Grand Theatre Hosts The North American Premiere of CHARIOTS OF FIRE

The Grand Theatre is thrilled to produce the North American premiere of the stage adaptation of CHARIOTS OF FIRE. Directed by Grand Theatre Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum, and starring Harry Judge and Wade Bogert-O'Brien, the story is based on the iconic film that won four Academy Awards in 1981. The original stage adaptation had its premiere in London England's West End in 2012, and this month, London, Ontario's Grand Theatre is the first to produce it outside of England. The Title Sponsor for CHARIOTS OF FIRE is 3M.

CHARIOTS OF FIRE is the inspirational true story of two British runners, who overcome prejudice and conflict to compete in the Olympics. Eric Liddell is a devout Christian. Harold Abrahams is the son of an immigrant Lithuanian Jew. The two athletes prevail in the face of enormous odds as their story begins in 1919, and takes audiences through their trials and triumphs all the way to the 1924 Paris Olympics.

"Five years ago, I saw CHARIOTS OF FIRE in London's West End, and since, I have been working on securing the rights to bring it to North America," said Garnhum. "This project has been a creation of epic proportions for us here at the Grand. The set and cast are so large that it requires the use of six rehearsal spaces, and we are building a running track that will be installed around the seats of the theatre."

This immersive stage adaptation captures the triumphant spirit of the classic film in a production that is both intimate and large-scale. The set is designed by the acclaimed Bretta Gerecke, who is resident designer at Catalyst Theatre and also has designed for Cirque du Soleil and Stratford, among others. The orchestra level of the Grand will feature a large running track. To accommodate the track, 104 seats were removed from the house. Patrons will also have the chance to experience the production up-close from one of the 32 onstage stadium seats.

The production showcases some of the film's iconic music, plus several new pieces, arranged and composed by Dave Pierce. Pierce is the renowned arranger for Michael Bublé, Sarah McLachlan, Nelly Furtado, and was the music director for the opening, closing, and victory ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, for which he received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction.

The cast is made up of 24 actors, including several Grand Theatre High School Project alumni: Ben Cookson, Ellen Denny, David Michael Moote, Anwyn Musico, and Connor Overton. Wade Bogert-O'Brien, who plays Eric Liddell, and Harry Judge, who plays Harold Abrahams, make their Grand debut in the production.

CHARIOTS OF FIRE first opened at London's Hampstead Theatre in May 2012, and then went to the West End in June 2012 where it ran until January 2013.

CHARIOTS OF FIRE is on stage at the Grand Theatre in previews from April 17 to 19, with opening night on April 20, and running to May 5. Tickets are $29.95 to $84 and tickets for the onstage stadium seats are $40 (includes HST and CIF - prices subject to change). Tickets are available at grandtheatre.com, by phone at 519-672-8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street.

The Grand Theatre gratefully acknowledges the support of the 2017/18 Season Sponsor BMO Financial Group.

About the Grand Theatre:
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum and Executive Director Deb Harvey, the Grand is a leading cultural hub proudly located in the heart of downtown London, Ontario. The Grand offers diverse, relevant, and original stories from around the globe through collaborations with national and international performing arts organizations and is committed to developing, producing, and premiering original homegrown stories through COMPASS, a New Play Development Program. The Grand supports educational programming and youth mentorship such as The High School Project, the only program of its kind in North America, and 100 Schools, a community initiative that brings professional theatre to London-area schools at no cost.

A not-for-profit regional theatre, the Grand produces and presents professional theatre on two stages: the Spriet Stage (839 seats) and the McManus Stage (144 seats). The Grand's season runs from September to May.