March 8 to 19
Grand Theatre, Covent Garden Productions, and mirvish productions present:
ROOM
By Emma Donoghue Adapted for the stage by Emma Donoghue Songs by Cora Bissett and Kathryn Joseph
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WELCOME When I first arrived at the Grand, just over five years ago, I was surprised and delighted to learn that novelist and playwright Emma Donoghue lived right here in London. I loved the idea of a staged version of Room when I first heard of it, and I love it even more now. It has become a story unto itself as to how the North American premiere of Room has come to life here at the Grand. The original staged version premiered four and half years ago in London, England and then transferred directly to the famed Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The production you are seeing is the second, and revised, version of the play. What does that mean? Thanks to COMPASS—our new play development program—the Grand was able to welcome the original creative team back to the project. They have made many changes, some significant rewrites, and some considerable design reimagining. Here at the Grand, we are proud to partner with Covent Garden Productions in the UK and Mirvish Productions to bring this show to life. We are also immensely proud to bring on an all-new Canadian cast. Following our run here, the entire production will transfer to downtown Toronto for an extended run at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Sky’s the limit as to where it will go after that… But before we can look forward, we must look back on that fateful day on March 13, 2020, when Room was tragically cut short, and closed on its Opening Night at the Grand. Before this, Room had already completed three preview performances. The excitement for the show was absolutely thrilling. And
then, the morning of Opening Night we were forced to close due to the health and safety concerns of what was then known as the “novel Coronavirus.” It was a painful day for many reasons: one of the reasons was realizing that Room would not get to Opening Night. Since then, I have been waiting for this moment – when we would finally re-mount and officially open Room. I never doubted that we would return here, to this spectacular production, and this incredible team of humans who have believed in this story all along the way. Since March 2020, the world has changed. As will the way you will perceive this production. However, what hasn’t changed is Emma’s powerful, laser sharp clarity of thoughts and ideas. As we all emerge from our darkness, I take great comfort in Ma’s words: “Scared is what we’re feeling but brave is what we’re doing.” Let Ma, through Emma, be an inspiration for us all as we move forward. dennis garnhum artistic director
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT We are thrilled to welcome you back to the Grand Theatre, where we operate on the traditional lands of the Attawandaron (also known as Neutral) peoples and territories associated with various treaties of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, and Lunaapewak. The Attawandaron peoples once settled this region alongside the Algonquin and Haudenosaunee peoples and used this land as their traditional beaver hunting grounds. In London, our treaties include the 1796 London Township Treaty and the 1822 Longwoods Treaty. The London Township Treaty was a regional treaty signed by diplomats representing all parties living on the land, which today we know as southwestern Ontario. The Longwoods Treaty was signed by representatives of the Crown and the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and covers approximately 580,000 acres in the area. Locally, there are three First Nations Communities. They are the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, the Oneida Nation of the Thames, and the Munsee Delaware Nation. We would also like to recognize the growing Indigenous urban population, comprised of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people. We value the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional First Nations, and all of the Original Peoples of Turtle Island (also known as North America), and acknowledge the traditional lands upon which we operate.
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Spriet Stage, March 8 to 19 Opening Night march 11
Grand Theatre, Covent Garden Productions, and Mirvish Productions present
ROOM By Emma Donoghue
Adapted for the stage by Emma Donoghue Songs by Cora Bissett and Kathryn Joseph Directed by Cora Bissett Originally produced by Theatre Royal Stratford East, National Theatre of Scotland, and Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The photographing and video/audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. title sponsor
Room © Emma Donoghue Limited 2010
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CAST & CREDITS CAST Grandpa/Doctor STEWART ARNOTT SuperJack BRANDON MICHAEL ARRINGTON Jack LUCIEN DUNCAN-REID Jack ISA AC CHAN Grandma TRACEY FERENCZ Ma ALEXIS GORDON Police/Interviewer/Popcorn Server SHANNON TAYLOR Old Nick ASHLEY WRIGHT
PRODUCTION TEAM Director Playwright/Stage Adapter Songerwriter & Lyricist Associate Director Movement Coach Set & Costume Designer Projection Designer Lighting Designer Sound Designer Music Director Fight & Intimacy Director Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Apprentice Stage Manager Associate Lighting Designer Trauma-Informed Practice Consultant Associate Sound Designer Production Photographer Child Supervisor
CORA BISSETT EMMA DONOGHUE KATHRYN JOSEPH MEGAN WATSON LINDA GARNEAU LILY ARNOLD ANDRZEJ GOULDING BONNIE BEECHER JOHN GZOWSKI GAVIN WHITWORTH SIOBHAN RICHARDSON SUZANNE MCARTHUR COLE VINCENT CODY BURNS MIKAEL KANGAS MAGGIE BLAKE PAUL FUJIMOTO-PIHL DAHLIA KATZ LINDA MARTIN
SPECIAL HEARTFELT THANKS: HAYDEN BAERTSOEN, QUINSLEY EDISON, CHARLOTTE GOWDY, BEA CAMPBELL, NICK ANDISON The Grand Theatre is an active member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, professional artists who are members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. The Grand Theatre acknowledges with thanks the co-operation of Locals 105 and 828 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists, and Allied Crafts of the United States, its Territories and Canada, and The London Musicians’ Association Local 279.
