By Gail Wood
First, they’ll make you laugh with their humorous rendition of a classic Beatle’s song.
Then they’ll make you tap your foot with the smooth sound of jazz that includes riffs from a saxophonist who once accompanied Frank Sinatra.
They’re back, Olympia’s musical dentists and the talented Olympia Jazz Senators.
On Oct. 22, a collection of tap dancers, jazz musicians and a gospel choir will perform along with 15 dentists at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts starting at 7:30 p.m. It’s a fundraiser for no-fee dental care for low income, uninsured people.
“We’re doing it as a goodwill gesture and as an expression of our Christian faith,” said Stephen Kern, who is one of the singing dentists in the show. “We want to help and contribute to the community.”
The show begins with a comical version of the Beatle’s “Sergeant Pepper.” There’s also a humorous revised version of “Soul Man,” complete with a dental theme.
“It’s pretty funny,” Kern said.
The show, which is called “The Beat Goes On,” is a collection of talent which includes three former Miss Washingtons, including Doris Clark, who placed 10th in the Miss America pageant in the early 1980s and now lives in Federal Way. For years, Clark was a warm-up act for Sammy Davis Jr. in Las Vegas.
“She has a terrific voice,” Kern said. “She sounds how Whitney Houston used to sound.”
Gary Scott is a saxophonist in the Olympia Jazz Senators. He accompanied Sinatra.
“He’s got some impressive credentials,” Kern said. “He’s the leader of the band.”
Also in the show are singers from the Church of the Living Water and the Saint Martin’s community concert choir. Laurel Gonzales is the musical director and the choreographer is Dorothy Joiner, a dental assistant.
“It’s really an interesting mix,” said Virginia Schnabel, director of development for the Olympia Union Gospel Mission. “It’s lots of fun. It’s a big collaborative effort.”
Last year, the show nearly sold out in the 900-seat Washington Center and raised $50,000 after expenses. It is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Olympia Union Gospel Mission.
In addition to the music, there will be three people who talk about getting free dental care. Kern said there are about 30 dentists who volunteer time at the clinic at the Olympia Union Gospel Mission. He estimated that another 25 accept patients by referral into their private practice.
“That’s about half the dentists in town,” Kern said.
Those dentists will be recognized at the concert. In a year, Schnabel said there are 2,600 dental appointments done through this outreach.
With about 100 people performing, there’s a variety of music at the performance, ranging from swing to jazz to rock. There are also the sounds of the 40s and the big-band era. It’s a show like no other. Tickets are available for $23, $25 and $28.
“It’s great entertainment, but you also get to see a little bit of the scope of the need for dental work,” Kern said. “There are usually three testimonies from patients who have been treated at the clinic and have been able to get relief from pain. But that’s not a heavy handed theme throughout.”
For most of the evening, it’s an attempt to entertain with music to raise money for people in need of dental care.
“There’s something for everyone,” Schnabel said about the show.
To get tickets go to olytix.org or call 360-753-8586.
