All in Grand Time
By Sandi Laird
This is a big year for the Grand Theatre, London, Ontario. The upcoming season, announced this week, will be the 125th year of live performance on the Spriet Stage. 2026/27 also marks Artistic Director Rachel Peake’s third season of programming at the historic theatre. For theatre lovers and our followers, Entertain This Thought presents a sneak peek for your reading pleasure.
Our followers will be glad to hear three new Canadian productions will take the stage, as well as two shows will make their debut on an Ontario stage. Here is the high-level overview provided by The Grand Theatre and Artistic Director. For in depth details, check this link:
https://www.grandtheatre.com/2627-season
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors. Award-winning director, Krista Jackson (Imago Theatre, Stratford Festival) is known to Grand audiences for a fast-paced and deliciously dark laugh. With audience favourite Jesse Gervais (Clue, Grand Ghosts) set to star as Dracula himself, this London-made production of the world’s hottest take on its least honourable prince will leave you thirsty for more. Developed in Edmonton, this production is making its Ontario debut on the Spriet Stage.
For the holidays, a new musical take on A Christmas Carol, written by Canadian David van Belle, re-set in a late-1940s department store and featuring everyone’s seasonal favourites, including “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, “Walking in a Winter Wonderland”, “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”, and more. I must say I love a musical and the new setting with all those holiday classics sounds merry indeed!
A change in tone comes in the New Year, as the Grand will welcome cicadas, an eerie eco-thriller by Siminovitch laureate and Governor General’s Award-winner David Yee. What if your house had a mind of its own? An eerie eco-thriller that hits close to home. It is 2035, and an investigation into the mysterious disappearance of a young girl leads to an old, mysterious house that seems to be sinking into the earth. A flood with no leak, walls consumed by long-extinct botanicals, and hordes of cicadas are only a few of the odd occurrences seeping up through the old floorboards orchestra on stage, and imagines a haunting reckoning with nature in the not-so-distant future.
Next to the stage is Somewhere – a love letter to mid-century New York City, the golden age of Broadway, and all things West Side Story. In this heartfelt, poignant family-drama laced with dance, the Candelaria family has the talent for fame beyond their cosy Puerto Rican neighbourhood and yet gentrification – and the building of the Lincoln Centre – threaten home as they’ve always known it.
Leaping into spring, the classic love story of Cyrano de Bergerac and his very large nose will take to the Grand’s Spriet Stage in a new modern-verse adaptation by Jessy Ardern and directed by Amanda Goldberg. Loosely based on the real life of the infamous 17 th -century novelist and playwright, this costume period drama promises sword fighting, poetry, romance, and conflict all written in lively rhyming couplets.
Next up, a blast from the past with the musical stage version of 9 to 5 based on the original movie and mega hit by country legend Dolly Parton. The Grand promises this hilarious office revenge plot gone wrong – directed by Rachel Peake – (will) bring the house down and send us off to summer singing with the top down.
For the 125 th season, the theatre will feature the much-loved High School Project (HSP) School of Rock. Check out the Grand website for details on how London and area students can get involved: https://www.grandtheatre.com/participate-high-school-project
The Grand will again be staging the Jeans ‘N Classics series.
* “Peter’s Playlist,” in memory of creator and musician Peter Brennan,
* A spotlight iconic female voices that shaped rock music (think Pat Benatar, Stevie Nicks, Janis Joplin …), first-wave British artists (The Who, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Elton John, Queen, and more)
* Tom Petty’s timeless blend of Southern storytelling and rock n’ roll, and
* ‘90s Power Chords (Nirvana, Counting Crows, REM, Alanis Morrissette).
Here is some great news for our followers. The Grand Theatre is grateful to offer Canada Life Pay What You Can pricing for performances of Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors on Sunday, October 25 at 2 p.m., A Christmas Carol on Sunday, November 29 at 1 p.m., cicadas on Sunday, January 24 at 2 p.m., Somewhere on Sunday, February 28 at 2 p.m., Cyrano de Bergerac on Sunday, April 4 at 2 p.m., and 9 to 5 on Sunday, May 9 at 2:00 p.m.
Credit and appreciation to the Grand Theatre Communications and Public Relations team for the summaries and information provided to Entertain This Thought.
Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street, London, Ontario
To reach the Grand box office call 519-672-8800 or 1-800-265-1593 or visit www.grandtheatre.com