Jennifer's Branson theater for sale; show's run ends

BRANSON, Mo. -- Branson's favorite dancing blonde is calling it quits -- at least for now.

Jennifer Wilson, who is credited with making morning shows a marketable time slot in the Ozarks music mecca, is looking for someone to buy or lease her 950-seat theater along Highway 76. She made the announcement Wednesday, a day after completing her show schedule for the year.

Wilson has been the headline performer at Jennifer's Americana Theatre since 1995. She was discovered by her producer and manager, Bill Dailey. He spotted her at a talent show and turned her into a morning star -- with billboards touting a glamorously gowned "Jennifer in the Morning."

The show blazed a trail for the 9:30 a.m. time slot. This season, 22 of Branson's 80 shows were morning shows.

Dancing partner Dan Browning says Wilson also brought in a racy element, with her good-natured flirting with male audience members while singing and dancing.

"But at the same time she'd be flirting, she'd pat your head and say: Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you," Browning said.

Numerous offers

Wilson said she has numerous offers to consider and won't rule out performing in Branson in the future. Wilson said she realized how little personal time she had when she had to cancel some shows and tour dates after breaking her foot in late July. Her foot, broken in three places, has not completely healed, although she continued to dance wearing a soft cast.

"I need a hiatus that isn't cluttered so I can make some clear-headed decisions," Wilson told a crowd of about 100 people who gathered Wednesday to offer a champagne toast to her future. "I have to get some balance and personal time in my life."

Wilson, an entrepreneur who opened her own dance studio at 17, grew up near Moberly in central Missouri. She studied dance and psychology at Stephens College in nearby Columbia, and got her master's degree in education and counseling psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Among options she's considering is pursuing a doctorate, probably in education, she said. She plans to open a Christian school with her sister Melony Marciniak in several years, she said.

"And it will have one heck of an art department," she said.