The owner of Rock Garden Studio in Appleton decided to become an impresario of an entertainment format that grew out of Vaudeville and came into its own on early television – the variety show.

“To me it’s something that’s been missing for awhile,” Golde said. “First the idea just came to me, that the Fox Valley could use this kind of creative outlet and I know I could pull it off. Immediately things started coming to me. There’s a pretty large cast of people involved, about 35 when you include dancers and stuff like that.”

Golde and company are giving two performances of Marc Golde’s Shows of Shows, 8 p.m. March 27 and 4 p.m. March 28. Both shows are at Waverly Beach in Menasha.

“There’s no way I can explain to people what they’re coming to see,” Golde said. “It’s roughly based on the 1960s/70s variety show format, where it can go in any direction – any style of music, comedy skits. If you remember the variety shows – Sonny & Cher, Donnie & Marie, Smothers Brothers, whatever it was – every act had its own setting, its own hook, it’s own visual or conceptual thing going on just for that performance. I kind of ran with that. There are all sorts of stuff that will be happening – dancing, costumes, comedy skits and different characters appearing. Just a wild freakout of a show. I’m sort of the Ed Sullivan/Willy Wonka/Paul Schaffer of the whole thing. I’ll be doing a couple numbers myself through the show and I’ll play backup for other performers.”

Golde points out that while the public may know some of the talent appearing in the show, most of the people performing are unknown to the public.

“It’s not necessarily a showcase of talent. It’s a show with talent,” he said. “It’s more of a concept we’ll be throwing at people.”

In his Paul Schaffer mode, Golde will lead a house band for some of the acts. The house band includes Drew Hicks on bass, Bob Beekman on drums, Nate Kinsel on keyboards and Mike Boyle on guitar.

“I pretty much picked the guys I wanted and they were into it,” Golde said. “There are a group of players I’ve played with the last 20 years and, no disrespect for their talent, I just wanted to put a different type of band together this time. These guys are fabulous.”

Golde didn’t want to divulge too much about what he has planned for his Show of Shows, but he did mention a few segments, including a tribute to and performance by Fox Valley resident Jimmy Sizemore.

Little Jimmy Sizemore – as he was known to Grand Ole Opry audiences of the 1930s – was a Grand Ole Opry member as a child star alongside his father, Asher Sizemore.

“I’m going to do a lifetime achievement video with him so everybody knows we have this last of the Mohican guy in the Valley and he still performs,” Golde said. “We’ll do  a retrospective of his life and he’ll perform a couple of numbers.”

Golde is also looking forward to introducing to the public a young group of girls that he has been mentoring. The quartet call themselves Twisted Dazzle -- Leah Whittune,guitar;

Emily Reade, drums; Kimmy Schuh, vocals; Alex Stricker, bass.

“I’ve been doing a kind of school of rock thing with them, coaching them to be little rock stars,” he said. “They’re between 10 and 13. I don’t think they’re really grasping what they’ll experience with those two shows. It will be a great lifetime experience for them.”

While Golde said he is happy to expose some undiscovered or unknown talent at his Show of Shows, that is not the goal.

“It’s more influenced by shows I’ve done recently,” he said, “I played Vic Ferrari’s symphony show last year. I played on Prairie Home Companion at the PAC. Did the Cool Waters Reunion where we did a version of Pink Floyd’s The Wall at Waverly Beach. I wanted to tie up all the best aspects of these shows in one. The best thing is I’ve worked with so many people I have a great pool to draw from.”