By Susan Pierce
Staff Report
Last summer, Kellie Parsons and Cory Dobbs were clogging on the streets of Gatlinburg, Tenn., for tourists' entertainment. This summer, the dancing partners have moved up -- and indoors to air conditioning -- as part of the six-member cast of "Veggie Tales" at Dollywood.
The Veggie Tales gig is their third show this summer, the first two closing for production reasons; but, each show brings the pair one step closer to a career as professional dancers.
"As long as I'm getting to perform, I'm happy," said Miss Parsons. "And each cast has new people to meet, new contacts, and we're learning from new choreographers in each show."
The dance partners are among five Chattanoogans entertaining in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., shows this summer. They hope their experiences will prove to be a stepping stone to stardom or that they'll find a career there, such as North Georgian James Rogers' success.
Mr. Rogers, 56, was a popular entertainer at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Station House in the early 1970s. After winning the 1983 talent search at Silver Dollar City (Dollywood's former name) he performed at the Pigeon Forge theme park for 10 years.
From 1993 to 1998, he headlined the show at Pigeon Forge's Music Mansion, where he won that town's award for Best Entertainer in 1997 and 1998. Now he has a popular one-man show in Dollywood's Heartsong Theater from May to November each year.
Like Rogers, Matt Cordell has built a reputation for his shows in Pigeon Forge. He, too, got his start at the Station House before heading to Dollywood.
Mr. Cordell, 34, is an Elvis impersonator who presents matinees six days a week at the Smith Family Theater. He has a fair resemblance to Elvis in looks, but his voice and mannerisms are dead-on.
Mr. Cordell said he grew up listening to Elvis because his parents were fans of The King.
"I did my first imitation when I was 8 years old in a talent show at Soddy Elementary and won first place," said the performer.
"When I heard those people scream, I thought, 'This is what I'm going to do for a living.' I didn't know it would be Elvis, but I knew it would be singing and performing."
Mr. Cordell began singing at Dollywood in 1991. In 2002, he made his Elvis debut in a concert at Pigeon Forge's Patriot Park opening for James Rogers.
"We did a big outdoor show for 3,000 to 4,000 people. At that time, that was the biggest thing I'd ever done," Mr. Cordell said.
He's been Elvis at the Smith Family Theater for the five years since. Just this year he won the Reflections of Elvis national championship, a competition held by the Elvis Entertainers Network.
Rachel Holder, 14, is among 22 cast members in Country Tonite, one of the most elaborate stage productions on the Parkway (the main thoroughfare through Pigeon Forge). She is one of three youth performers chosen for this year's show, and sings "Blue," "Big Deal," "Delta Dawn" as well as a duet with Adam Calvert, "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man."
Country Tonite's General Manager Jeff Taylor said the show annually auditions 500 or more singers, dancers and musicians.
"We search for talent and try to find artists who are on the cutting edge -- the next step before stardom. Many people on our stage are star quality but haven't had that lucky break. Rachel is one of them; she's a very talented young lady."
Rachel performed at Ole Smoky Hoedown last year and is singing at Country Tonite through the end of this year. She attended Silverdale Baptist Academy through eighth-grade last year, and said she will probably be homeschooled through her high school years to accommodate her growing performance schedule.
Miss Parsons and Mr. Dobbs have been dance partners for 10 years, and have surprisingly been hired together at every show for which they have auditioned.
"We just go audition together, our dance styles are alike, and we usually end up as a duo. If they like one of us, then usually they like us both," Mr. Dobbs said.
When "Veggie Tales" completes its run at Dollywood on Aug. 5, the pair will be clogging in Smoky Mountain Jubilee, the longest-running show in Pigeon Forge.
They are joined in "Veggie Tales" by Chickamauga, Ga., teen Christin Lesley. All three trained with Ginger Brown's Academy of Performing Arts.
"When we first moved up here, we had a lot of dance experience, but didn't have show experience," said Mr. Dobbs. "Now that we have all these shows under our belt, I think it will be easier to get more shows."
E-mail Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com
