Sight and Sound celebrating 50 years of sharing powerful message

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Sight and Sound Theatres providing the highest quality of entertainment and sharing stories that bring the Bible to life.

Founded by Glenn and Shirley Eshelman in 1976, Sight and Sound actually began with Glenn presenting slide shows, combined with music and narration to accompany the scenic photographs at a local church. Response was so overwhelming that Glenn and Shirley began traveling to other churches to present the first unofficial Sight and Sound show. The success of those slideshows led the couple to establish a permanent venue for their ministry and in 1976 the Living Waters Theatre, the precursor to today's Sight and Sound Theatres, opened in Pennsylvania.

By 1987, the venue's first full-length production, Behold the Lamb, was created. The audience response was so great that Glenn and Shirley realized they were outgrowing their first theater and in 1991 a newer, larger facility was built—the Entertainment Centre in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Six short years later, the Entertainment Centre was destroyed by fire—potentially ending the dreams of Glenn and Shirley. But the couple refused to give up and just a year and a half later a new, 2000-seat, state of the art Sight and Sound Theatre, complete with a 300-foot, wraparound stage and room for sets that stood four stories tall, was completed.  

The first show to grace the stage of Sight and Sound Theatre in Lancaster County, PA, was the venue's signature show, Noah, which received rave reviews.

The popularity of the theatre and one-of-a-kind productions led Glenn and Shirley to consider expansion, and in 2008 a phenomenal theatre, nearly identical to the one in Pennsylvania, was opened right here in Branson, Missouri. The theatre continues to draw thousands of guests who come to see the amazing and powerful biblical productions in an exquisite setting.

Productions such as Noah, Jonah, Esther and Miracle of Christmas, complete with phenomenal entertainers, elaborate sets and well-trained live animals have graced the stages of both the Pennsylvania and Branson theatres. Currently, Joshua is premiering in Lancaster, PA, while David is live on stage at the Branson venue.

Meanwhile, Sight and Sound continue with sharing the gospel through new avenues, including DVD and digital recordings, and more recently Sight and Sound TV, an online streaming platform, where shows can be streamed worldwide, as well as Sight and Sound films, which takes the stories to the big screen.

Through it all, Sight and Sound productions remains a family-owned business, with a team of more than 800 employees who continue to bring the gospel to life. Above all, the family and staff continue to maintain the company's mission—to tell His story through who they are and what they do.

Branson's Sight and Sound Theatre is located at 1001 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. Tickets or more information are available on their website, sight-sound.com or by calling 800-377-1277.