The 7.1 magnitude quake was the largest to hit the North Island of New Zealand since 1995. Fortunately, the earthquake only lasted for about a minute and no one was injured.

As scheduled, the cast performed at The Cosmopolitan Club the next day, and based on this video from Dre Hilton, they were very well received by the locals:

Everyone at Visit My Smokies is so proud of the America’s Hit Parade cast, and we can’t wait for their return to Pigeon Forge!

Want to learn more about all of the best dinner shows and attractions in the Smokies? Visit our Pigeon Forge Attractions page to get discounted tickets to some of the most popular things to do in the area!