Famed Branson Play, ‘The Shepherd of the Hills,’ Ending After 54th Season

A Branson attraction will end a 54-year run this month when "The Shepherd of the Hills" is performed for the last time this month.

The owners of Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theatre said Wednesday the play's last performance will take place Oct. 19. The outdoor drama was first staged in 1960.

Each production involves more than 80 actors, 40 horses, a flock of sheep and the burning of a cabin. The play is based on Harold Bell Wright's 1907 book about coming to the Ozarks homestead where the drama is set.

The owners cited declining attendance, rising costs and the federal health care overhaul as reasons for the closing. Summer tours of Old Matt's Cabin, which is on the National Registry of Historic Places, will continue to be offered.