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PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTES Back in 2009 while I was writing Room (the novel), I had a feeling that it could probably work on stage too. The premise is so inherently theatrical - in fact, Jack and Ma’s situation sounds like a metaphor for theatre: two people in a room with limited space and resources, conjuring up a world of play, intimacy, and imagination. Funnily enough, the startling success of Lenny Abrahamson’s Irish-Canadian film of Room (nominated for multiple Oscars, Golden Globes, and Baftas) helped me write the stage version, when the time came. I felt freed from the need to be naturalistic in every detail about the kidnap situation or the aftermath of escape, because the film had pushed the story as far towards naturalism as it could go. For the theatre production, by contrast, my director/collaborator Cora Bissett and I went back to what readers had responded to so strongly —Jack’s buoyant, world-creating voice—and also let ourselves use more overtly theatrical devices such as puppetry and projection. From the first email she sent me, out of the blue, Cora knew that the show needed music, primarily as a release valve for Ma’s secrets, for everything messy and irrational that she can’t tell her little boy. The urgent songs by Cora and Kathryn Joseph have turned out to be my favourite part of the stage production. Another great pleasure that came out of our development process was the interplay between Jack and SuperJack (the child’s inner voice or alter ego, played by an adult). Adding SuperJack was a pragmatic device to avoid making our very young actors deliver long monologues, but it also turned out to be a rich way of showing what superpowered, ever-questioning minds can inhabit little bodies. This production at the Grand and Mirvish— all thanks to the unstoppable Dennis Garnhum for making it happen—is not only the North American premiere but, for me,
a wonderful closing of the circle. I got the idea for the story of Room while driving from London to Burlington on Ontario’s Highway 401. Though the novel and film are set in a non-specified American city - American rather than Canadian, so they wouldn’t have free healthcare - I always saw this as a sort of fable which could play out anywhere. I researched it at home in London’s Wortley Village where I’ve lived since 1998, and details of local parks and libraries and malls show up in the book’s second half. I wrote one big scene in the lobby of the Central YMCA on Waterloo Street, having left our kids in the childcare room on the pretence that I was going for a swim. (What can I say—every mother needs a break!) The first stage production of Room began in the other London (UK) before touring to Scotland and Ireland, so I wrote that script in British English, but for this production, with the help of the actors and creative team, I made the idiom more Canadian. So I couldn’t be happier that this universal story, which began right here, has made its way home, and (with the help of such brilliant collaborators) touched so many people along the way. The show was cancelled by COVID-19 before opening night on 13 March 2020. In the past two years, haven’t we all come to know more than we ever wanted to learn about feeling stuck at home - confined by unpredictable forces beyond our control? Like Ma, most of us have had to learn to make the best of an endless string of monotonous days, and seize moments of pleasure and meaning wherever we could find them. The threat of a world of ‘invisible germs’ has become all too familiar, too; the joy of human connection, all the more precious. For me, the story of Room has never felt more relevant, and I’m proud to be part of a production that tells it so powerfully. emma donoghue
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DIRECTOR’S NOTES When I first read Emma Donoghue’s extra-ordinary novel Room I was on a flight, and I finished it in one go, unable to put it down for a second. I felt breathless reading it, and finally shattered, elated, strung out, and joyous all at once—such is the power of her storytelling and the vividness of the characters she has created in Jack and Ma. I was reading it simply for pleasure, and yet almost instantly I started seeing ways in which this could be dramatized on stage. I could see the little boy tucked inside a wardrobe, and imagined an entire set to allow us to view events from his perspective. I imagined how we could evoke this world of Room with beauty, love, and imagination, so much so that as an audience, just as a reader, we think Jack is living in a perfect home. It is only through carefully placed details that we peek between the layers of what is actually going on to begin with, and the torturous hell from which Ma is so heroically protecting him. But strangely, I could also hear songs: aching songs of desperation and hope; songs of survival. This surprised me—anyone who has read the book will, I imagine, not see it as prime material for a music-based drama! But the instinct was so strong that I sat in my hotel room and bashed out some sketches. I decided to write to Emma Donoghue’s agent and attach these very rough demos. The planets aligned in my favour and Emma Donoghue connected with the vision of the show I saw. We met in London UK, and a partnership was forged. I then approached the wonderful singer-songwriter Kathryn Joseph—whose beguiling music I was a huge fan of—to see if she would write songs with me. She couldn’t believe I’d asked. Room was her favourite novel of all time.
I am beyond delighted to finally be bringing Room to its rightful home at the Grand Theatre, London with an astonishing cast and creative team whom I feel honoured to work with. When we had to close this show on Opening Night on that fateful day two years ago, I never could have imagined what we were all going to collectively experience in every nation of the world. It is ironic that through experiencing lockdown, the isolation of the pandemic, the uncertainty in all of our lives, I feel the story resonates in a more prescient, and reachable way than ever before. Room has become a story of Now. I am returning to view it through a whole new lens; it’s a story of surviving through enormous uncertainty. Pushing our closest relationships to the max. Many of us have shared more time in the same space with our closest people than we ever have in all our lives, and for others, isolation has been a daily challenge to navigate. We are all trying to survive, to reinvent, and to hold onto hope. Ultimately, I think that this is what Room is about: holding onto the tiniest of hope in the darkest of places. It is about finding strength in love – even when you feel that you have nothing left to give. It is my sincere hope that you too experience this light through Room and allow Ma to inspire you – even through your darkest days. Cora Bissett
RENO 2020 In November 2021, the Grand Theatre unveiled its newly renovated spaces. We are grateful for our supporters and private/ corporate donors: Department of Canadian Heritage Canada Cultural Spaces Fund
ELIZABETH & ALLAN DREWLO
LYNNE CRAM, MICHAEL & DIANE SMITH - THE FAMILY OF JOAN & DON SMITH
KAREN & ERIC AUZINS DEVELOPERS REHEARSAL HALL
WITH ADDED THANKS TO: Good Foundation Inc. • Walter J. Blackburn Foundation • Estate of Richard M. Ivey
GUEST ARTISTS
stewart arnott
brandon michael arrington
Stewart Arnott Grandpa/Doctor
For The Grand Theatre: Kiss Me Kate, The Philadelphia Story. Theatre Credits (Selected): Hedda Noir (Theatre NorthWest); Waiting For Godot, Halaj (Modern Times); Marjorie Prime (Coal Mine Theatre); Seminar (Royal MTC/Mirvish Productions). directing Credits: Pobby and Dingan; Risky Phil (young people’s theatre). Film and TV Credits (Selected): The Shape of Water (*Best Picture Oscar); Schitt’s Creek, Murdoch Mysteries (CBC). other: Dora Mavor Moore Award for directing Marjorie Prime.
Brandon Michael Arrington SuperJack
For the Grand Theatre: Debut. Theatre Credits (Selected): 42nd Street (Alhambra); High School Musical (Fireside Theatre); High School Musical 2 (North Shore); You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown (Lucille Lortel); Irrationals (American Theatre of Actors); Captain Louie (York Theatre); Peter Pan (Big League); The Cherry Orchard, The Author’s Voice, Tartuffe (Drew University); Earth Mass, Send Down the Fire, Pietà (Omega Dance Company); We Are The Song - After The Storm (Joe’s Pub). Film and TV Credits: Vinyl (HBO); QUADS (Bible StoryZ); How to Win at Everything (Spike!TV); Over There (Marc Parees/NYU Films); The Barbie™ Diaries (Curious?Pictures/Mattel). Other: www.imdb. me/brandonmichaelarrington
isaac chan
lucien duncan-reid
Isaac Chan Jack
For the Grand Theatre: Debut. Theatre Credits (Selected): Isaac participated in various community theatre shows including Peter Pan Jr. (TSS), Decades of Broadway Hits (Etobicoke Musical Productions), The Show Must Go Online (Scarborough Music Theatre Youth) and Dear Edwina Online (Yellow Door Theatre Project).other: Isaac started musical theatre training with Harriet Chung Performing Arts at the age of 5 and also received drama and speech training from Studio 51 Drama. Isaac was the provincial winner at OMFA Provincial 2021 in Drama and Speech, and second place in Musical Theatre. Isaac also loves classical singing and is receiving training at Carolynne Davy Studio. He is always looking forward to bringing joy and happiness to others through his performances.
Lucien Duncan-Reid Jack
For the Grand Theatre: Debut. Theatre Credits (Selected): A Christmas Carol (Soulpepper); Film and TV Credits (selected): Paw Patrol, Blues Clues & You, CBC’s Small Talk; other: Lucien is a grade 4 student
Tracey Ferencz Grandma
For the Grand theatre: A Christmas Carol. Theatre Credits (Selected): Hana’s Suitcase (Young People’s Theatre); The Overcoat, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Tempest (Canadian Stage); Seeds, Filthy Rich (Blyth Festival); Becky’s New Car (Alberta Theatre Projects); Death and the Maiden, Grace (Globe Theatre); A Streetcar Named
GUEST ARTISTS
tracey ferencz
alexis gordon
Desire, Enchanted April (Theatre Calgary); Real Estate, Goodbye Piccadilly (Theatre Aquarius); Whispering Pines, The List (Great Canadian Theatre Company); A Penny for the Guy, Gone with the Wind (Royal Manitoba Theatre Company); Girl in the Goldfish Bowl, Perfect Pie ( Thousand Islands Playhouse). Shaw Festival Acting Ensemble for ten seasons. Film and TV Credits (Selected): The Expanse, Murdoch Mysteries, Sharpay’s Excellent Adventure, Stories We Tell.
