Singer-actress Shari Lynn was in New York to see Bette Midler on Broadway in “Hello Dolly.” After her return I called Shari, a longtime pal I have covered for years, to comment on Bette, the superstar from Halawa who won a Tony for “Dolly,” and she emailed: “Bombastic, iconic, fun — these are all words I would use to describe Bette as ‘Dolly.’
“The physical energy required for this role is huge, and considering she’s 71, she amazes us. As an entertainer, first and foremost, Bette has no problem breaking the ‘fourth wall,’ and that’s what happened on the night I saw her. She was in the middle of the song ‘I Put My Hand In’ and missed a choreographed move where, as she’s dancing, her arm swings through the strap of her purse. Well, she missed. So she turned to the audience and said, ‘Live theater, folks.’
“Over the years, I’ve been honored to have been compared to Bette a few times. Many years ago my hair was a bit reddish and I was living in Aiea, so for a time, I jokingly called myself the ‘poor man’s Bette Midler.’ (In case you didn’t know, I’m also Jewish.)”
Don Conover, a pianist and organist at Hawaii Theatre, has accompanied Shari often. He was among four gentlemen celebrating poet Walt Whitman’s birthday by having dinner at Assaggio’s Ala Moana recently. The American poet was born on May 31, 1819. At the dinner table were retired Cal State Sacramento professor and Whitman scholar Ivor Kraft, 92, actor Ernest Harada and William Petty, a sound engineer and also an organist at Hawaii Theatre.
When I mentioned Don, Shari gave him high praise, saying: “He is one of the most selfless, generous, kind musicians I know.” She also praised Ernest and William, and called the three of them her “posse.” Medici’s is her regular hangout, she said. “I’m fortunate to be there every other month with the finest of jazz musicians, pianist Jim Howard and bassist John Kolivas. We’ll be there on July 21 with two sets, at 7:30 and 9. We’ll be there again in September and November” …
The First Annual Jimmy Borges Jazz Festival is booked at the Blue Note for July 30, 6:30 p.m. Jimmy’s widow, Vicki, and Cha Thompson are producing. Shari says she’s privileged to be hosting and singing. Performers include Loretta Ables Sayre, Willie K and Kip Wilborn. The band is made up of Howard on piano, drummer Noel Okimoto, Rocky Holmes on sax and bassist Dean Taba. Jimmy died May 30, 2016, of cancer at 80. It’s a benefit for Borges’ vocal scholarships at the University of Hawaii. Charles Mukaida, first scholarship recipient, will perform. Tickets are $35 and $45; call 777-4890. Dinner available at 5 p.m. … Sept. 17 marks the 18th annual La Pietra Sunset Jazz Concert. “It’s a fundraiser I started when I began teaching there in 2000, and Jimmy was with me most of the time,” Shari said …
Handsome Milton D. “Sonny” Beamer Jr., 91, a member of a highly respected family of entertainers, died July 5. He is the third member of my close-knit golfing group we have lost. Borges was the second, and the first was Star-Bulletin editorial cartoonist Corky Trinidad, who died Feb. 13, 2009, at 69.
When you ride next to someone in a golf cart and suck up a few beverages on the 19th hole, you learn a lot about a person. I can say without hesitation that Sonny, Jimmy and Corky were all first-class guys, really straight shooters as human beings. Sonny’s brother was Mahi Beamer, an outstanding singer and pianist-organist who died Friday after collapsing at Sonny’s services Wednesday at Oahu Cemetery. His cousin was the late Hawaiiana authority Nona Beamer, mother of the noted Beamer Brothers (Keola and Kapono).
The impromptu music, singing and hula that took place at Sonny’s birthday parties were a rare treat. Besides his brother, Sonny is survived by his wife of 50 years, Kathryn “Miki” Beamer, sister Helen “Sunbeam” Beamer, daughter Billie “Manono” Beamer and stepchildren Debra Evnen, Dana Hubbard and Mike Moss.
Sonny was a champion sprinter and a football player at Kamehameha, class of 1945. His father, Territorial Supervisor Milton D. Beamer Sr., was also a champion sprinter at Kamehameha and held the 100-yard dash prep record of 10 seconds flat that Sonny tied in 1945.
More on Mahi Beamer in my next column …
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets during World War II, writes of people, places and things. Contact him via email at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
