Henderson-based family band displays strong bond on stage in Firelight Barn Dinner Theater

The Jackson family grows each week.

Performing at the Firelight Barn Dinner Theater, 133 S. Water St., Toni “Mama” Jackson and her four wrangler children — Tess Jackson Adaoag, 25; Grayden, 23; Mickinzie, 21; and Skyler, 15 — invite guests to sing along and interact with them. By the end of the show, everyone leaves feeling like a wrangler.

“Our favorite thing is to make people happy,” Toni said. “We love seeing people grinning ear to ear after the first couple of songs. If they’re having a good time, we’re having a good time.”

The quintet makes up Mama’s Wranglers, a western band that performs multiple times a week at the family’s dinner theater. The variety show is filled with clogging (a type of folk dance), sing-alongs and family-friendly comedy. Performances include AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time” and Johnny Cash’s “Walk the Line.”

“We offer wholesome family entertainment, so it’s great being in downtown Henderson,” Toni said. “There’s nothing like it down here, and if people have guests from out of town, they don’t have to fight the crowds and traffic on the Strip to see a show.”

Opening off Basic Road in April 2015, the family moved to the Water Street location in May. Originally operating in a 900-square-foot space, the theater is now four times the size.

“We didn’t have a stage at the old location, so people had to walk through our performance area to get to the one little restroom that we had,” Toni said. “We laugh about it now, but it was kind of awkward at the time. We’re excited for what we can do (at the new location).”

Music became the family’s heartbeat when Toni quit her gig as an insurance broker to spend more time with her children. In order to support the family, she began teaching piano lessons from her home.

“My mom taught piano for 19 years, so we all grew up playing at her feet next to the piano,” Tess said. “It’s been in our blood since we were young. We’ve been drawn to music ever since.”

After mastering the piano, Toni’s children began learning the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass, accordion and others.

“One of the first instruments we all learned was the piano, which gives you a good basis of how to read music,” Grayden said. “Since then, each additional string instrument has been easier to learn than the previous because it all translates really easily.”

Spanning 15 years, the Jacksons have performed in 49 states (excluding Hawaii), Canada and Europe. Toni said traveling and touring has given her children the ability to learn valuable life skills.

“They get to experience different cultures and customs as opposed to reading a book in a classroom,” she said. “They’ve also developed important social skills needed to interact with people and perform. It’s been a great thing all the way around.”

In 2014, Mama’s Wranglers played 350 shows around the country, only coming home four weeks out of the year. Though grateful for the experience, the amount of traveling inspired them to open a theater in Henderson.

“The kids want to do this the rest of their lives. They want to make a living out of playing music,” Toni said. “So, in order to do that, we either have to be out on the road a lot, or we have to have our own theater.”

Initially, the Jacksons thought about starting a show on the Strip, but it didn’t pan out having underage band members. So, they created a family-friendly environment.

On stage, there’s more instruments than band members, and Mama’s Wranglers often switch between them without hesitation, even during the middle of songs.

“We love the fact that we can work together without having to go to different jobs every day, not seeing each other every day,” Toni said. “We’re so close. We wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Performance times for Mama’s Wrangler’s vary. General admission is $15; dinner is an additional $13. Visit firelightbarn.com or call 702-518-7464 for show times.