By William Cole
Advertiser Staff Writer
Mary L. Bishop’s prominence in the restoration of the Hawai‘i Theatre can be seen in the newspaper stories that featured her.
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| Mary L. Bishop was professional consultant for the Hawai'i Theatre restoration project. |
There she is, overseeing the removal of old seats, in 1987. Another story pictures her in the cleared balcony. Yet another story tells of Bishop accepting a $100,000 contribution from a Los Angeles businessman on behalf of the theater in 1988.
Bishop, the restoration project’s professional consultant, was anywhere and everywhere when it came to the Hawai‘i Theatre, and her enthusiasm was equally boundless, those who knew her say.
"We wouldn’t have a Hawai‘i Theatre without her," said Robert R. Midkiff, chairman of Hawai‘i Theatre Center. "She was the catalyst who brought the renaissance of the Hawai‘i Theatre."
Bishop died Wednesday in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, after suffering a heart attack. She was 82.
Theatre Center board member Claire W. Engle said Bishop was a community leader in Columbus who helped save the Ohio Theatre from demolition in 1969, and then spearheaded its restoration.
In 1986, with a grant from The Advertiser, the fledgling Hawai‘i Theatre Center invited Bishop to evaluate the feasibility of renovating the old auditorium, and then retained her for what would become a 10-year commitment.
New York architects Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer, specialists in theater restoration, were retained as a result of Bishop’s efforts, Engle said. Bishop also co-authored a business plan, she said.
"It was not only experience that Mary brought, but she also brought a unique quality of personality and character that was so engaging — everyone loved her," Engle said. "She also had the quality of being disengagingly charming while twisting your arm" for contributions.
Bishop returned to Ohio after the Hawai‘i Theatre reopened in 1996, Engle said, but visited again in 1999. Kenneth Bishop, her husband, died in 1965. She is survived by a daughter, a brother, four grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
A memorial service will be scheduled at the Hawai‘i Theatre Center at a later date. Contributions can be made to the Mary Bishop Memorial Fund, Hawai‘i Theatre Center, 1130 Bethel St., Honolulu, HI 96813.
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