{"id":37828,"date":"2026-03-26T16:11:21","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T20:11:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/?p=37828"},"modified":"2026-04-02T15:47:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T19:47:39","slug":"sharon-randi-and-ethan-charm-an-engaged-multigenerational-audience-at-town-square","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/sharon-randi-and-ethan-charm-an-engaged-multigenerational-audience-at-town-square\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharon, Randi, and Ethan charm an engaged multigenerational audience at Town Square"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Multiple generations of Sharon, Lois, and Bram fans assembled at Aurora Town Square on Saturday afternoon for an enjoyable trip down memory lane for many, and a new musical experience for some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children, parents, and grandparents filled the Davide De Simone Performance Hall to hear Sharon Hampson\u2019s insights and listen to her songs that have charmed little kids and big kids for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The children\u2019s music icon and Order of Canada recipient was interviewed on-stage by Toronto Legends podcaster Andrew Applebaum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Richmond Hill resident\u2014after being introduced by Mayor Tom Mrakas–guided hundreds through an afternoon of anecdotes and singalongs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remarkably, Applebaum found the right balance between conversation and well-timed songs that worked for an assembly ranging from toddlers to Golden Agers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this setting, Sharon Hampson was the Belle of the Ball, but she shared the spotlight lovingly with her family in the reconstituted show necessitated by Lois\u2019s passing in 2015 and Bram\u2019s retirement in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The charming entertainer, who will celebrate fifty years in show business in 2028, was joined on stage by her daughter, Randi, and her grandson, Ethan. The trio delivered many of Sharon, Lois, and Bram\u2019s greatest hits to an audience that enjoyed an afternoon of storytelling and timely singalongs when the wee natives approached restlessness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The music video of \u201cSide by Side\u201d warmed up the group and featured a montage of the legendary group\u2019s finest moments, including playing kazoos in three-part harmony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon encouragement from Applebaum, Sharon provided an update on Bram: \u201cI spoke to Bram on Friday and we\u2019re in touch regularly. He and his wife spent the winter in Victoria where there was a little less snow than here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Bram\u2019s retirement, Randi embraced the challenges of the Pandemic to create a new kind of stage show for her family: \u201cI saw COVID as this opportunity to turn the music into a family business. There is such an appetite for Sharon, Lois, and Bram. We\u2019re even working on new children\u2019s books.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ethan acknowledged there were challenges growing up with such a famous grandmother: \u201cI was not a humble three-year-old. I always knew that there\u2019s a famous person in family. It was always a part of my life. The music has been such a big part of our life\u2014it\u2019s innate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ethan rolled into strumming his guitar and Sharon and Randi delivered lead vocals on 1988\u2019s \u201cWe\u2019re All Together Again\u201d to hold the youngsters before Sharon discussed with pride the origins of her career after being prompted by Applebaum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was at the Bohemian Embassy\u2014a real coffee house for people to listen to folk music (Gordon Lightfoot would be there) or listen to poetry with Margaret Atwood, or enjoying jazz at night. I was offered my first job after singing at an Open Mic Night. It was the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applebaum asked about the challenges of the group\u2019s debut album \u201cOne Elephant, Deux Elephants\u201d in 1978 and Sharon noted \u201cWe didn\u2019t press enough albums\u2014we thought 5,000 would be enough and we ran out\u2014which was a nice problem to have.\u201d  Randi added that \u201cnow it\u2019s Triple Platinum with millions of streams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program moved from career reflections and highlights back to a favourite song from The Elephant Show in the 1980s as Sharon, Randi, and Ethan delivered \u201cHey Dum Diddley Dum\u201d to a delighted, bobbing audience which delivered the chorus back to the on-stage entertainers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A spirited rendering of \u201cBallin\u2019 the Jack\u201d took the event into intermission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three-generational audience travelled to Aurora from across the GTA to engage with the animated 83-year-old who showed off her undiminished vocal talents during the two-hour event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robbie Chesla of Burlington discussed her deep connection with Sharon, Lois, and Bram:  \u201cI\u2019m a graduate of The Elephant Show. I first saw the trio when I was ten at the Shawn O\u2019Sullivan Theatre at Brock University. The three of them had such a great impact on bringing children and families together.  It was so good back then\u2014things were very care-free compared to the present. Now, you have to really search for this kind of entertainment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also enjoying the show was a multigenerational quartet from Newmarket.  Katie Duncan brought her sons, five-year-old Blair and three-year-old Russell, to the show as well as her mom Tina Duncan. At intermission, Katie offered insights into the event: \u201cIt\u2019s very cool and I\u2019m happy to watch the boys enjoy it.  They\u2019re really passionate about their music and I\u2019m enjoying the stories\u2014they\u2019re entertaining to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tina appreciated \u201cthe music most of all. It\u2019s special and takes us back in time. It\u2019s really good for children to come to events and to sit in a theatre for a show. The music takes us out of ourselves and it\u2019s really great to see the boys singing along.