August 5, 2024
We left the RV a little early so that Nancy could have a chance to go to a store she didn’t have time for in May. The shop? Quilt & Quilts. She was a little deflated when the sign on the front door read “No pictures”. She has often visited stores and taken pictures of things she likes so she can try and re-create them later. Not today. She was finished at the appropriate time as we had tickets to go see Dustin Tavella at the Reza Theater at 2:00PM. We had followed Dustin through his America’s Got Talent (AGT) Season 16 in 2021. We both thought he was incredible. Not only for his “magic” but his back story and his ability to combine his magic with story telling. He eventually won AGT for Season 16. Not only did he receive a large sum of money but he also headlined a Vegas show. He and his wife and two adopted sons lived in Vegas for awhile. They then decided it was time to leave “Sin City”. So they moved to Branson, MO. In May while we were in Branson, we saw a billboard that advertised Dustin’s show. We basically came back and this was the primary reason.
There are no words to describe how awesome the show was. It had comedy, meaning, lots of magic, and a lot of personality. At intermission, it was announced that you could do a meet and greet with Dustin on stage, during intermission. One person and her son stood in line. Nancy prodded me to find out how much it cost. I went and asked and they told me. Not only did you get to meet and talk to Dustin, you had your photo taken with him and after the show he would sign it for you. We decided to do it. Dustin was very personable. He seemed very sincere as well, not Hollywood hype type. We spoke for a few minutes and then had our picture taken with him. Before leaving he asked if we could have a prayer together. Absolutely. He led the prayer and then we exited the stage back to our seats. The theater was not full and I would estimate a little less than 100 people. To get an idea of his show, go to YouTube.com and search for Dustin Tavella, all AGT performances. He is one of a kind.
After the show, Dustin was in the lobby signing pictures and posters or other souvenirs that might have been purchased. He took his time with each person. Even taking selfies with them. We got our turn and he greeted us with Hello again. We chit chatted briefly and then asked him if we could take a selfie. He took my phone and took a few selfies, then just before handing it back to me he decided to take some silly selfies of just him. Awesome.
It was food time again. No BBQ today. Nancy found Cheddars Kitchen. It had good reviews and was close by. The reviews were on target. After ordering, they bring a nice fluffy, warm croissant covered in honey butter. Yum! Yum! Nancy had a salmon dish and I had the grilled pork chop special. Very good. What a way to end a great day. Time to go back to the RV. two shows tomorrow.
