San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
TONY BENNETT HAS HIS OWN STREET
Tony Bennett is in San Francisco so often, it’s easy to forget he lives in New York. Once again, on June 2, the storied crooner was in our fair city to visit the organ he famously left behind, which now resides on a street named in his honor.
This trip was #TonyBennett Way Day along a stretch of pavement formerly known as Mason Street in front of the famed Fairmont Hotel. That’s where, in 1961 at the Venetian Room, Bennett first sang “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” to instant acclaim.
“This grand occasion,” announced former Mayor Willie
Brown, “is all thanks to Charlotte Shultz.”
Grand it was: Beneath cerulean spring skies, a legion of fans and civic poohbahs celebrated amid an only-in-EssEff block party rife with a cable car trolly, costumed performers, Big Band dance tunes and an outdoor Tonga Room bar.
Shultz, the city’s most effervescent cheerleader and longtime protocol chief, recalled many sister-city trips with thenMayor Brown — no matter the locale (Paris, Shanghai or Cork, Ireland), their entourage was always greeted with Bennett’s signature song.
“We’d look at each and ask, ‘Why are we here? Let’s go home,’ ” she said, with a laugh. “Our hosts always agreed: ‘Oh, I must visit San Francisco again.’ Tony Bennett has been our ambassador around the world. So I asked Mayor Brown, ‘Why don’t we have a street named for our friend?’ ”
Bennett’s friendship with S.F. runs deeps: As mayor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein saved the cable cars with Bennett celebrating alongside her. After reopening the 1989 earthquake-damaged Bay Bridge, Bennett led a singalong atop the span. In 1993, he gave a Candlestick Park concert toasting the new ownership group that saved the S.F. Giants.
And Shultz has faithfully repaid her friend: Valentine’s Day 2012 was Tony Bennett Day in San Francisco, celebrating the 50th anniversary of “that” song. In August 2016, the city celebrated Bennett’s 90th birthday with a Bruce Wolfe statue that graces the Fairmont’s front lawn followed by a Giants’ tribute at AT&T Park.
In gratitude, Bennett also gave a special Venetian Room concert benefitting, natch, the cardiology division at UCSF.
“We seem to celebrate Tony Bennett Day in San Francisco quite a bit,” quipped Fairmont GM Paul Tormey. “Each and every day, the romance and nostalgia of this special song, our anthem, really, elicit this special man’s grace and gratitude to a city that truly loves him.”
The 91-year-old Bennett was due later at the ballpark followed by a concert the next dayn so he kept his remarks brief yet heartfelt.
“This is a day I’ll never forget: The sun is out and it’s San Francisco at its best right now,” said Bennett, to loud cheers. “Thank you for being so wonderful to me.” Hats off to winners: Until last week, Marin Oaks High School senior Nina Point Dujour had never won a theatrical competition.
But that changed June 4 at Club Fugazi, where “Beach Blanket Babylon” producer Jo Schuman Silver hosted the 16th Steve Silver Foundation’s Scholarship for the Arts.
“I went up against Julian O’Byrne (Novato High School); he’s amazing and always gets lead roles. And Chris Wheeler (Heritage High School in Brentwood), who’s insanely talented,” said Dujour, clutching a bouquet following her win. “When I got here, I thought to myself, ‘I have to go up against that? Well, let’s hope; I prayed.’ ”
This hope-filled fete is a spirited pep rally for talented Bay Area teens, hundreds of whom submit audition tapes to Schuman. Nine actually compete, and three winners receive a $15K scholarship to further their higher education.
“I know I say it every year, but this group of kids was just amazing,” said Schuman, whose late husband, Steve Silver, created the beloved “BBB” revue, the nation’s longest-running. “Steve was passionate about giving back to his community and assisting students to pursue their artistic dreams.”
Led by former Mayor Willie Brown and emcee Don Bleu, the rousing evening also featured a heavyweight panel of celebrity judges, including composer Gordon Getty, SFJazz Artistic Director Randall Kline, singer Tracy Chapman, S.F. Opera General Director Matthew Shilvock, movie maven Jan Wahl, YBCA’s Jonathan Moscone, composer Jake Heggie and original GoGo’s member Jane Wiedlin.
Flanked by “BBB” cast members, Dujour and her fellow winners, dancer Joshua Ponton (Oakland School of the Arts) and singer Barbara De Veaux-Griffith, bowed onstage with ginormous “BBB”-size checks.
Dujour, who will attend College of Marin prior to Spelman College, admitted her monologue from Lynn Notage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Ruined,” was a risky one.
“I stumbled across this sophomore year as I explored African American monologues. But I wasn’t ready then,” she recalled. “When I heard about this scholarship senior year, I thought it would be perfect.”
She never performed it live until her “BBB” audition, worried she’d “mess up” the tricky accent.
“I felt like I really had to work for this piece. Especially as my family isn’t thrilled by my interest in theater. But I think they’re happy tonight,” said Dujour, beaming. “This scholarship means validation and support. Theater is what I want to do for the rest of my life.”