Talking about kids; Francesca my granddaughter is taking an exam today for theatrical singing. She is to perform three songs from Les Miserables and South Pacific. For some utterly stupid reason the examiners require that she wears costume which her mother has had to hire from a costumiers at no little expense. Francesca has never been in a musical play in her life but enjoys singing in the school choir and the Oldham Schools Choir as well as playing in brass and wind bands for school and the Oldham Lyceum on cornet and bassoon. Her school has acquired a basson costing £4,500 to replace the clapped out one she has been using heretofore. Her cornet is her own. Jim Sharpe Shaw, Oldham, UK ----- Original Message ----- From: Sue M <starshine166@attbi.com> To: <GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 12:26 PM Subject: [GEN-FRIENDS] oh noooooooo > In less than 30 minutes the boys will be home from their last full day of > school. Tomorrow is the last day and it's only a half of a day, then that's > it until August 22nd. Pray for me......... > Sue McAlister

Very interested to hear about Francesca and her music, Jim. What songs is she singing? I love all those musicals you mention. We love Brass Band music too and have a very big collection. Life isn't the same since the closure of the pits caused us to lose most of our bands. They used to come frequently, all of them, to Southport Arts Centre. Something else we lost around the same time were the Welsh Choirs, mostly from mining communities. While I am glad people don't have to down pits any more for a living, these products of the mining communities are a sad loss. Marj Talking about kids; Francesca my granddaughter is taking an exam today for theatrical singing. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.368 / Virus Database: 204 - Release Date: 29/05/02

Francesca sang I dreamed a Dream, Cockeyed Optimist and Whistle a Happy Tune, Marged. Jim Sharpe Shaw, Oldham, UK ----- Original Message ----- From: Marged <marged@btinternet.com> To: Jim Sharpe <jimm.sharpe@virgin.net>; <GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2002 8:01 AM Subject: Re: [GEN-FRIENDS] oh noooooooo > Very interested to hear about Francesca and her music, Jim. What songs is > she singing? I love all those musicals you mention. > > We love Brass Band music too and have a very big collection. Life isn't the > same since the closure of the pits caused us to lose most of our bands. > They used to come frequently, all of them, to Southport Arts Centre. > > Something else we lost around the same time were the Welsh Choirs, mostly > from mining communities. > > While I am glad people don't have to down pits any more for a living, these > products of the mining communities are a sad loss. > > Marj > > Talking about kids; Francesca my granddaughter is taking an exam today for > theatrical singing. > > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.368 / Virus Database: 204 - Release Date: 29/05/02 >

Well good luck to her Jim. Wearing the costume will probably give her more confidence to act the part. Angela ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Sharpe <jimm.sharpe@virgin.net> To: <GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 12:36 AM Subject: Re: [GEN-FRIENDS] oh noooooooo > Talking about kids; Francesca my granddaughter is taking an exam today for > theatrical singing. > She is to perform three songs from Les Miserables and South Pacific. > For some utterly stupid reason the examiners require that she wears costume > which her mother has had to hire from a costumiers at no little expense. > Francesca has never been in a musical play in her life but enjoys singing in > the school choir and the Oldham Schools Choir as well as playing in brass > and wind bands for school and the Oldham Lyceum on cornet and bassoon. > Her school has acquired a basson costing £4,500 to replace the clapped out > one she has been using heretofore. Her cornet is her own. > > Jim Sharpe > Shaw, Oldham, UK > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Sue M <starshine166@attbi.com> > To: <GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 12:26 PM > Subject: [GEN-FRIENDS] oh noooooooo > > > > In less than 30 minutes the boys will be home from their last full day of > > school. Tomorrow is the last day and it's only a half of a day, then > that's > > it until August 22nd. Pray for me......... > > Sue McAlister > > > > ==== GEN-FRIENDS Mailing List ==== > Please delete unwanted taglines and signatures before > sending your message to avoid over-long messages. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >

Wonderful to have music in the family, Jim. In February we went to see South Pacific at the National Theatre - there is nuthin like a dame! Very enjoyable but I was constantly reminded of the Rossano Brazzi etc - it's always the same when one has been brought up with a version - I was just too young to appreciate Mary Martin. I was more impressed by Carmen at The Albert Hall a couple of nights later. Mike ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Sharpe To: GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 12:36 AM Subject: Re: [GEN-FRIENDS] oh noooooooo Talking about kids; Francesca my granddaughter is taking an exam today for theatrical singing. She is to perform three songs from Les Miserables and South Pacific. For some utterly stupid reason the examiners require that she wears costume which her mother has had to hire from a costumiers at no little expense. Francesca has never been in a musical play in her life but enjoys singing in the school choir and the Oldham Schools Choir as well as playing in brass and wind bands for school and the Oldham Lyceum on cornet and bassoon. Her school has acquired a basson costing £4,500 to replace the clapped out one she has been using heretofore. Her cornet is her own. Jim Sharpe Shaw, Oldham, UK ----- Original Message ----- From: Sue M <starshine166@attbi.com> To: <GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 12:26 PM Subject: [GEN-FRIENDS] oh noooooooo > In less than 30 minutes the boys will be home from their last full day of > school. Tomorrow is the last day and it's only a half of a day, then that's > it until August 22nd. Pray for me......... > Sue McAlister ==== GEN-FRIENDS Mailing List ==== Please delete unwanted taglines and signatures before sending your message to avoid over-long messages. ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.361 / Virus Database: 199 - Release Date: 07-May-02