Stephen Odom Branson: Back to the Bee Gees & Simon & Garfunkel Star

Stephen Odom: Versatile Branson Performer, Producer & Worship Leader

Stephen Odom is one of Branson’s most respected and versatile entertainers — a talented singer, actor, producer, director, and worship leader. With a career spanning theme parks, theatrical productions, and long-running Branson shows, he continues to captivate audiences at Hamners' Variety Theater.

I first saw Stephen perform at Hamners' Variety Theater several years ago. His talent, boundless energy, and natural ability to playfully connect with the audience immediately stood out.

Since then, I’ve seen many of his shows and have never been disappointed — he consistently delivers a genuinely fun and memorable performance every time.

From Georgia to Branson

Originally from Stockbridge, Georgia, Odom grew up performing in musicals. He launched his professional career working in theme parks, spending several seasons in various shows at Stone Mountain Park and Six Flags Over Georgia.

After earning a B.A. in Music, he joined the closing cast of The Miracle at the Miracle Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

In 2012, Stephen and his wife Chelsie moved to Branson, Missouri, where he has since become a fixture in the city’s entertainment scene. Since 2016, he has served as the on-staff worship leader at Ozark Mountain Community Church. The couple welcomed their first child, Ollie, in August 2021.

In His Own Words: Interview with Stephen Odom

DB: How would others describe you as a kid?

SO: I think people would describe me as a quiet, creative kid. I usually preferred hanging out with adults and always enjoyed learning.

I tried sports, but I just wasn’t very good, haha. I was never shy, but I was never the biggest personality in the room either. I was always a rule follower and hated disappointing anyone (both of those things have definitely followed me into adulthood!)

The summer after third grade, I performed in my first musical and knew I’d found my passion. My entire foundation comes from theater, which I think gives me a unique creative voice when it comes to crafting a show. Our shows are a mixture of concert, production show and theater.

DB: What inspired you to go into show business?

SO: I’ve always loved theater and performing. I went to college for music, but I never really thought it was possible to make a living on stage. I assumed I’d become a music teacher.

Once I started doing professional theater in Atlanta, I met people who were actually making careers out of performing, and I realized it might be possible for me too.

The years fly by.. I’ve been doing this full-time in Branson for fourteen years now, so I guess I can say I am making a living doing what I love. I never take that for granted.

DB: How did you meet your wife?

SO: We ran in many of the same circles, but we’d never actually met until we both ended up at a production of Christmas Belles in McDonough, Georgia. I was sitting with a friend she knew, and she was sitting with a friend I knew. At intermission, we switched seats to sit next to each other … and the rest is history. That was 17 years ago!

DB: What’s it like to perform onstage with your wife?

SO: I love it! We’ve been so fortunate to perform together in many different shows over the years. Usually, if one of us is in a show, the other one ends up doing it too.

We started performing together in community theater in Georgia, and we never stopped. It’s gotten a little more complicated since we had Ollie because performing together means finding childcare, but we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Since moving to Branson in 2013, we’ve had the privilege of performing together in nine different productions.

DB: Do you remember the first song you sang together?

SO: All of our friends were theater nerds. We’d sit in someone’s driveway and sing showtunes for hours on end.

I think the first song we ever sang together happened during one of those driveway showtune sessions. It was “I’d Give It All for You” from Songs for a New World. Now we’ve gone on to sing thousands of times together on stage!

Chelsie came from the world of contemporary Christian music, while I was the bigger theater nerd.

I introduced her to more musicals, and she introduced me to a whole different side of performing when I joined her band, singing backup and playing keyboard.

DB: What brought you to Branson from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee?

SO: I performed in a show called The Miracle in Pigeon Forge in 2011 as part of the show’s closing cast.

After the show closed, I got a call from our stage manager asking if I wanted to audition for Sight & Sound’s production of Joseph.

One Skype audition later, I had an offer to move to a place I knew absolutely nothing about - Branson, Missouri.

Chelsie and I had been dating for four years at that point, and we knew we wanted to get married, so I proposed and packed my bags for Branson.

The first time I ever set foot in Branson, I was carrying everything I owned and beginning a one-year contract at Sight & Sound.

A few months later, I flew home, got married, and we drove back to Missouri the very next day. We even got a speeding ticket on the way - with streamers and “Just Married” written across the back window. Apparently, that Arkansas state trooper wasn’t willing to overlook six miles per hour for newlyweds! 😂

DB: As a father, what’s an important piece of advice you will give to your son?

SO: I hope he understands that who he is matters more than what he accomplishes. Because my passion became my career, it’s easy for me to tie my identity to what I do.

I want him to know that his value isn’t found in achievements, but in who he is as a person.

