Spectacular to shine
Annual event to benefit local organizations
Shining, shimmering, splendid acts — and a whole lot of Disney magic — is what can be expected on Saturday night at the Frank Buck Shaffer Theater inside the Porterville Memorial Auditorium for the 56th annual Spectacular, now known as the Buck Shaffer Spectacular, during “It’s a Disney World.”
The show opens at 7 p.m. when Trick Shot, who has done the preshow for more than 30 years, takes the stage. The Fabulous Studio Band, which has performed at every show since its inception, will once again back up the show, and Eric Ball will return as master of ceremonies.
“It’s exciting — 18 of the 28 acts are from Disney Productions. Approximately 90 percent of the 150-plus performers are local elementary and high school students,” said show producer Richard Eckhoff. “This is the 56th annual spectacular and in all that time we have had only two producers, three emcees, including Pete Tewksbury who emceed only the first show, three band directors, three stage managers and over 4,000 performers.”
The show will open with a “Snow White” number by the Crack O’dawn Dancers, continue with an array of batons, dance groups, instrumentalists and vocalists singing and performing to everything from “Coolest Cats in Town” from a Disney original television show, to the classic “Bibbitty Bobbitty Boo” from Cinderella, before ending with Mary Poppins’ “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”
In between, audience of all ages might find themselves dancing or singing along to songs from “Tangled,” “Tarzan,” “Aladdin,” “101” and “102 Dalmatians,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and” Mulan,” and other classics, as well as songs from newer Disney movies, such as “Disney Descendants.”
“I’m thrilled to death, and of course, excited,” said Bill Shaffer, auditorium stage manager who has more than 16 years of Disney post production and film editorial work under his Disney ears. “I can’t wait till Saturday night. I’m using Manny Lopez as my main assistant. He knows everything.”
Lopez, former manager of the auditorium retired in 2017 after more than 42 years there.
The show’s finale, consisting of the entire cast, was put together by Mary Shaw, director of the Barn Theater Junior Company, with the assistance of choreographer Jocelyn Carrillo, musical director Kim Baumgardner, and music arranger Jim Kusserow.
Porterville Unified School District’s Kevin Standifer, who helps run the auditorium, summed it up by saying “Things are looking good.”
This year the proceeds of the show will benefit two local organizations — the Imagine Community Arts Center, which has been involved with creating some of the stage centerpieces; and Valley Adult Day Services — a program which provides day services to adults who cannot stay home alone, including those with Alzheimer’s Disease and other related forms of dementia.
“For them to support this is a real, real blessing. It’s amazing and I am so, so grateful,” said Cheri Taylor, executive director of Valley Adult Day Services. “My husband Warren Taylor and I sang at the Spectacular four times and it is something very dear to our hearts. It is heartwarming to both of us.”
Taylor, who has worked for more than 25 years for the adult day services, said she feels honored to be the recipient of the proceeds since there are many wonderful organizations in town.
The show, originally called the City of Hope Spectacular, was started by the late Frank “Buck” Shaffer in 1963 as auxiliary fundraiser for the City of Hope National Medical Center in Southern California.
The variety show remains a beloved community event. The Porterville Memorial Auditorium is located at 465 W. Olive Ave. in Porterville.