It's Christmas in the Saloon!

Growing up, Hannah would spend every Thanksgiving in Branson, MO, always making a stop to the renound theme park, Silver Dollar City. For those unfamiliar, Silver Dollar City is an 1880s-themed park famous for its fast rides, gooey cinnamon bread, and high-caliber shows. Although the park is open year-round, there has always been a special magic around the holidays; the buildings are decked out in lights, the shops are stocked with hot cocoa, and Christmas music fills the air, spreading joy to all who hear it. One can imagine how excited Hannah was when she got the offer to work in the Silver Dollar Saloon as the character Belle/Tilly US (choreographed and directed by Kris Stowe).

Because the girls in the saloon have been working together all year, Hannah was a little nervous making her way in the group; she was happy to find that everyone was extremely kind and welcoming. The group consists of 4 saloon girls, a rambunctious cowboy, and the saloon owner, all singing and dancing in a 30-minute show themed around holiday cheer and "the reason for the season". They perform 5 times a day, 5 days a week (alternating with swings throughout the run).

This contract tested Hannah's stamina immensely. It was necessary to roll out every day to prevent injury, get good sleep and hydrate to deal with the different weather conditions, and find ways to make the show interesting. When you're doing a show that often, it is important to find ways to have fun onstage and keep things fresh, or else the show can feel like a job. The "saloonies" would make up bits every night or switch roles with each other (since by that time everyone could recite the show by heart).

The thing that made this contract even more special is the connection Hannah made to not only the people in her show, but the people in the other shows on park. The casts would get together for weekly bible studies, home gatherings, and dance classes taught by fellow Saloonie, Melody Boyens. She even had the opportunity to dance in a New Years Eve show at Martha's Vineyard with some other members of different casts.

It still amazes Hannah that she was able to do so much in so little time, and that she got to be a part of making the same magic that she experienced when she was a kid. Her mother often asked her if working in the park ruined the magic. Her answer was always "No. I actually love the park even more."