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January 11, 2001
New Year's live from China with the Lowe Family
Sam Clanton, Staff Writer, Branson Daily Independent
The giant apple dropping from Times Square, fireworks, champagne, "Auld Lang Syne": just a few common ways to bring in the New Year here in America. For the Lowe Family of Utah, this New Year's Eve meant performing in front of thousands live in a foreign land and millions across the world via television...14 hours before we even started thinking about the midnight kiss goodbye.
Robert, LeeAndra, Korinne, Doug, Kendra, Kami, Karalece and Kayliann Lowe returned to Branson Sunday after a two-week journey into the People's Republic of China. Along with Irish group Rhythm of the Dance, Hawaiian reggae band Big Mountain and several Chinese acts, Branson entertainers The Lowe Family of Utah performed in a live New Year's broadcast aired by China Central Television (CCTV) and affiliate stations across China, Japan (NHK), France (TV5), Germany (DW), ITaly (RAI), Canada (CBC), America (USA Network), Great Britain (BBC), Australia (ABC), New Zealand (TVNZ) and Russia (PTP). Portions of the Lowe Family's performance were also aired on ABC's "Good Morning America" and a New Year's special hosted by Peter Jennings.
In addition to the group performance, daughter Kendra Lowe appeared separately performing a bilingual duo with Chinese pop star Zhang Weijin dedicated to global peace and goodwill, the theme of the international New Year's broadcast. Staged in a large theme park on a "highest-tech" movable stage--which opened up like a cocoon from a giant world globe--the gala/spectacular was telecast from China's fastest growing city, Shenzhen, located just north of Hong Kong.
Mother LeeAndra Lowe called it a "wonderful experience" for the family of entertainers, who are currently gearing up for their third season in Branson. LeeAndra also pointed out that the live broadcast required a great deal of work from all of the performers involved. "It was a lot of work with little sleep but great fun," she said. "The people were very responsive and friendly to us." LeeAndra said they had some funny things happen during their stay. Approximately 30 seconds before taping began some stage equipment crashed to the ground, knocking over a banjo, breaking a peg and popping a string. "That's show business," LeeAndra said, and the show did go on.
The family visited a two-story Chinese Super Wal-Mart. Though the selection of live fish, turtles, frogs and fresh produce was outstanding, they weren't able to find a curling iron or a set of curlers. "We thought 'that is really odd,' but then you think about it and you don't really see many Chinese women with curly hair."
Kendra was pick-pocketed in a Hong Kong gift shop. Undercover police saw the theft take place and immediately ran up to the Lowe daughters and asked them if they still had their wallets. "The girls were startled, not realizing that the men were undercover cops," LeeAndra said. The woman who stole Kendra's wallet re-entered the store once the police ran outside to catch her and tried to return the wallet without them noticing. That didn't work, though. Apparently the woman was already wanted by police for pick-pocketing so they asked Kendra if she would testify in court, which she agreed to do. After waiting eight hours without talking to the judge, Kendra was escorted back to the hotel. Hong Kong officials begged her to come back and testify, even going so far as to offer her a plane ticket to Hong Kong at a later date.
The Lowe Family first visited Branson while on tour nine years ago. After visiting our city five more times and touring on the road five more years, the family decided they wanted to settle down and that Branson was the perfect place to do it. After completing two-and-a-half seasons in "the entertainment capital of the World" (they started Christmas of 1999), Robert and LeeAndra Lowe say they enjoy working in Branson and look forward to another year of entertaining at the MGH Performing Arts Center.
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