Alexis Gordon Ma
For the Grand Theatre: Mary Poppins, A Christmas Carol. Theatre Credits (Selected): Brigadoon, Rope (Shaw Festival); Hook Up (Theatre Passe Muraille/Tapestry Opera); Coriolanus, The Tempest, The Fantasticks, Guys & Dolls, A Little Night Music, Carousel, Passion, The Sound of Music (Stratford Festival); Sunday in the Park With George (Talk is Free Theatre); The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble (Factory Theatre/Obsidian Theatre); Obeah Opera (Nightwood Theatre); Recurring John, Paradises Lost (Toronto SummerWorks Festival); Starbright Christmas, Canada Sings, Godspell (Victoria Playhouse Petrolia); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Driftwood Theatre). Upcoming: Doctor’s Dilemma (Shaw Festival). Film and TV Credits (Selected): Motives & Murders, The Worst Thing I Ever Did (Discovery ID). Other: Graduate of the BFA Acting program at The University of Windsor. Awards: Syd and Shirley Banks Prize for Emerging Artists (Musical Stage Co). Twitter: @AlexisLGordon. Instagram: alexisgords
shannon taylor
ashley wright
Shannon Taylor Officer/Interviewer/Popcorn Seller
For The Grand Theatre: Timothy Findley’s The Wars. Theatre Credits (selected): Mother’s Daughter (Soulpepper/Stratford Festival); I Am William, The Crucible, Twelfth Night, The School for Scandal, Shakespeare in Love, The Hypochondriac, The Diary of Anne Frank, Oedipus Rex (Stratford Festival); A Doll’s House (Manitoba Theatre Centre); King Charles III (Mirvish/Studio 180); The Road to Mecca (Soulpepper); Pride and Prejudice (National Arts Centre/Theatre Calgary); Little Women: The Musical (Citadel Theatre). Film and TV Credits: Don’t Hang Up, Private Eyes, MayDay. Other: Shannon is a Dora Award nominated actor and recipient of the Mary Savidge Award (Stratford).
Ashley Wright Old Nick
For the Grand Theatre: Debut. Theatre Credits (Selected): Cost of Living and Sweat (Arts Club/Citadel); Hamlet (Free Will Players); Merry Wives of Windsor (Bard on the Beach); Shakespeare in Love (MTC/Citadel); Les Misérables (Mirvish); Slavs, The Black Rider, The Fall, The Red Priest (Tarragon); True Love Lies (Factory); As You Like It, Omnium Gatherum, Fernando Krapp, Of Mice and Men (Canadian Stage); The Trials of Ezra Pound (Stratford Festival). Film and TV: Copper (BBC America); Murdoch Mysteries (CBC); Mayday (Cineflix); Flash of Genius (Spyglass); Princess (ABC); Degrassi: The Next Generation (CTV); Missing (Lifetime). Other: BFA Acting (University of Victoria); MFA Directing (University of Alberta).
GUEST ARTISTS
cora bissett
emma donoghue
Cora Bissett Director
For The Grand Theatre: Debut. Theatre Credits (Selected): Director: Room (Theatre Royal Stratford East, London/Abbey Theatre, Dublin); Interference, Rites, Adam, Glasgow Girls (National Theatre of Scotland/Raw Material/ Theatre Royal Stratford East); Jumpy (Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh); RoadKill (Traverse Theatre/Barbican/Chicago Shakespeare Theatre/Théâtre de la Ville, Paris/St. Anne’s Warehouse, nyc); GRIT - The Martin Bennet Story (Pachamama); Whatever Gets You Through the Night (Arches Theatre Glasgow); Janis Joplin—Full Tilt (Pachamama/Theatre Royal Stratford East). Writer/Performer: What Girls are Made Of (Traverse Theatre/ Raw Material, Soho Theatre London UK/Cultura Ingesias Sau Paulo/Melbourne Arts Festival/Spoleto Festival Charleston, USA). Actor: Midsummer (Kennedy Centre Washington/The Cultch, Vancouver/ Sydney Opera House); A Streetcar Named Desire, Comedy of Errors, The Breathing House (Edinburgh Royal Lyceum); Other: Associate Director of the National Theatre of Scotland since 2014, bA Dramatic Studies Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Emma Donoghue Playwright/Stage Adapter
Emma Donoghue is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and novelist who has made her home in London Ontario since 1998. Her international bestseller Room won the Rogers Writers Trust and Commonwealth Prizes and was a finalist for the Man Booker and Orange; the screenplay of the 2015 film won her Oscar, Golden Globe and Bafta nominations. She adapted Room for the stage with songs by Cora
linda garneau
lily arnold
Bissett and Kathryn Joseph. Donoghue co-wrote the forthcoming Netflix film The Wonder based on her Giller-nominated 2016 novel. Her other books include Akin, Frog Music, The Sealed Letter, (for younger readers) The Lotterys series, and Haven (coming in August). For more, go to www. emmadonoghue.com
Linda Garneau Movement Coach
For The Grand Theatre: Debut. Theatre Credits (Selected): Brigadoon, The Light in the Piazza, Trouble in Tahiti (Shaw Festival); Jesus Christ Superstar (Charlottetown Festival); Life After (Canadian Stage); The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-time (Citadel Theatre). Other: Artistic director of Helix Dance Project; works include The Waiting Room, Rain, Unearth, and Integration. PhD candidate in Dance Studies at York University.
Lily Arnold Set & Costume Designer
For The Grand Theatre: Debut. Theatre Credits (Selected): A Doll’s House (Lyric, London); Dick Whittington, Sleeping Beauty (Theatre Royal Stratford East); Pah-La (Royal Court Theatre); The Remains Of The Day, Rules For Living (Royal and Derngate); Things Of Dry Hours (Young Vic); Snow In Midsummer, The Jew Of Malta, The Rape Of Lucrece, King Lear, The Taming Of The Shrew (Royal Shakespeare Company); The Girl On The Train, The Fruit Trilogy (Leeds Playhouse); The Solid Life Of Sugar Water (National Theatre/Theatre Royal Plymouth); Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Edge Of Our Bodies (Gate Theatre, London); Henry V (Tobacco Factory); Love Lies Bleeding (The Coronet Theatre). www. lilyarnolddesign.com
GUEST ARTISTS
andrezj goulding
bonnie beecher
Andrezj Goulding Projection Designer
For The Grand Theatre: Debut. Video Designs (Selected): Henry V (Donmar Warehouse, NT Live); The Drifters Girl, Life Of Pi, Message In A Bottle, &Juliet (West End); People, Places and Things (National Theatre, West End, St Ann’s Warehouse, UK Tour); Groundhog Day (Broadway, Old Vic); The Unreturning (UK Tour - also set designer); Into the Hoods:Remixed (West End); Pressure (West End, UK Tour); Coriolanus (Donmar Warehouse, NT Live); 1984 (Northern Ballet, Sadler’s Wells); The Suicide, From Morning To Midnight, The Tell-Tale Heart (National Theatre); Frost/Nixon (Sheffield Crucible). Other: Andrzej works as a Set and Video Designer across all forms of live performance. www.agoulding.com
Bonnie Beecher Lighting Designer
For the Grand Theatre: Mary Poppins, The Penelopiad, A Christmas Carol (2018 and 2017), Timothy Findley’s The Wars, Art, Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), Ned Durango Comes to Big Oak. Theatre Credits (Selected): Over 350 productions for theatre, opera, and dance across Canada and internationally. Recent productions include Paradise Lost (Centaur Theatre); Hadrian (Canadian Opera); The Crucible (Stratford); SEX (Shaw); ART (Soulpepper); Rigoletto (Edmonton Opera); Umschlungen (Karlsruhe Ballet, Germany); Akhnaten (Dortmund Opera, Germany); The Runner (Human Cargo/Passe Muraille). Upcoming: Maria Stewart (Karlsruhe Ballet, Germany), The Devils Disciple (Shaw), Swan Lake (National Ballet of Canada).