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Cardinal brought his 2 \u00bd-year-old daughter Charlotte to enjoy the show. The Markham resident thought that the best part of the event was \u201cgetting to share the music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI remember when my parents brought us to Sharon, Lois, and Bram.  It feels special to be here with Charlotte today.  She\u2019s really enjoying it. She knows some of the songs through daycare and from home.  She was dancing in the aisles. It\u2019s such a mixed crowd\u2014it\u2019s great to see the range of ages enjoying the show.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the more amusing anecdotes came after the 15-minute intermission when Applebaum asked Hampson about the trio\u2019s appearance at The White House\u2019s Easter Egg Roll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was very exciting to meet President Clinton, but he nudged Bram during our photo session to tell us that our time was up. Rumor has it that Bram took three hand towels with the Seal of the President on them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After such suggestions of petty larceny and a spirited delivery of \u201cFish and Chips and Vinegar\u201d for the kids of all ages, Applebaum generated much applause for Hampson when he noted her enshrinement in the Order of Canada which Hampson described as \u201cvery thrilling and very exciting, but we weren\u2019t allowed to tell anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGovernor Adrienne Clarkson presented to us and leaned over to me and said \u2018The last time we were together was in the makeup room at CBC.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hampson swooned dramatically when describing the first time she met Harry Belafonte\u2014\u201cHe was so handsome!\u201d\u2014and spoke glowingly of the impacts of Pete Seeger, Fred Penner, and Ernie Coombs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the more spontaneous moments took place during the Q and A as Aurora Town Square Manager Phil Rose manned the mic masterfully through the audience. His racing up and down the aisles was reminiscent of an energetic Phil Donahue when he ruled afternoon television with a similar upbeat and invitational manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With mic in hand, one attendee confessed \u201chaving a crush on Bram in 1999\u201d to which Sharon responded comically, \u201cGet in line\u201d, and when the next questioner asked which song was her favourite to perform, the Toronto-born entertainer responded with \u201cSkinnamarink\u2014we had no idea it would grow to what it became and we closed all our concerts with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an ensuing comment, one audience member noted that \u2018Skinnamarink\u2019 helped her grieving process because it reminded her of her father singing \u201cI love you\u201d to her to which Hampson replied \u201cI hear about generational moments like that and it makes me think that music is such a connector. For that, I am grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked what was the most memorable unscripted moment, Sharon and Randi looked at one another, shared an on-stage chuckle, and the legendary children\u2019s artist delivered a gem: \u201cWe were rhyming children\u2019s names [in spontaneous songs] and Lois asked a little boy \u2018What\u2019s your name?\u2019 The little boy replied, \u2018Tucker!\u2019 We had to sing the song rhyming with Tucker\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The older segment of the audience identified immediately with the rhyming perils of such a first name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharon reassured a wee lad who suggested \u201cthe Elephant always looks sad\u201d to which she responded grand-maternally: \u201cYou\u2019ll have to take our word for it\u2014Elephant is very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seamlessly, Sharon, Randi, and Ethan broke out into a closing rendition of \u201cSkinnamarink\u201d which functioned as an emotional climax for the two hundred guests with Sharon imploring after the last \u201cI love you\u201d to \u201cBe sure to sing this love song with everyone you love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That warm feeling was carried into the meet-and-greet in the lobby\u2014made complete by the surprise appearance of a very happy and photogenic Elephant.  The plush grey pachyderm took his place at the autograph table with Sharon and Randi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After every album, CD, and book was signed and accompanying photos were taken, Sharon Hampson reflected about the most satisfying aspect of the matinee. She paused and smiled: \u201cPeople singing together\u2014grandparents, parents, children\u2014it never ceases to give pleasure.  It fun to tell the stories, but it\u2019s a great joy to see the generations singing together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Randi Hampson echoed her mom\u2019s sentiments: \u201cWe are three generations on stage and we met three generations after the show.  My son was raised on the music. To have experienced it similarly is really a delight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chemistry between mother and daughter was evident as we chatted in the quiet aftermath and Sharon expressed her gratitude and pride towards Randi for helping her continue her career as an entertainer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFirst of all, being able to work at something you love is a gift. We worked very hard at it for years but for it to evolve into a family experience\u2014it\u2019s a bonus.  Such a pleasure.  I\u2019m so proud of my daughter and grandson.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the show, Hampson thanked her daughter \u201cfor stopping me from retiring and keeping the music of Sharon, Lois, and Bram alive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Randi, an accomplished lawyer and talented singer who is indeed keeping the trio\u2019s music alive, looks after the business logistics of her mom\u2019s endearing stage appearances.  She smiled and summarized her role: \u201cI look after things so she gets to do all the fun stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Jim Stewart
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n\r\n\"Facebook\"<\/a>\"twitter\"<\/a>\"mail\"<\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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