A Whole Lot of Fudge
Press Release
Release Date: 6/14/07
Contact: Judith Dutton, (417) 332-2772
Jack Burke, (417) 239-1011
Attachments: Picture of Brande
A Whole Lot of Fudge
Branson, MO…Some say that a little bit of fudge goes a long way, others say that they can’t get enough. In Branson some tourists go to the Dutton Theater to see the show, others go to get some fudge and most do both! During their show, Jonathan Dutton jokes that since you get a free quarter pound of fudge with every pound purchase, “You can take home 10 pounds of fudge for free – just by purchasing 40 pound.”
Brande Dutton is the wife of Benjamin, the mother to four precocious little boys and a performer in the Dutton show. Benjamin introduces her to audiences as “the sweetest Dutton” because she is also responsible for overseeing production of nearly 4 tons of the homemade “World Famous Dutton Fudge” every season. Sales are so brisk before the show and during intermission that the fudge has its own concession counter in the lobby, as well as a mini-counter in the theater itself.
Brande, who portrays Mary Poppins in one of the show segments, chuckles, “Maybe the song should be “a little bit of fudge makes the world go round”.
As audiences began to rave about the Dutton fudge in a variety of flavors, fan letters began arriving to thank the Duttons for both the entertainment and the fudge. Brande explained, “That’s when we realized that the legend of our fudge was making its way around the world and we decided to brand it as the ‘World Famous Dutton Fudge’.” This year the Duttons plan to formalize the “World Famous Dutton Fudge” brand on take-home packaging.
Dutton patriarch Dean looks to the future, “The customers are demanding that we make the fudge more available. An occasional purchase when they are in town doesn’t seem to keep their sweet tooth happy. That’s why we are looking for ways to expand our marketing and distribution, probably over our website. We currently ship some to fans during the winter months, but warmer weather remains a problem.”
For the time being, enthusiasts for the World Famous Dutton Fudge must still get in line at the Dutton Theater on Country Music Boulevard in Branson. Show tickets are optional.
For show times, reservations and additional information, contact the Dutton Family Theater at (417) 332-2772 or (888) 388-8661.