The Oak Cliff Lions
focused its fund raising activities, beginning in 1947, through the "Oak
Cliff Lions Club Minstrel Show". Annually held at the now-historic
Texas Theatre on Jefferson Avenue, members of the Club participated in
"The Minstrel", complete with Mr.
Interlocutor, End Men, the Chorus and
even black faces. The Show brought huge crowds and raised thousands of
dollars for charitable causes.
Among the Interlocutors were Dr. Sam T. Bailey and David R. Braden and stars of
the Show included Seals Heard, Sam Monzingo, crooner Harry Westbrook,
and the Dudley M. Hughes Quartet, to name a few. Music Hall of Famer
Marion B. Snider was the longtime Music Director.
But times and the
community changed and the Club abandoned the "Minstrel" format in 1969.
The Club’s Show then moved to the new Bronco Bowl Playhouse on Ft. Worth
Avenue and in 1970 was officially re-named the Oak Cliff Lions Club
"Extravaganza". Crowds continued to come and the Club continued to
raise charitable funds through its new musical show. Fred Ferguson was
the first "Extravaganza" Master of Ceremonies and Steve Bayless
was Musical Director for the Lions Club Band/Orchestra. Stars of the
"Extravaganza" were truly outstanding, including Tom Young as "Dad
Pearson" and "Penelope Prunewhistle"; Gordon Rea’s annual vocal
rendition of "San Francisco"; magician "Marvelous" Marvin Grantham;
"Billy Big Body" Mitch Mitchell; multi-talented Ted Ferguson, Dr. Bill
Lawhorn, Corky Harris and Dr. Parmer Richardson; father and son teams Carne and Dan
Cunningham and Allison and Mark Snyder; vocal comedians "Jethro and
Carlisle" – Bill Sullivan and Karl Hoeffner, vocalist Wayne Meachum, the
"Nitty Gritty Band" and
duo piano players Bill Morgan and Ed White. Bill Eagle and his troops
headed the concession stands, Ted Dempsey headed the Stage Crew, and O.N.
Moffett led the Oak Cliff Lions Club Greeters.
With a ticket purchased to the "Extravaganza" also came the opportunity to win a new
automobile and other great attendance prizes annually donated by Carl
Moffat, Harold Bridges and others. "Here’s The Deal" Harold Schackman
was the perennial, prize-giving, Ticket Chairman.
The neighborhood around Bronco Bowl and Society changed, as did the
Club, so the "Extravaganza" changed format and location once again.
In the 1990’s and 2000’s the site of the Show moved several times,
Bishop Dunne High School, Townview Magnet School and W.E. Greiner Middle School. Marshall Hughes
was Director for several years and Dr. Burt Bryan served as Master of Ceremonies. Lions’ family
members and non-Lions were allowed into the Cast, and new Club talent emerged.
Bill Melton became Master of Ceremonies. Vocalists Michelle
Metzger, Iris Smith, Paula Craig, Sara Kitto and Darla Wisdom and family, as well as multi-talented Sydney Allen,
Carolyn Dunnigan, Jo Ann Holt, John McCall, Sr., Kathy Magers, John
Dodd, Bill Smith, Charlie Tupper, J.B. Edwards, and Ann Washburn became
regular Cast Members. Mike Lott annually heads the Stage Crew, assisted
by Joe Jessing, Bonnie Breazeale, Corky Harris, Shelby Starr and Charles
Musacchio. Robert Hirsh works "Behind the Scenes" activities.
Club members continue to sell tickets, but due to economic restraints,
the automobile give-away has been eliminated, except for special
occasions, and replaced with drawings for large screen televisions,
vacation trips, and Diamond Jubilee bracelets. In 2004, the Club added a new dimension to
the "Extravaganza" with "A Taste of Oak Cliff" featured in the pre-Show
Agenda and led by John McCall, Jr., highlighting several area
restaurants and samples of their menus. The venture was a total success
with all food sold to a multitude of happy customers.
The 2005 "Extravaganza" featured an entirely new format with the
event being held in Hitt Auditorium at Methodist Hospital and
serving as both the Annual "Extravaganza" and the Club’s Annual
Christmas Party. Chaired by Past President Michelle Metzger, the
theme of the show was "Holidays Around The World". Dinner was served
to paying guests prior to the performance. Traditional Christmas
music and dances were performed, as were selections highlighting
Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Members of the both the Club and the
community took part in the show, which actually had no rehearsal due
to inclement weather the day before. However, it is said to have
been one of the best and most fun "Extravaganzas" ever. As luck would have it,
Chair Metzger had her name drawn as the lucky winner of $5,000 in
American Express Travelers Cheques... but she marched right to
the Podium and promptly announced that she loved the Oak Cliff Lions
Club so much that she was donating the entire prize back to the
Club. Generosity runs deep in the Oak Cliff Lions Club and Lion
Michelle is a true example! With all funds collected and counted,
"Extravaganza" 2005 netted close to $20,000 for Club charities.
The 2006 "Extravaganza" was
again held at Methodist Hospital’s Hitt Auditorium in the
Dinner-Theater style format. Lion Steve Bayless, along with his
wife Marna, resumed the Musical Director duties that he held in the
1970's and 1980's for the Show. Bayless added his own Band and
String Ensemble to the Show and helped make it a real "class"
event. The cast was talented and clever. Lion Danny Boyce dressed
as a Hula Girl and the "Supremes" were the hits of the Show. The
crowd was good and the Show was deemed a success while benefitting Club Charities with some $15,000.
"A Rock and Roll Safari" was the Theme of "Extravaganza"
2007, held December 11, at Dallas Methodist Hospital's Hitt Auditorium.
Musical Directors Steve and Marna Bayless again produced a fun-packed
Show with a regal cast of mostly-talented Lions, and the Steve Bayless
Show Band, with a return to the music of the 1950's and 1960's.
Past President Dan "The Killer" Cunningham was just one of the
array of entertainers who livened up the evening with his rendition of
Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire." Teresa Wash
served as Extravaganza 2007 Chair and Past President Carolyn
Dunnigan, assisted by Past President Robert Hirsh, was 2007 Ticket
Chair. Again, it was a Dinner Theater atmosphere with a great
crowd and atmosphere. Ticket sales for the Event were some $22,250.00, with a net profit for Club activities of
approximately $16,500.00. First Prize for a limited number of $100.00 Drawing
Tickets was a $5,000.00 AMEX Gift Card, (won by Ticket Chair Dunnigan
who donated $1,000.00 back to the "Extravaganza") There
were two Prizes for $1.00 Drawing Tickets - two tickets on Southwest
Airlines, donated by Chair Wash and a week's stay at a beautiful
mountain condo in Dillon, Colorado, donated by Carne and Marge
Cunningham. Lion Carne appeared in his 50th "Minstrel-Extravaganza"
on a night of fun and success for the Oak Cliff Lions Club.
Beginning in 1977, the "Extravaganza" has been Dedicated to a worthy Oak Cliff Lion or Lions
for their Dedication and support of the Club and the "Extravaganza".
Those who have been so honored are:
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