mikael kangas
john gzowski
Mikael Kangas Associate Lighting Designer For The Grand Theatre: Debut. theatre credits (selected): Fantasma (COC), Trouble in Mind, Glass Menagerie, O’Flaherty VC (Shaw Festival), Newsies, Crazy for You (Sheridan Theatre), Dear Evan Hansen (Canadian Asst. Design) Rusalka, Onegin, Cosi Fan Tutti, Elixir of Love, Abduction from the Seraglio (COC, asst. design), Holiday Inn, Brigadoon, Magician’s Nephew, Grand Hotel, Dracula, Me & My Girl, Saint Joan, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland, Woman of No Importance (Shaw Festival, asst. design). other: Mikael is an assistant & associate lighting designer companies including the Shaw Festival, Canadian Opera Company & Mirvish. Mikael is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada. mikaelkangaslighting.com
John Gzowski Sound Designer
For The Grand Theatre: The Lion In Winter. Theatre Credits (Selected): The Front Page (Stratford); Rope, Dracula, The Hound of Baskervilles (Shaw Festival); Helen Lawrence (Canstage/Arts Club); Its a Wonderful Life (MTC/ Canstage); Hamlet, GlenGarry Glen Ross, A Delicate Balance, La Bete, Innocence Lost (Soulpepper); The Twelfth Night (NAC/Theatre Calgary); Bed And Breakfast (Thousand Island Playhouse/ Belfry/Soulpepper); Orphee + (Against the Grain Opera); 1001 Nights (Luminato). Other: www.johngzowski.com
GUEST ARTISTS
gavin whitworth
megan watson
Gavin Whitworth Music Director
For The Grand theatre: Debut. Theatre Credits (selected): Oor Wullie, The Snow Queen (Dundee Rep); Hi, My Name Is Ben (Goodspeed); But First This, The Witches of Eastwick (Watermill Theatre, Newbury); Beauty and the Beast, Hansel and Gretel (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow); Merrily We Roll Along, Brigadoon, London Road (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland); Wasted Love, The Improvised Musical (Edinburgh Fringe); Glasgow Girls (Scottish Tour); Some Small Love Story (Arts Theatre, London); Neverland (Theatre Deli, Sheffield); White Fang (freeFall Theatre, Florida); Hunchback of Notre Dame (Selby Abbey). Other: BA (Music) from the University of York, MA (Musical Theatre) from Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Megan Watson Associate Director
For the Grand Theatre: Grand Re:Opening Festival, Mary Poppins, The Glass Menagerie, Juno’s Reward other: As a director, writer, curator, and educator, Megan has been making theatre for twenty years. She would like to send so much love to her friends and family who have tirelessly supported her through this beautiful and complicated life.
Siobhan Richardson Fight & Intimacy Director
For the Grand Theatre: Actor: The Penelopiad. Fight Director: A Christmas Story, The Hobbit; High School Projects Les Misérables School Edition, Romeo & Juliet. Theatre Credits (Selected): Fight/Intimacy Director: Sex (Shaw Festival); Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, Guarded Girls (Tarragon Theatre); Four
siobhan richardson
suzanne mcarthur
Chords and a Gun (Starvox Productions); Far From the Heart (Sheatre); Serenity Wild (Tender Container); Aunt Dan and Lemon (Shadowtime Productions). Fight Director: Trout Stanley (Factory Theatre); Getting Married (Shaw Festival); The Jungle Book (Kidoons Network); The House of Martin Guerre (Canadian Musical Theatre Projects). Intimacy Director: Hadrian (Canadian Opera Company); Othello (Stratford Festival); Betrayal, The Brothers Size, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Soulpepper); Siren Song (Royal Conservatory/The Glenn Gould School). Other: Awards and Nominations: Chalmers Arts Fellowship (Ontario Arts Council), Best Fight, Martial Arts, short film (nomination, Action on Film, LA); Stage Combat Competition Champions (CombatCon, Las Vegas); Instagram: @fighteractress
Suzanne McArthur Stage Manager
For the Grand Theatre: 13th season. Theatre Credits (Selected): The Fixer-Upper, It’s Your Funeral, Lunenburg, Buying the Farm, Birds of a Feather, Storm Warning, Wrong for Each Other, Knickers! A Brief Comedy (Port Stanley Festival Theatre); The Birds and the Bees, Aladdin: The Panto, Snow White: The Panto, Weekend Comedy, Perfect Wedding (Drayton Entertainment); The Normal Heart (Studio 180 Theatre/Buddies in Bad Times); Hosanna, The Tempest (Stratford Shakespeare Festival); Forests (Tarragon Theatre); Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Silver Mist Productions). Other: Proud mother to Michael (8) and Charlie (5).
GUEST ARTISTS
cole vincent
cody burns
Cole Vincent Assistant Stage Manager
For The Grand Theatre: The Glass Menagerie. Theatre Credits: Sexy Laundry, The New Canadian Curling Club (Thousand Islands Playhouse); Eraser: A New Normal (Theatre Direct); Kitne Saare Laloo Yahan Pey Hain (NextStage Festival); The Pianist of Willesden Lane (Harold Green Jewish Theatre); Aqsarniit, Anne of Green Gables, Jesus Christ Superstar (Charlottetown Festival); Eraser (The Riser Project - Why Not Theatre, Theatre Direct); Rose (Soulpepper) Other: Cole is a graduate of York University with a BFA in Theatre Production and Design. He has also been a Venue Stage Manager at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Cody Burns Apprentice Stage Manager
For the Grand Theatre: Fully Committed. Theatre Credits (Selected): Sleeping Beauty: The Panto, Jack & the Beanstalk, Jonas & Barry in the Home, Cinderella: The Panto, Marathon of Hope: The Musical (Drayton Entertainment); Shrek The Musical (K-W Musical Productions); Million Dollar Quartet (Theatre Aquarius); Picture This (Soulpepper). Other: Graduate of the Theatre and Performance Program at the University of Waterloo. Cody served as the Stratford Festival’s Production Assistant for the 2019 season. @codyneilburns
Kathryn Joseph Songwriter &Lyricist
Intimate, fearlessly frank and with a fathoms-deep emotional resonance, Joseph’s highly individual expression was first heard on 2015’s
kathryn joseph
maggie blake
Bones You Have Thrown Me And Blood I’ve Spilled which bagged her the Scottish Album of the Year award. Her follow up, From When I Wake The Want Is, is of an equally devastating, understated intensity in terms of her heavily rhythmic piano work, striking vocals and vivid lyrics, but with a newly muscular edge and textured depth. Her new album for you who are the wronged will be released worldwide on April 22, 2022 via Rock Action Records.