DB: Is there a genre of music that you haven’t performed, but hope to do so one day?

SO: What do you want to hear? 😂

I really enjoy taking a genre of music, or a specific artist, and building a show that celebrates that music while also playing to my strengths as an artist.

People always ask if I grew up loving the Bee Gees or Simon & Garfunkel, and the answer is … not really. I always enjoyed the music, like most people, but before creating our Simon & Garfunkel show, I probably couldn’t have named more than two or three songs.

In a way, I think that’s helped us. We aren’t so close to the material that we lose sight of what makes people love it in the first place. We get to create shows that appeal to the casual fan as much as the die-hard fan because, when we started, we were the casual fans.

My goal is to craft a show around music that people want to hear and bring my own ideas and abilities to the material. So, honestly, I can’t really name one genre I’d love to tackle … it’ll probably be a surprise to me!

DB: What role or show are you most proud of thus far in your career?

SO: I’m really proud of both Back to the Bee Gees and The Sound of Simon & Garfunkel. In late 2017, Dave and Denise Hamner entrusted me with leading the ABBA and Beach Boys shows, and I learned so much about producing and creating. I owe them a tremendous amount for believing in me and giving me opportunities to grow.

By that point, I’d been performing with James Allen for several years, and we were always on the same page creatively. We knew we wanted to build something of our own, so Allen Odom Productions was born. 

Opening Back to the Bee Gees in 2021 was incredibly rewarding, and after such a great response, we followed it with The Sound of Simon & Garfunkel in 2024.

We’re never fully satisfied with our product, and we spend a lot of our free time thinking about ways to improve and elevate our shows.

This year, we completely reinvented Bee Gees with live musicians and a fresh approach throughout. We knew it probably wouldn’t sell more tickets, but we did it because we believe complacency leads to the slow death of a show. We always want to keep growing and getting better.

I also have to give a huge shoutout to our cast and crew. I really believe we have the best team in Branson - hard-working, genuine people with incredible talent.

And, of course, I have to thank Dave and Denise Hamner once again for supporting us all these years. I feel like I work hard, and then I remember that Denise Hamner is in the building! 😂

I’m incredibly proud to call Hamners' Variety Theater home.

DB: How do you like to spend your time offstage?

SO: When I’m not working, I’m spending time with my family. I don’t like sitting still and luckily, our four-year-old doesn’t either. 😂

We’re always visiting local attractions, trying new restaurants, or just spending time at the park.

I lead worship at Ozark Mountain Community Church in Blue Eye, so on Sundays we often take advantage of already being thirty minutes from Branson and head to places like Dogwood Canyon, the Buffalo River, Eureka Springs, or Bentonville.

DB: Do you have a favorite restaurant in Branson?

SO: I don’t think I can pick just one, but we definitely have a few favorites. We love Steamy Joe Cafe, Vasken’s Deli, Big D’s BBQ, Tequila’s 2, Tai Kitchen, Billy Gail’s, and our son’s favorite … Cracker Barrel. 😂

We also love trying new local places. We recently tried Lumiere’s downstairs at 417 Vintage Marketplace and really enjoyed it. I also have to give a shoutout to our friends who own Connections Family Gathering in Blue Eye. They have the best salad bar; it’s worth the drive!

DB: What is one thing that you want people to remember after the curtain closes?

SO: Music is powerful, and we view our job as simply getting out of its way. For many people, these songs are the soundtrack to their lives, and if we can help bring back memories and emotions connected to that music, then we’ve done our job.

Above all, I want people to walk away feeling like we exceeded their expectations. We may be a small production company with a modest budget, but we pour everything we have, creatively, financially, and physically into every performance.

At the end of the day, all the hard work is worth it when someone leaves with happy tears in their eyes and simply says, “Thank you.”

Theatrical Credits

Stephen’s theatrical credits include:

• Footloose the Musical
• Little Shop of Horrors
• Guys and Dolls
• Seussical the Musical
• You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
• Snoopy the Musical
• West Side Story
• Urinetown the Musical

Branson Credits

• Joseph and the Miracle of Christmas at Sight & Sound Theatres
• Smoke on the Mountain
• Sanders Family Christmas
• Maxine’s Christmas Carol
• A Janice Martin Cirque Show
• CJ Newsom’s Classic Country and Comedy
• Raiding the Country Vault
• Comedy Jamboree

Experience Stephen Odom Live in Branson

Today, Stephen Odom remains highly active both on and behind the stage. With a career that blends high-energy tribute shows, classic musical theater, and community ministry, he continues to bring joy to audiences across Branson while balancing life as a husband, father, and dedicated artist.

Have you seen Stephen Odom perform? If so, tell us about it in the comments section below!