London’s Grand Theatre unveils 2025-26 season, including three musicals
iPhoto caption: Photo courtesy of Grand Theatre.
The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario has announced its six-show 2025-26 subscription season, which includes three musicals, a pair of comedies, and the winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
“At times I feel like a travel agent, inviting theatre-goers on a year-long trip full of visits to places they love, or have been dying to see,” wrote artistic director Rachel Peake in a press release. “Having explored London through my first year and through my first Grand season, I feel endlessly fortunate to have landed in this specific community. I learn every day, both from the staff at the Grand and from all of you, the incredible people who surround us: we are better together.”
The Grand’s 2025-26 season is listed below. For more information, including details about the 27th annual High School Project, visit the company’s website, where subscriptions are now on sale.
The Play That Goes Wrong
Written by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields, and Jonathan Sayer
Directed by Dennis Garnhum
October 14 – November 1, 2025
In this Olivier Award-winning 2012 comedy, a fictional university theatre production falls apart in farcical fashion. The play arrives in London after a hit run on Broadway and a national tour that played Toronto in 2019.
Disney’s Frozen
Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
Book by Jennifer Lee
Directed by Rachel Peake
A co-production with Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre
November 18 – December 28, 2025
The stage adaptation of Disney’s beloved animated film from 2013. Queen Elsa is reserved and careful, while her sister, Princess Anna, is free-spirited and playful. But Elsa harbours a secret — she has powers she cannot control, leading her to flee from her past, and the home she’s always known. Now, Anna is determined to reunite with Elsa and break the winter spell threatening their people.
Primary Trust
Written by Eboni Booth
Directed by Cherissa Richards
A co-production with Crow’s Theatre
January 14 – February 1, 2026
The winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Primary Trust follows 30-something Cranberry Lake local Kenneth, who finds himself adrift after unexpectedly losing his longtime job at a bookstore. Stuck in self-doubt, he drowns his worries in cheap Mai-Tais and quality time with his best friend Bert. But when a kind waitress named Corrina mentions a job lead, Kenneth seizes the chance for a fresh start.
Piaf/Dietrich
Written by Daniel Große Boymann & Thomas Kahry
Adapted by Erin Shields from the translation by Sam Madwar
Directed by Rachel Peake
February 17 – March 7, 2026
Piaf/Dietrich is a musical drama about the real-life unlikely friendship of icons Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich, featuring hits such as “La Vie En Rose,” “Milord,” and “Lili Marlene.” Adapted from the German musical Spatz und Engel (The Angel and The Sparrow), this music-infused bio-play has appeared on stages in Europe and Montreal, as well as at Mirvish.
The Importance of Being Earnest
Written by Oscar Wilde
Directed by Alistair Newton
March 25 – April 12, 2026
In Wilde’s classic comedy of manners, two friends, lost in love, navigate a series of entirely avoidable misadventures. With its playful commentary on Victorian society, The Importance of Being Earnest has remained a staple for over a century.
Come From Away
Book, music, and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Directed by Julie Tomaino
April 28 – May 24, 2026
Amid unthinkable tragedy, a small Newfoundland town comes together to make a difference, one person at a time. The smash-hit Canadian musical touches down in a non-replica production from the director-choreographer of the Grand’s 2024 Million Dollar Quartet.
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iPhoto caption: A headshot of Jonathan Church. Photo courtesy of The Stratford Festival.
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