Maggie Blake Trauma-Informed Practice Consultant
Maggie was a professional actor for 25 years, and played leading roles across the country at The Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, The Grand Theatre, Blyth Festival, The Citadel Theatre, and Manitoba Theatre Centre amongst others. Maggie holds a Masters in Classical Theatre as well as a Masters in Child and Youth Work and is certified in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). For the past five years, she has worked at Boost Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in Toronto and as a consultant in trauma-informed practice for arts organizations.
David Mirvish Producer
David Mirvish is a theatrical producer based in Toronto where he operates four theatres. Mirvish Productions, founded by Mr. Mirvish in 1986, is Canada’s leading commercial theatre company and has produced plays and musicals for these and other venues throughout Canada, on Broadway and in London’s West End. In addition, Mirvish Productions has presented over 800 touring productions in the city of Toronto.
GUEST ARTISTS
HAYDEN BAERTSOEN
QUINSLEY EDISON
Hayden Baertsoen Jack
For The Grand Theatre: Room (2020), Mary Poppins, A Thousand Splendid Suns. Theatre Credits (selected): Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (Drayton Entertainment); The Lion King (WOFIPS Production). Other: The Nutcracker Ballet (Dance Steps London); Contemporary Voice Medal of Excellence Winner 2017 (Conservatory Canada); Contemporary Voice Medal of Excellence Winner 2018 (Conservatory Canada).
Quinsley Edison Jack
For the Grand Theatre: Room (2020) Other: @QuinsleyEdison
Charlotte Gowdy Associate Director
For The Grand Theatre: Room (2020), Dry Streak.Theatre Credits (selected): Over 70 productions at theatres across Canada. Favourites include directing Within the Glass (Troubadour); Crimes of the Heart (Watermark) and playing Abigail in The Crubicle (Shaw Festival). film and tv credits: Murdoch Mysteries (CBC). other: Artistic Advisor (National Arts Centre); Artistic Associate (Troubadour Theatre). www.charlottegowdy.com
Beatrice Campbell Stage Manager
For The Grand Theatre: Room (2020), Fences, The Penelopiad, The Foursome, North, The Gin Game. Theatre Credits (selected): 16 seasons at The Shaw Festival; 2 Pianos 4 Hands (Tarragon Theatre/Mirvish Productions/Marquis Entertainment); The Drowsy
CHARLOTTE GOWDY
BEATRICE CAMPBELL
Chaperone (Mirvish Productions); Cinderella (Ross Petty Productions); Venus In Fur, Red (Theatre Kingston); Wide Awake Hearts, True West, Gravity Calling, The Faraway Nearby, Possible Maps, Pants on Fire (Tarragon Theatre); My Name is Rachel Corrie (neworldtheatre); The Fantasticks, Tango (Piggery Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, Present Laughter (Citadel Theatre); The Winter’s Tale (Oracle Theatre).
Covent Garden Productions
Covent Garden Productions is a theatrical production and live company, set up to create, manage and invest in commercial property in the West End, on National Tour, and internationally with a focus on new work and developing new talent. Our intention for the company is that it shall capitalise and mount productions with larger commercial potential in their infancy, before large scale roll out across the commercial theatre landscape. Recent productions include: CARMEN JONES Classic Stage Company, New York, Directed by John Doyle, Starring Anika Noni Rose, ROOM by Emma Donoghue, Directed by Cora Bissett (Co-Production with Theatre Royal Stratford East, Abbey Theatre Dublin and National Theatre of Scotland), JACKIE THE MUSICAL UK Tour, NO VILLAIN World Premiere of Arthur Miller’s First Play (West End). www. coventgardenproductions.com
STAFF & BOARD Dennis Garnhum
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Caitlin Core
Deb Harvey
ARTISTIC ASSOCIATE
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
PRODUCER
Suzanne Lanthier
ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION
Megan Watson
Lyndee Hansen EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE
Breanne Ritchie
COMPANY MANAGER
Lauren Rebelo ADMINISTRATION IT DIRECTOR
Barb Whang
TESSITURA ADMINISTRATOR
Britt Duncan
RENTALS COORDINATOR
Karen Killeen
BUILDING MAINTENANCE
Kathryn Sherwin
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
COSTUMERS
Anita Shah
CUTTER
Georgina Schinkel Karen Merriam
DIRECTOR
FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER
Scenic carpentry HEAD SCENIC CARPENTER
Alicia Samuel
Craig Pearson
FUNDRAISING MANAGER
FIRST CARPENTER
Grace Day-Hodson
Doug Johnstone
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
SECOND CARPENTER
Allan Wilson-Lasso box office & audience services BOX OFFICE MANAGER
Cheryl Willison
AUDIENCE SERVICES REPRESENTATIVES
Jerry Kirshner SCENIC ART
HEAD SCENIC ARTIST
Richard Lawler
SENIOR SCENIC ARTIST
Craig Guthrie
SPRIET STAGE CREW
Mike MacDonald
Denise Hay Karen McDonald Jacob Wiley
HOUSEKEEPERS
PRODUCTION
Aaron Ouellette
Patricia Sexsmith Aaron Simmons Matthew Moncrieffe
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS
Wright Staines
BUILDING MANAGER
SECURITY
Shannon Goneau Marty Petersons Aaron Simmons Sushmitha Sunkara John Whitty
FINANCE DIRECTOR
Ansel Tempral FINANCE ASSOCIATE
Paul Fujimoto-Pihl TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Daniel Bennett
ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Brayden Crawford
PRODUCTION DRIVER
Jim Doucette PROPERTIES
HEAD OF PROPS
HEAD STAGE CARPENTER
Steve West
HEAD OF SOUND
HEAD OF ELECTRONICS HEAD FLYPERSON
Raz Zemitis
CREW members
Chris Barker Liam Arbogast Rory Leyier Alex Telfer BUSINESS AGENT FOR IATSE LOCAL 105
Natalie Tsang
PROPS BUILDER/BUYER
AUBURN STAGE CREW
Rana Bajandooh
MARKETING PROJECT MANAGER
Allison Birs
HEAD OF WARDROBE
Lisa Wright
ASSISTANT HEAD OF WARDROBE/ ACCESSORIES BUILDER
Elaine Ball
SECRETARY
Anne Toal
Richard Bain Blair Fantillo Alexis Gordon Jennifer Ho Ron Koudys Richard McKenzie Amira Moussa Matt Parr Jennifer Slay Dr. Robert Sokol Tom Tillmann Judy White
THE GRAND THEATRE FOUNDATION BOARD PRESIDENT
Jamie Crich
marketing & digital strategy DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIST
TREASURER
David Brebner
WIG & WARDROBE MISTRESS
Judy Risser
WARDROBE
PAST PRESIDENT
Chris Jackman
Ron Koudys
Terry Barker
Lia Karidas
VICE-PRESIDENT
George Kerhoulas
Jared Whitty
Natalie Kearns
DIRECTOR
PRESIDENT
HEAD TECHNICIAN
Steve Allen
VICE-PRESIDENT TREASURER
David Brebner SECRETARY
George Kerhoulas Tom Burnett Dianne Cunningham Elizabeth Drewlo Chris Jackman Peter Markvoort Bob Schram Tom Tillmann Judy White
CREATING A DIFFERENCE SINCE 1974
imperialcoffee.com
Toronto & GTA 416-638-7404
Lindsay & Central Ontario 800-268-3401
Ottawa & Eastern Ontario 800-465-1810
London, Waterloo & Western Ontario 800-404-8855
Barrie & Northern Ontario 800-665-6076
