Sharon Lapin
Age - 85
December 6, 2023
"L'amour est un oiseau rebelle, que nui ne peut apprivoiser. . . "**Opening stanza of the aria "Habanera" from Georges Bizet's opera, CarmenTranslation: "Love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame. "In the 143 years since it was first performed, Georges Bizet's fiery aria, "Habanera," has been embraced by singers worldwide. However, one performer not only sang this challenging aria -- and to international acclaim -- but for 80 years, she has lived its opening line. That singer is . . . Sharon Joyce Vaughn LapinA true daughter of the Show-Me State, Sharon Joyce Vaughn Lapin was born in La Grange, Missouri, the only child of John Nolan Vaughn, Superintendent of Highways and Wilma Emma Huebotter Vaughn, an artist who produced blueprints for architectural and engineering firms. At the age of five, the family moved to Port Orchard, Washington. The charming waterfront community is located just outside Seattle and has its back to the Olympic Mountains. This is the place Sharon considers home. Sharon's musical education began early. Before she was three, she was playing two-handed pieces on the piano and by the time she finished kindergarten, Sharon was recognized as a bona fide child prodigy. She continued to study and perform on the piano until high school where a serendipitous event happened that would change Sharon's course forever: Friends asked her to join their trio of amateur singers. The performances were enthusiastically received and from that moment on, Sharon was smitten with singing. "It was great fun," she recalls. "I loved the piano, but it's often a solo experience. . . I adored working with other people to make music. And since I didn't play basketball, singing was the perfect 'team' sport!" After graduating summa cum laude from South Kitsap High School in 1956, Sharon entered the University of Washington in Seattle where she majored in Music. During her freshman year, Sharon unintentionally became involved with another "sporting event," one where the competition was nothing short of brutal. Her sorority sisters at Pi Beta Phi relentlessly urged the tall, stunning brunette to enter local tryouts for the Miss America Pageant. Intrigued by the idea, Sharon jumped in. Beauty pageants are not an easy path. First, Sharon had to win the local Miss Kitsap County competition. She captured both first place in the talent competition for her performance of "Habanera," Bizet's most famous aria from the opera, "Carmen," and the title of Miss Kitsap County. Sharon went on to win the Washington state competition, including first place in the swimsuit and second place in the talent competition, again with her performance of "Habanera. " "Now what?" she wondered. The question was quickly answered as the newly crowned Miss Washington headed to the final stop on the beauty pageant circuit: Atlantic City for the 1960 Miss America pageant hosted by Bert Parks. The Miss America Pageant is a week-long event that culminates in the nationally televised finals on Saturday night. The competition among 51 of the country's most beautiful and talented young women is intense. At stake was a $50,000 scholarship and a $100,000 salary for the year served as Miss America. For many young girls of this era, watching the finals of the annual Miss America Pageant was the female equivalent of the NFL's Super Bowl. It could not be missed. On that particular Saturday night, nearly every little girl in America could be found glued to the family's television set. Before the finals, however, contestants are put through long days of testing, rehearsing and intense interviews with the judges. It is a time when lifelong friends -- and enemies -- are made. Sharon recalls is that while most of the contestants were cheerful and well-mannered, there were moments of sabotage backstage. Pantyhose were mysteriously shredded, shoes suddenly disappeared, cans of hairspray malfunctioned, and makeup inexplicably vanished. In addition to the intrigues going on, each contestant's wardrobe, makeup, hair, talent performance, etc. were intensely reviewed by Pageant officials. Nearly every competitor was required to make revisions of some sort. For Sharon, her single requirement was to cut her shoulder-length hair to chin length, a style she had never worn before. "That threw me off," she says of having to quickly deal with a new hairstyle. In her usual business-like approach, Sharon arrived in Atlantic City intensely prepared. For the all-important evening gown competition, a Seattle designer approached Sharon with the offer to provide her with a dress created just for her: Simple, yet elegant. The spaghetti-strapped dress was made of white satin and had pink satin roses appliqued around the yoke of the dress. Tiny pearls and a pink rose adorned the matching shoes. However, Sharon's swimsuit for the Miss America contest proved to be a less democratic choice. Armed with her own swimsuits, Sharon arrived in Atlantic City only to be told that contestants were required to choose a suit by designer Rose Marie Reed. Initially, Sharon was given a gold lame