SCHOOL OF ROCK to Open at Grand Theatre

London teenagers will perform in School of Rock, the award-winning stage musical based on 2003’s blockbuster film – and the title of the 2026 Grand Theatre High School Project. Sought-after director, Lezlie Wade, leads the production, alongside Music Director Matthew Atkins and Choreographer Julius Sermonia. 

For 28 years, the Grand’s High School Project has made waves in Canadian theatre by staging a full-scale professional musical with a twist … the production’s cast is dozens of talented London and area high school students and the production itself is built by equally talented students working in the theatre’s Prop Shop, Wardrobe Department, Scene Shop, Stage Management, Sound Team, and even in Marketing and Fundraising. This year, 52 students are participating in the highly competitive program and have spent the past two months working closely with acclaimed, professional theatre artists to bring School of Rock to the Grand’s historic Spriet Stage. 

“Every year the Grand Theatre High School Project is the show that brings us back from summer, leads us into the season, and sets the tone,” shares Rachel Peake, Grand Theatre Artistic Director. “School of Rock is a fun, high-energy show and a chance for high school students to be playing instruments right on the stage. It's a show about the strength of young people and about how your individuality – your weirdness – is your strength.”

Year over year, student musicians often join professional artists in the orchestra pit, performing the show night after night. The program has had an onstage student band before too. This year, students are taking it to another level and their musicianship will be integrated into the roles they play on stage. Isaac De Melo will play the guitar and sing while also delivering the lines – and the antics – of Dewey Finn, a character originated by Jack Black in the blockbuster 2003 movie. De Melo will rock out alongside Raya Campbell, Rilla De Souza, Emmett Franck, Sam Harson, Malaya MacDonald, Paxton Nair, Duncan Patrick, Daxton Scurr, and Junior Van Geffen will also hold actor-musician roles. The cast also includes Lily Barned, Charlie Burnett, Leland Chafee, Patrick Coombs, Gwendolyn Cornies, Peyton Crosby, Isla Fitzsimons, Cordelia Hawley, Isabelle Hiltz, Jake Hoare, Aya Holzberg, Sarah Jenkinson, Solange Kirkwood, Marian Viancy Mamigo, Lara Manocchi, Amaya Musvosvi, Isabelle Parent, Owen Petersen, Tessa Pritchett-White, Taylor Reaume-Cunning, Sal Rogers, Solarah Rose, Olivia Rossignoli, and Alexandra Stockford as the students, faculty, and parents of Horace Green Prep.

“With the help of a down-on-his-luck guitarist, School of Rock is the inspirational musical that transforms a class of straight-A students into a mind-blowing rock band, unlocking their inner rebels. Music possesses a unique power to ignite change, stirring thoughts and emotions in ways that no lecture, podcast, Netflix series, or magazine article ever could,” says Wade. “Working on this musical is a profound joy, a tribute to the transformative power of Rock and Roll and its ability to help us transcend the versions of ourselves that others expect. It is a privilege to work alongside this extraordinary cast of talented young individuals.”

In the Grand Theatre’s shops, departments, and offices are 18 students working behind the scenes in production roles to bring the show to life: Stanislava Chulkova, Chloe Laporte, Ollie Neeb, Elodie Wilson, Margaret Frisa, Madelaine Prémont, Rian Renaud, Tiffani Seed, Maria Van Geffen, Abby Cullaton, Koda Greene-Cavanagh, Kade Campbell, Juliana Dinnin, Quentin Vieira, Samuel Craig, Nina Madelska-Hallows, Emma Hope, and Amar Moussa. 

The production’s creative team spends their summer in the rehearsal hall and in the shops, working alongside the students as mentors and creative collaborators to bring the show to the Grand’s Spriet Stage as the first show of the season. Lezlie Wade, Matthew Atkins and Julius Sermonia, are joined on the creative team by Set Designer Julia Callon, Costume Designer Meghan Choma, Lighting Designer Jareth Li, Sound Designer Brian Kenny, Intimacy Director Kerry Hishon, Vocal Coach Tora Klassen, Stage Manager Kelly Luft, and Assistant Stage Manager Melissa Cameron. 

The Grand Theatre High School Project School of Rock plays on the Spriet Stage at the Grand Theatre from September 22 to October 3. Tickets start at $29 and are available at grandtheatre.com/event/school-of-rock, by phone at 519-672-8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street. Discounted 17 & Under pricing available. 

The Grand Theatre is grateful to offer Canada Life Pay-What-You-Can pricing, presented on Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m.

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