HERE’S YOUR CUE Like in Room, life events can influence us in profound ways. For me, it was 20+ years ago when my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. “Surely we can beat this,” I thought. Sadly, it was not to be the case. A few weeks before my dad passed away, I asked him for some words of wisdom – after all, isn’t that the job of a father? He didn’t know what to think but after some reflection he turned to me and said, “I f*#king hate accounting.” You could have knocked me over with a feather. First of all, my dad was not prone to cursing and second, he had been an accountant his whole life. He continued, “I spent my whole life in a job I didn’t like to save enough money for a retirement that I will never see.” It was life changing – a personal “TSN turning point”. I realized at that point, far too many people were like my dad, trapped in a job for which they had no passion. Trapped... like Ma and Jack in Room. At that time, I was already working in the Career Transition field, and I realized that I was in a position to help others not make that same mistake. Flash forward to today. Kelly and I are the proud owners of Ahria Consulting where we have the opportunity to work with an amazing team focused on inspiring individuals to thrive, leaders to excel, and organizations to build exceptional cultures where employees are engaged, empowered, and excited to work. This became part of the evolution of Ahria Consulting. At Ahria, our rallying call is that we believe everyone deserves a great place to work. From recruiting the best people,
TITLE SPONSOR
not just based on skills but how well they fit with the organization, to helping people off-board out of untenable and unworkable employment relationships. From helping people build and execute career plans to developing skills to help them excel in their chosen careers. From growing leadership capabilities in organizations to measuring how engaged employees are. And of course, wrapping all of this around sound, relevant and applicable HR policies and procedures. In other words, we are transforming work by focusing on the complete life cycle of the employee. Borrowing from the Grand Theatre’s mission of being “World Curious. London Proud”, Ahria too has a global reach. We are the Southwestern Ontario equity owner in Career Partners International, the world’s largest independent talent management consultancy, with over 2000 colleagues around the globe.
“The passion that Terry and Kelly have shown for the work we do at the Grand is valued beyond measure. As we navigate through this period of recovery and build back our audiences, the support of partners like the team at Ahria will be instrumental.” deb harvey executive director grand theatre
Our family is an ardent supporter of the Grand Theatre and in fact, our firm derives its name from the word “aria”. Theatre and music have been a part of our family for years. Our collective passion for the arts is evidenced in so much of what we do. Our children were members of the Original Kids Theatre group, and our daughter graced the stage of the Grand for three high school projects. Our love of all things music and theatre weaved its way back into our business four years ago after seeing Come From Away. Every September 11th, our staff is given the day off and $100 to do something remarkable in our community, just as described by one of the characters in the musical. It truly is one of our favourite days of the year. We are so proud to be sponsoring the North American debut of Room! TERRY GILLIS
ceo & president ahria consulting
Terry, Lauren, and Kelly Gillis
Team Ahria Business Achievement Awards
GROW WORLD PREMIERE
A New Musical Comedy celebrating family, community . . . and a really special plant!
April 19 to 30
Spriet Stage
Book by Matt Murray Music by Colleen Dauncey Lyrics by Akiva Romer-Segal Directed by Dennis Garnhum
grandtheatre.com
box office 519.672.8800 SEASON SPONSOR
TITLE SPONSOR
michael & stephaniie
mcdonald
On Understanding Trauma “Trauma is not what happens to you; trauma is what happens inside of you as a result of what happens to you.” - Gabor Maté over time that slowly erode one’s sense of safety and connection.
Often when people think about trauma, they think about refugees escaping war or soldiers coming home as different people. While these are absolutely traumatic experiences, most people haven’t experienced war or displacement. And yet, we know that 76% of Canadians are exposed to events that are sufficient to cause post-traumatic stress reactions, and 1 in 10 Canadians experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
In order to respond sensitively to disclosures of trauma, and particularly of sexual violence, you don’t need to know all the ins and outs of psychology, or neurobiology. The big thing you need to understand is this:
Trauma can happen whenever our nervous system is overwhelmed and isolated. It is not defiend by scope or intensity, and what is traumatic for one person may not be for someone else. People can be traumatized by a one-off event, or by multiple experiences
By disclosing to you, your friend or family member is reaching out a hand for connection. You don’t need to solve all their problems or heal all that hurts, you just need to be with them in a way that communicates that they’re not alone:
Trauma isolates. Connection heals.
Click here to read the full Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence: Friends and Family Guide or visit anovafuture.org for more information
How to respond: The goal for responding
to personal disclosures is to connect, so it’s important that your response be validating, empathetic, and supportive. It can be a fine line to walk between validating someone’s emotions, and normalizing their experience. We never want to make it seem like sexual violence is a normal experience, even though it is an unfortunately common one. Saying things like “that happens to so many people, it’s so awful” often sends the message that sexual violence is something we have to accept (because it’s so common) rather than the intended message that the survivor is not alone.
Helpful things to say include:
Are you, or is someone you know, struggling or in crisis? You are not alone, and help is available Anova 24/7 Crisis & Support Line 519-642-3000 or 1-800-265-1576, or anovafuture.org
I believe you. That wasn’t your fault. Thank you for sharing that with me. I’m so sorry that happened to you. How can I help you right now?
Atlohsa Family Healing Services & Zhaawanong Women’s Shelter 24-hour emergency shelter at 343 Richmond Street, London, Ontario: 1-800-605-7477 or admin@atlohsa. com (Indigenous community only)
Sexual violence is an incredibly disempowering experience, and a large part of healing from it involves the survivor reclaiming their power. This will look different for everyone, which is why it’s so important to let the survivor lead the way.
Family Service Thames Valley 519-433-0183 or info@familyservicethamesvalley.com
Remember that two people can walk away from the same event with two very different understandings of what happened. It is not your job to try and figure out the truth, but rather listen to their truth. Not being believed is one of the biggest reason survivors don’t come forward, and your reaction might determine whether they continue a path towards healing, or stay quiet.
How to Help
Allison Preyde
public education coordinator, Anova
Fem’aide Francophone 24/7 Helpline 1-877-336-2433, or info@femaide.ca
How you can identify and help people at risk and create a safety plan for those who experience domestic violence: Neighbours, Friends and Families 519-661-4040, nff@uwo.ca, or neighboursfriendsandfamilies.ca
21/22 SERIES U2: RATTLE AND HUM Saturday, March 26 She’s Got It - Volume 1 Thursday, May 12
grandtheatre.com
The Music of Pink Floyd Thursday, June 16
box office 519.672.8800
Horizon provides technology based solutions for Performance, Education, Entertainment, Worship and Business.
Our focus is solutions. Partners with the Grand Theatre for over a decade in providing solutions for technical excellence.