swimsuit, which she politely declined. Her choice? A simple, pure-white swimsuit. It won her the swimsuit competition. She also won the talent portion of the Miss American pageant with her performance of "Habenera. " So, with two first-place awards in hand, Sharon earned her way to the Final Top 10 contestants and (physically) moved to the top of a pyramid-shaped platform that held the other nine competitors. "I was nearly numb from rushing around during the show," she recalls. "I remember thinking, 'Oh my goodness, how can I walk down all these [steep] steps to the stage and Bert Parks without tripping? And can I answer his questions before a live television audience without sounding like an idiot?'" recalls Sharon. In the end, Sharon advanced to the Final top Five and finished as second runner-up to Kentucky's Lynda Lee Mead. The position earned her a $25,000 scholarship (roughly the equivalent of $210,000 today). To celebrate, Sharon and her parents decided to spend a week in New York City seeing the sites. She delighted in the shopping, and picked out a stole and fur coat for herself. But the true highlight for Sharon was experiencing Broadway theatre, which was at the height of its memorable Musical Theatre era. The family saw several productions, but for Sharon, the most stirring was seeing "My Fair Lady," starring Julie Andrews. It proved to be another life-changing experience for the young soprano, who would return to Broadway a few years later as a singer and performer herself. After a whirlwind New York experience, Sharon returned to Seattle where she was greeted with a hero's welcome to celebrate her success in the Miss America Pageant. Thousands of people were waiting to escort their Miss Washington across the Sound and back to the University. "I was stunned that so many people were there," recalls Sharon. "I remember there were thousands of people on the beaches of Puget Sound, all waving and cheering. Hundreds of boats were blowing horns and a stance of fireboats were spraying arches of water. It was thrilling!" As she started her sophomore year of college, a third life-changing event occurred. Sharon auditioned - and was accepted - to study with the renowned mezzo-soprano, Marilyn Horne, a former New York Metropolitan Opera star. At the time, Ms. Horne was well into a remarkable 50+-year career as one of America's most renowned singers. Like Sharon, she was a child prodigy and before she was 30, Ms. Horne earned international recognition for her lead role in "Norma" with the Royal Opera House in London. Ironically, Ms. Horne's most famous role was the lead in "Carmen. " Over time, "Habanera," had become Ms. Horne's signature role. (It was Horne whose singing voice was dubbed in for actress Dorothy Dandridge in the film version, "Carmen Jones. ") Ms. Horne went on to win a Grammy Award for that performance (as well as three more Grammy's) and the National Medal of Arts, this country's highest civilian honor. Ms. Horne was selective as to who she took on as a student, but she was impressed with Sharon's potential as a classically trained singer. Her influence on the young Sharon Vaughan was far-reaching. A week after graduating from the University of Washington with a B. A. in Music, Sharon moved to New York City to continue her musical training at the prestigious Julliard School of Music. "My parents didn't want me to go. I didn't know anyone in New York. I didn't have a friend to go with me. But I knew this is where I needed to be, so I went alone. " Her plan? "Just to get on a plane and go!"Within the week, Sharon (1) found an apartment on the West side of Manhattan, (2) found a vocal coach and teacher, and (3) started auditioning for roles on Broadway. After several frustrating months of auditing, Sharon landed her first role as homecoming queen in a new production, "All-American. " It was a new musical written by Mel Brooks, directed by the legendary Joshua Logan and starring Ray Bolger, who is best known for his 1939 career-defining role as the Scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz. " (It's worth noting that Sharon entered the New York theatre scene during Broadway's Golden Era of Musical Theatre. As historian Martin Shefter writes, "Broadway musicals, culminating in the productions of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, became enormously influential forms of American popular culture, and helped establish New York City as the cultural capital of the country. "Many New York City musical shows had paved the way, starting with the first, "The Elves," in 1857, and followed by Gilbert and Sullivan's family friendly comic operas in 1878, George M. Cohen's body of work in the 1900-1920s and Florenz Ziegfeld's elaborate - and electrify - shows in the 1920s. What emerged was a new, uniquely American genre known as Musical Theatre. While many consider "Show Boat," first performed at the Ziegfeld Theatre in 1927, as the first true production, historians define the Golden Age of Musical Theatre as the period between 1943-1964. Kicking off this period was the 1943 opening of "Oklahoma!" The down-to-earth, no-chorus-girls