London, Ontario’s Grand Theatre Artistic Director Rachel Peake remains excited about the 125th anniversary of the building, which coincides with the city of London’s remarkable 200-year legacy.
While the Grand celebrates this milestone, the city of London also commemorates its 200th anniversary:
“It’s pretty incredible that for 125 years, this place has been the centre of entertainment for the city (of London and beyond)…I think it’s really beautiful the way you can see the different eras of the building…You walk into the theatre and see the beautiful ceiling fresco, dating back to 1901, and the boxes. It’s exciting to see the markers of time through the years in the building and to consider the audience members, the employees and those who have performed on the stage who have come through.”
She feels the weight of this responsibility, but not in a negative way, and she highlights this point. She describes the responsibility as both sacred and special. A retrospective team has been formed to document the building’s history. Peake also explains how fortunate the City of London and the Grand’s staff are to have supported major renovations of the space, most recently in 2020.
Our Zoom conversation then shifted to the upcoming 2026-27 season.
I asked Rachel if she could briefly state why she believes audiences should attend the Grand’s 2026-27 lineup:
“The Grand showcases some of the best experiences London has to offer – the chance to get out of the house, connect with incredible people in this beautiful city, and enjoy top-quality entertainment right here in town.”
Here’s the 2026-27 Grand line-up:
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors to be directed by Krista Jackson, playing October 20 – November 7, 2026
A Christmas Carol, based on the novella by Charles Dickens to be directed by Rachel Peake, playing November 24 – December 27, 2026
cicadas created by David Yee and Chris Thornborrow to be directed by Nina Lee Aquino, playing January 19 – February 6, 2027.
Somewhere by Matthew López to be directed by Carmen Aguirre and choreographed by Genny Sermonia, playing February 23 – March 13, 2027
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand and adapted by Jessy Ardern to be directed by Amanda Goldberg, playing March 20, 2027 – April 17, 2027
9 to 5, based on the 20th Century Fox feature, to be directed by Rachel Peake, musical direction by Alexandra Kane and choreography by Allison Plamondon, playing May 4 – 27, 2027
Along with this line-up, there is the annual Grand Theatre High School Project, the Jeans ‘N Classic concert series, the Spriet series and a Grand Laughs new comedy series.
Rachel is ecstatically excited about the upcoming season at the Grand. She coyly let on that she and a few select others have known what the season entailed since December 2025, but those in the know could not speak freely about it.
She now says: “It’s so fun to have it out in the world right now.”
Assembling a seasonal lineup takes considerable time. It’s done with great care and involves juggling many priorities to find the perfect balance of shows that showcase a range of storytelling styles and traditions, reflecting the theatre’s broad scope. In this era of cultural uncertainty with the US neighbours, the theatre recognizes the ‘grand’ importance of presenting all stories through a Canadian lens. At the same time, there’s also the goal of attracting new subscribers by offering shows that are relatable yet diverse enough to appeal to a broad audience.
Peake states that the quality of shows on stage is comparable to what audiences would see in Toronto, Vancouver, or New York. An added bonus might be seeing community members on the Spriet Stage. I wholeheartedly agree with Rachel’s sentiment. The quality of the productions remains outstanding.
While the upcoming milestone at the Grand remains significant, I wanted to learn more about how Peake feels about the state of the Canadian performing arts and theatre industry, considering the rapid changes it has undergone. She noted how big a question this was:
“I feel optimistic about the state of the industry – post-pandemic, different places came back at different speeds in terms of willingness to be in public spaces and large groups. On the tail end of all this, people are excited to be out again and to experience live performance and the magic it provides.”
She explains how, across the country, theatres are becoming more innovative in how they connect with new audiences and in how they tell Canadian stories and those from elsewhere through a Canadian lens, in ways that are vital to our national identity.
Many theatres now collaborate to tell stories. Costs have increased, and mounting theatre productions is becoming more expensive. According to Peake, the Grand has a history of co-productions, but there was a period when the theatre did fewer of them. Currently, the Grand has resumed co-producing more.
She says:
“I think co-productions have a lot of value. It’s really important that the productions at the Grand are London-made. With The High School Project and seven mainstage shows, the shops just don’t have the capacity to take on that much work in that condensed amount of time. Co-pros help with that.”
Co-productions also allow for the cross-pollination of artists from across the country coming to London. For Rachel, these artists strengthen the national pool of artistic talent. Co-pros can also be a cost-saving measure. There are smaller side benefits, but the Grand doesn’t want all their shows to be co-productions. It’s beneficial to have a balance between the two. Peake and I then discussed the possibility of smaller and community theatres exploring co-productions in the future. She’s even heard through informal channels that it has already begun.
As we started to wrap up our conversation, I asked Rachel if she would be taking some time soon simply to be Rachel Peake—sibling, daughter, confidante, friend, travel buddy.
She laughed wholeheartedly before saying she would be doing just that.
The theatre shuts down for two weeks at the beginning of July. Unfortunately, the Facilities staff can’t take that time off, but it provides an opportunity to do necessary work around the building, such as waxing floors and completing tasks that can’t be done when staff are present.
When she took on the role of Artistic Director, Rachel asked whether she and the Executive Director would take that time off as well. She was told unequivocally yes. If they don’t take those two weeks, it doesn’t mean anyone else is permitted to do so.
In July, she usually rents a cottage somewhere with her family for a few days. Her sister is moving, so she plans to spend some time with her in Ottawa.
To learn more about the Grand’s upcoming season, please visit grandtheatre.com/2627-season.
To learn more about the Grand: grandtheatre.com