1-800-698-8796
|
whoishorizon.ca
AfterWORDS On Wednesday evenings immediately after the performance, come up to the Drewlo Lounge for a brief guided discussion with Grand staff members, guest artists, and creative team members! Enhance your theatre experience with this informal chance to dive deeper into the show’s content while mingling with fellow patrons and artists. Please visit our website or social media channels for special guest announcements and schedules.
Award-winning author Emma Donoghue and Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum
Pull up a chair and join us – the Drewlo Lounge Bar will be open!
BE A PART OF
SOMETHING GRAND Taking a dream, an idea, and a vision and seeing it through to the stage requires support at many levels. In a typical Grand Theatre season, ticket sales account for 60% of our total revenue. We rely on the collective passion of our donors whose gifts help bring theatre magic to our stages.
GRAND Visionaries $5,000–20,000+
Ambassadors’ Circle / Patrons’ Circle / Directors’ Circle Pace-setting support at this elite level will, in turn, provide you with the most exclusive and personalized benefits, designed to bring you up close and personal with the artists working at our theatre, as well the Artistic and Executive Directors. Benefit highlights include: complimentary hosting opportunities for select performances, curated events, Opening Night subscriptions, and more.
GRAND Champions $2,500–4,999 LONDON PROUD CLUB
Grand Champions have a made a commitment to transforming the Grand, on and off the stage. As a Grand Champion, you will attend specially designed events with like-minded supporters that will unlock your onstage and backstage experience of play production. Benefits include exclusive behind the scenes events, sneak peeks into coming seasons, and front-of-line access to special events, talks, and exclusive opportunities.
GRAND Supporters $10–2,499 Partners / Members / Friends / Associates
Support at these levels enables us to expand and enhance programming. Benefit highlights include recognition in house programs, complimentary drink tickets, coat checks, and a season poster collection.
There are many flexible giving options: monthly donations, gifts of securities, donations to commemorate a celebration or to honour or remember someone important to you. Contact Grace Day-Hodson in our fundraising office at 519.672.9030 x245 or by email at gdayhodson@grandtheatre.com for more information on how your donation can have the greatest impact. A complete list of donor benefits is available on our website.
THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS GRAND VISIONARIES DIRECTORS’ CIRCLE $20,000+
Directors’ Circle members have chosen to make a pace-setting investment that will help propel the Grand Theatre toward its next phase of evolution into 2022 and beyond.
Tom Burnett • Lynn Davis • Noreen De Shane • Caroline & Rodney Hancock • Dr. Deborah & Ron Koudys • Cathy & Bob Lawless • Dr. Nicole le Riche & Dr. John Howard • Linda & Dr. Cecil Rorabeck • Debbie & Bob Schram • Roberta & Dr. Robert Sokol • Helen & Andy Spriet • Carol Stephenson • Susanne & Marty Thrasher • Judy White
AMBASSADORS’ CIRCLE $5,000–9,999 Sharon Bryan • Lynne Cram • Peter Markvoort • Kathleen Murphy & Harry Joosten • Anita & Amit Shah
GRAND CHAMPIONS LONDON PROUD CLUB $2,500–4,999 Susan & Allan Edwards Deb Harvey Joan & Glenn Johnson
Suzanne Lanthier Lesley MacAskill & Chris Jackman
Jackie & John Porter Susan Smith-Goddard Domenico Strano
K L Turner Mark Wilton
GRAND SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATES $1,000–2,499 Jill & Brian Allen Jane & Justin Amann Dr Paul E Cooper & Mr David J Hiebert Jim Cressman Dianne Cunningham Danna DeJong
Jennifer Duncan Rhonda Hallberg Barbara & Paul Hebert Diana Bennet & Spencer Lanthier Sharon & Brian Lessard Sandra & Don Letton
Beth & Peter Whatmore Teresa & Ron McRae Dr. Betty Anne Younker Valerie & Michael Milde Dr Janet Pope Glenda Robinson Georgina & Ralph Schinkel Maureen & Michael Tilson Rick Verrette & George Jolink
GRAND SUPPORTERS FRIENDS
$500–999 Yvonne & Dr. Ross Archibald Diane Baird & Jurgen Tietz Carolyn & Colin Botten Jennifer & Peter Day Jan & Guy De Rose Midge & Phil Dean Marilyn & Art Fidler Marg & Glen Gagan Joyce Garnett Dennis Garnhum & Bruce Sellery Margaret & John Hewitt Sandy Jamieson Ann & John Judson Kirsten Knight & Craig Emptage Mary Margaret & Gary Koreen Liz & David Macdonald Mary-Jane & Rick Mann Darlene & Larry Marsh Libby & Earl McMillan Julie Nicholson Deborah & Joe Owens Elizabeth Parameter & William Horne Jenny, Matt & Finn Parr Christina Poddubiuk & Scott McKowen Deborah & Ronald Purdy Lili Rechnitzer Linda & Scott Ritchie Carolyn & Jack Scott Kim Shuit Celia & Rod Silverson Elaine & Ian Simpson Joanne & Jack Smit Linda Staudt Janet E. Stewart Norma Stokes (2) Anonymous Donors
SUPPORTERS $100–499
Judy & Jack Abell Susan Agranove Carole Alton Mary Arrand Reg Ash Karen & Eric Auzins Ruby Bantock Luella Barath & Paul McKnight Sister Simone Batte Beverly & David Bell Brenda & Kerry Benson
Jane & Don Benson Ingrid & Monica Betz Lorena & Jack Brown Moira Burke Sharon & Bill Burns Pamela Cameron Madeline Campbell Sandi & Paul Caplan James Cassidy Cathy Chamberlain & Crysta Bell Eileen & Hugh John Cook Jane Corbett Ada & Henry Cornelissen Grace Coutinho Aindrea Cramp Noreen Davis Bonnie Dawe Alfred Day Chandlee Dickey & Larry Panych William Dietz Eileen Dobell Lee & Michael Donely Joanne Dow & Harry Homer Vicki & Gord Drimmie Joseph Driskill Mary Dryden Christen Shoesmith & Phil Dwyer Frances Dyson Jeanette & Stuart Eberhard Penny Eizenga Doris England Liz & Jim Etherington Kim Eyre Laurie Farquharson Lorna & Rudy Fast Barb & Bruce Fearnall Andrew First Valerie & Chuck Ford Virginia Ford Lorie Forwell & William Clark Suzanne Fratschko Elliott Rhonda & David Freeman Paul Fujimoto-Pihl Kim Gadsdon Patty & Brian Galea Nathan Garber Haley & Ryan Gauss David Gliddon Belinda & Basil Gracious Sheila & Al Green Bea & Gavin Hamilton Leah Hamilton Najet & Hanny Hassan Margaret & Bruce Hastings Denise Hay Maureen & Ian Herrick Patricia Hoffer Kathleen Holland Rob Howard Marian Hundt Brenda & Morrison Hurley Heather & Paul Huston Jenna Hutchison Allan Johnson Mabel & Elton Kane