production startled, then enchanted audiences. "Oklahoma!" ran for 2,212 performances, won a Pulitzer Prize and netted a record-setting $40 million -- the equivalent of $341 million today. During this period, Rodgers and Hammerstein produced such memorable musicals as "Oklahoma!," "Carousel," "South Pacific," "The King and I," and "The Sound of Music. " Their worthy competitors, Lerner and Lowe, launched "My Fair Lady" in 1956 and "West Side Story" in 1957. Most experts recognize these seven shows as the core of Musical Theatre repertoire. )Josh Logan was the director for many of these legendary productions. After winning the Tony Award for directing "Mr. Roberts" in 1948 (he went on to direct the film version as well as "Picnic," "Bus Stop," and "Sayonara"), Logan directed, either on Broadway or in film or both, "South Pacific," Annie Get Your Gun," "Camelot" and "Paint Your Wagon. ""Do not read the reviews," Logan sternly warned the "All-American" cast on opening night. While the critics were harsh, the show ran for six months - eight performances a week - before closing. Two interesting trivia notes: Well-known character actor Fritz Weaver had a small part and the one enduring song from the musical was "Once Upon a Time," sung by Bolger. Sharon, who was understandably disappointed that the show ended, says that the experience taught her a valuable lesson: "No matter what, just keep going. " (This was a mantra that would serve her well over the years. ) Besides, Sharon adds, however premature its demise, the show enabled her to secure that all-important Actors' Equity card, which allowed her access to better parts. A few weeks after "All-American" closed, Sharon got a call to audition for a role in a new Mary Martin show. Martin, perhaps best known for her television production of "Peter Pan," was a long-time Broadway star and muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Her first big musical was Cole Porter's "Leave It to Me!" in 1938, where she sang "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," her signature piece. Martin had won the Tony Award for her performance in "Peter Pan" on Broadway in 1954 and starred in the beloved television version in 1960. In addition to her Broadway career, Martin starred in 15 films. Sharon remembers Martin fondly. "She was very nice. " During a cast party celebrating Martin's birthday, Sharon "blessed" the cake with an original quote: "May the Birthday Bird shit all over your cake!" It was a reference to the thick chocolate icing that was melting off the cake and dripping on Martin's shoes. "You're naughty," quipped Martin, wagging her finger at Sharon while laughing hysterically. During her early tenure in New York City, Sharon played many roles, but never the traditional one of "starving waitress. " Instead, she earned rent money by singing in nightclubs and at New York's City Centre. Later, she found work in television commercials, which were both immediately lucrative and provided on-going income through residuals. In one memorable day, Sharon shot four television commercials within an 18-hour period. "I just hopped on the subway and learned each script as I rode to the next assignment. ," she recalls. Sharon later won a role on another Mary Martin musical, "Jennie," which closed after six months. She went on to City Centre's production of "Oklahoma!" and later "The King and I. " Then an interesting offer brought Sharon back to Broadway. The production was to be directed by Vince Donahue, who had just won a Tony for Best Director for "The Sound of Music," starring Mary Martin. The new musical, composed by Julie Styne and rising star Stephen Sondheim, showcased a young Jewish girl from the Bronx by the name of Barbra Streisand. The show was "Funny Girl. "Initially, it was Mary Martin who approach renowned film and Broadway producer, Ray Stark, to take on the project -- with herself in the lead role. But Sondheim told Styne that the role of Fanny Brice "should be played by a Jewish girl. " Martin was out and Stark turned to actress Anne Bancroft, who had originated the role of Annie Sullivan in "The Miracle Worker. " The play won four Tony Awards, including one for Bancroft as Best Actress. She later captured the Academy Award for Best Actress in the 1962 film version. However, after hearing the score of "Funny Girl," Bancroft said, "Not me," probably recognizing she did not have the voice for such a demanding role. Bancroft was followed by Eydie Gorme, who lost out when she insisted her husband, Steve Lawrence, play the part of Nick Arnstein and Carol Burnett, who declined for the same reason as Bancroft. Recognizing that the role of Fanny Brice required a "voice" more than a big-name actress, Stark recalled a young singer who had a small but memorable role in "I Can Get It for You Wholesale. " Her name was Barbra Streisand. Streisand, observed Sharon, was "a different kind of singer. We rehearsed seven days a week and at first, [Streisand] use to scream her way through certain songs. But she got better. She found a coach who helped her adjust to the rigors of a musical. By the time we got to the dress rehearsal, I thought she was wonderful. There was no doubt Streisand was going to be a star," recalls Sharon. "Funny Girl," which originally premiered off-Broadway, opened at the famed Winter Garden Theatre on March 26, 1964 and was an instant hit. The show earned eight Tony nominations. Unbelievably, "Funny Girl" lost out in all categories to "Hello, Dolly," which won a record-breaking 10 Tony Awards. (The role of Dolly Levi made Carol Channing, who had beat out Ethel Merman and Mary Martin, a star. Ironically, Streisand later would play Dolly Levi in the 1969 film version of "Hello, Dolly!" The film won three Academy Awards. )In addition to performing in a Broadway hit, Sharon cherished the lifelong friendships she formed with several of the other Ziegfeld girls in "Funny Girl," including actors Ann Francis and Lainie Kazan. Francis went on to star in films like "The Blackboard Jungle" and "Bad Day at Black Rock," but probably is best known for her lead role in "Honey West," the first television series to star a female private detective. Sharon's close pal Lainie Kazan, who was Streisand's understudy in "Funny Girl," went on to win an Emmy Award for her guest spot on "St. Elsewhere," and a 1993 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical ("My Favorite Year). Hollywood lured "The Three Musketeers," aka Ann Francis, Lainie Kazan and Sharon, to Los Angeles to revise their roles for the film version of "Funny Girl. " The movie became the top-grossing film of 1968, and earned Streisand an Academy Award and Golden Globe. Additionally, the Original Cast Recording of "Funny Girl" was released and was an instant success, hitting the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200. In 2004, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and in 2014, a 50th Commemorative Anniversary edition was released. The move to Los Angeles to film "Funny Girl" proved both professionally and personally beneficial to Sharon. It doubled the opportunity to work on a range of projects in television, film and the quick-and-lucrative area of television commercials. And on a personal level, it was during the filming of a television commercial that she met a young, very handsome talent agent by the name of Byron Lapin. That initial meeting apparently made a far bigger impression on one than the other. "I was standing near the bottom of some stairs talking to another agent [during the filming of a commercial] when a woman in costume started down the stairs," reported Byron when aggressively quizzed about the couple's first encounter. "I saw her feet first, then these amazing legs and before I even saw her face, I said to the guy I was talking to, 'That's the girl I'm going to marry!'"Byron immediately did some detective work and learned that Sharon was casually seeing a colleague of his at General Artists Corporation (GAC), Bill Jordan. He quickly set up a double-date for dinner for the following Saturday. For Sharon, it was her first face-to-face with her future husband. Was she impressed? Did she intuitively know that Byron was "The One"?"No," says Sharon matter-of-factly. "He was very nice and well-mannered. I thought he was cute. "Apparently "cute" was enough to warrant a second date. The following week, Byron escorted Sharon to a lecture at UCLA, Byron's alma mater. The keynote speaker was the revered acting teacher, Lee Strasberg. At the time, Strasberg was the Director of the Actors Studio in New York City, considered the country's most prestigious acting school. He was in Los Angeles to open the Actors Studio West. "I was impressed. Byron knew a great deal about acting and the industry, and was interesting to talk to," says Sharon. Within the year, Sharon and Byron were married and happily setting up house in Los Angeles. They spent four happy years in California, with regular trips to New York for business and pleasure. Then in 1972, Byron was called to come to St. Louis when he was needed to take over the family business. Based in St. Louis, the Clayton Corp. designs, develops and manufactures aerosol valves for products like Reddi Whip, the company's first invention. Byron came into the business when his father, Aaron "Bunny" Lapin, the founder of Clayton Corp. , fell ill. He later took over as President upon his father's death. His goal was to expand the product line to include a wider range of applications in other industries, such as polyurethane foam, caulks and silicones, personal care, cosmetics and various industrial applications. During their years in St. Louis, Bryon and Sharon travelled the world meeting with potential new clients. Their work grew the privately held Clayton Corp. five-fold, and expanded its national and international clientele. Additionally, the couple were active contributors to the cultural community in St. Louis. Byron served on the Board of Dance St. Louis, and both were supporting members of the St. Louis Symphony and the St. Louis Science Center's Albert Einstein Society. Sharon and Byron were married for over 40 years until his death in 2015,# # # Show more
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