Michelle Kaplansky Mary Jane Kekes Tanis Kelly Marianne & Paul Kippax Rose & William Klein Steve Kopp Susan & John Koval Jennifer & Wayne Lawrence William & Shirley Lawrence Cheryl & Doug Lester Marie Liddell Karen Lilley Sheilanne Lindsay & Ian McIlraith Bonnie & Frank Littell Catharine & Trev Luke Sharon & Dennis Lunau Lynn Marshall Cheryl Masson Janine & Jeff Mathyssen Sheila McBride Gwen McBurney Joan McCarthy Nancy & Ian McDowell Ann & Hugh McIntosh Jason McIntyre Marilynne McNeil Louise Milligan Beverley & Paul Mills Kate Milner & Andrew Petrasiunas Shirley Mitchell Patricia Nasmith & David Haniford Nancy Needham Colleen O’Brien Sandra O’Brien Dorothy & John Palmer Paddy & Brian Parr Doreen & Ron Paulger Sandra & Robert Pearson John Peebles Norma & Jim Poel Blair Poetschke Claire Prins Karen & Rick Pritchett Lisa Putman & Bruce Reed Nancy Quinn & Jeff DeLuzio Eleanore Reynolds Kathleen & Douglas Richards Doris & Frank Robak Trudy Roth Walker & Lloyd Walker Elizabeth & Ralph Rudy Peggy Sattler Denise & Gordon Saylor Catherine & Gordon Sellery Julia Sert Todd Shaddick Valerie & John Sharpe Lynne Sinclair-Ifill Ethel Sivilotti
Judy & Kevin Smith Anne Souter & William Dawson Jacqueline & Erich Specht Nancy & Jerry Springer Elaine Stalker & Jack Norman Helena Steinmetz & Bruce Hewitt Shonagh Stevenson-Ramsay Sarah Stewart Karen Stone Janice & Paul Strickland Sheila & Bill Strybosch Joan & Ken Sumnall Anne Sutton Diane Thrasher Gerard Tillmann Jody Timmerman Jonathon Tingey Anne Toal & Paul Brission Joan & Ross Totten Dr. Jane Upfold Jan Vanesch Keith Vincent David Wake Judith Walker Susan Wallace & James Reaney Tracey Watters & Cam Pettinger Susan Waugh Alice Wehlau Judy & Gerry Wheaton Margaret & Mark Whitley Faye & Rod Willis Cheryl & Mark Willison Joe Wilson Pam & Paul Wilton Ailene Wittenstein Sharon Wright-Evans Jacki Yellowlees Elizabeth Yurkiw (6) Anonymous Donors
FOUnDATIONS The United Church of Canada Foundation
ENDOWMENTS & GIFTS THROUGH the LONDON COMMUNITY Foundation The Grant and Lily Hopcroft Fund • The Larry and Susan Agranove Family Fund • The Verna D. Davis Endowment for the Arts • The William & Katharine Kostuk Family Fund
corporate donors Finch Auto Group • Justin H. Amann Medicine Professional Corporation
In Memoriam Thank you to those who gave in memory of Art Ender, Carolyn Glass, and Mary Loncke, cherished friends of the Grand who are dearly missed. We mourn the loss of Martha Henry and thank those who have made gifts to the Grand in her memory. Martha helped shape the Grand as we know it today and her legacy lives on throughout Canadian theatre.
PROSCENIUM SOCIETY We are deeply grateful to the compassionate individuals who have made the important and thoughtful decision to make a planned gift to the Grand Theatre. We honour them through their membership in the Proscenium Society. Barbara Belbeck Lynn Davis Cathy & James Dunlop Dr. Nicole le Riche & Dr. John Howard E.J. Lamb
Mary & Roger Lilliman Susan Nickle Diane & Gary Alan Price Glenda Robinson Judy White Michael Wojtak
Membership to the Proscenium Society is available to those who have chosen to make a planned gift in one or more of the following ways: • Bequests (donations through your will) • Listed Securites • Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation • Charitable Remainder Trust and gifts of Residual Interest • Charitable Gift Annuities • Life Insurance Policies, RRSP, RRIF
We remember the following members of the Grand Theatre family who have made a bequest to the theatre. Their legacy will help ensure that the Grand continues to flourish. Hazel E. Bell • Marista Ateena Brooks (Mikolaski) • Robert Crawford • Buck A. M. Cuddy • Theresa Cutler • Helen Ann Day Walter R. (Wally) Duffield • Innis Hammond • Barbara Horne • Beryl Ivey • Elizabeth Ann Jones • Myrtle McCallum • Douglas McCullough • Mary Eleanor Miller • Maureen Elizabeth Ryan • Joseph Samuels • Donald Smith • Doris Spence • Elizabeth Stratton
We would also like to thank the members of our community who have welcomed visiting artists into their homes as Artist Housing Partners for this season: Daniel Bennett • Kevin & Daphne Bice • Bonnie Delanghe • Christine Gruenbauer • Christine Hoover • Helene Sellery • Anita & Amit Shah • Allan Stichbury • Bob Ward & Susan Yerema • Megan Watson • Doug & Connie Weir To learn more, please contact: Grace Day-Hodson Fundraising Manager 519.672.9030 x 245 gdayhodson@grandtheatre.com
support our grand theatre dining partners! the 2022-23 season will see the return of Subscriber Dining Benefits and the popular “Dinner and a Play” program.
The past two years have impacted many businesses and industries in our city. Please take note of and support the Grand Theatre Dining Partners listed below. Try out a new dining experience before or after your performance!
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS RESTAURANT RANGE
DINING STYLE
PRICE
Armouries Grille 325 Dundas Street, London 519-640-5030 www.marriott.com/yxudl
Premium Casual
$$$
The Church Key Bistro Pub 476 Richmond Street 519-936-0960 thechurchkey.ca
Casual Fine Dining
$$$
Che Resto Bar 225 Dundas Street 519-601-7999 cherestobar.ca
Casual Dining
$$$
Fellini Koolini’s 155 Albert Street 519-642-2300 fellinikoolinis.com
Casual Fine Dining
$$$
RESTAURANT
DINING STYLE
PRICE RANGE
Garlic’s of London 481 Richmond Street 519-432-4092 garlicsoflondon.com
Upscale Rustic Cuisine
$$$
Gnosh Dining & Cocktails 125 Dundas Place 519-601-8050 gnoshdining.com
Casual Fine Dining
$$$$
Grace Restaurant 215 Dundas Street (at Clarence) 226-667-4822 gracelondon.ca
Farm-to-Table Fine Dining
$$$$
Joe Kool’s 595 Richmond Street 519-663-5665 joekools.ca
Casual
$$
Marienbad Restaurant 122 Carling Street 519-679-9940 marienbad.ca
Casual Fine Dining
$$$
Michael’s on the Thames 1 York Street 519-672-0111 michaelsonthethames.com
Casual Fine Dining
$$$
Moxie’s Grill & Bar 441 Richmond Street 519-936-0745 moxies.com
Premium Casual
$$$
Toboggan Brewing Company 585 Richmond Street 519-433-2337 tobogganbrewing.com
Brew Pub
$$$
Villa Cornelia Restaurant 142 Kent Street 226-234-6267 villacorneliarestaurant.com
Continental Fine Dining
$$$$
Winks Eatery 551 Richmond Street (on Albert) 519-936-5079 winkseatery.com
Casual Dining Pub
$$
Best Sunday Brunch Restaurant
Delta Hotel London Armouries
WINNER