Book by Dennis Kelly | Music & Lyrics by Tim Minchin
Orchestrations and Additional Music by Chris Nightingale
Directed by Megan Watson
September 17 to September 28, 2024
Opening Night: Friday, September 20, 2024
Spriet Stage
Season Sponsor: BMO
Downtown Community Partner: Old Oak Properties
Title Sponsor: Western Fair District
HSP Youth Program Sponsors:
Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board, Libro Credit Union, Westminster College Foundation
September 11, 2024 – London ON – In its 26th year, the Grand Theatre High School Project proudly presents Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, playing September 17 to 28 on the Spriet Stage. As the most applied-to High School Project in history, Matilda The Musical boasts 58 student participants who have spent the last two months working with seasoned theatre professionals to mount a professionally produced musical in the Grand Theatre’s historic house.
“Matilda is a play about children making change and harnessing the power of imagination toward a world that is different from the one they inherited,” says Grand Theatre Artistic Director, Rachel Peake. “The High School Project has been reflective of this philosophy for over a quarter of a century, putting many of the responsibilities of theatre creation into the hands of the next generation, under the mentorship of professionals in all areas of the discipline. I remain astounded at the quality of what these students create and encourage all of London to come out and see their artistry on full display!”
High school students from London, and as far as Strathroy, Woodstock, and Kitchener, make up the company of Matilda The Musical. By numbers: 35 of those students are performing in the on-stage cast; 19 students take up several production roles as members of the stage management, props, wardrobe, scenic art, lighting, sound, and marketing teams; while 4 student musicians work with professional musicians in the show’s orchestra pit.
The professional creative team leading the charge for these student-artists includes Megan Watson (director and former Artistic Associate of the Grand Theatre), Sarah Richardson (music director), Stephen Cota (choreographer), Scott Penner (set designer), Lisa Wright (costume designer), Jareth Li (lighting designer), Aaron Ouellette (sound designer), Martine Beland (stage manager), and Jess Gordon (apprentice stage manager).
“What thrills me the most about our production of Matilda is that all of these young voices, from all around the region, are making their mark on the material and on the text,” says director, Megan Watson. “The High School Project has this absolutely incredible legacy, and I’m thrilled at the thought that it could continue on and on, into the future.”
Matilda The Musical is the Tony and Olivier-Award winning story of an under-appreciated child with an extraordinary mind, setting about to change her own story, and bring hope to the lives of those around her. But when her scheming, neglectful father enrolls her in Crunchem Hall Elementary School, under the authoritarian leadership of Ms. Trunchbull, Matilda's magical mind is called toward a different, ‘revolting’, adventure. Based on the beloved children’s book by Roald Dahl, Matilda The Musical has been staged from the West End to Broadway, toured around the world, and now lands at the Grand Theatre.
Grand Theatre High School Project (HSP)
For over 25 years, the Grand Theatre High School Project has offered an exceptional opportunity for students to receive education and training in the working environment of a professional theatre, at no cost to the participants.
High school students from the London area are mentored by professional artists and coaches in all departments (performance, stage management, props, wardrobe, scenic art, orchestra, sound, lighting, marketing, and more), culminating in a production staged on the Grand’s 839-seat theatre: the Spriet Stage.
2024 Grand Theatre High School Project
Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical
Book by Dennis Kelly | Music & Lyrics by Tim Minchin
Orchestrations and Additional Music by Chris Nightingale
Directed by Megan Watson
SEP 17 to 28 | Opens Sep 20
CREATIVE TEAM
Director – Megan Watson
Music Director – Sarah Richardson
Choreographer – Stephen Cota
Set Design Consultant – Scott Penner
Costume Designer – Lisa Wright
Lighting Designer – Jareth Li
Sound Designer – Aaron Ouellette
Stage Manager – Martine Beland
Apprentice Stage Manager – Jess Gordon
STUDENT CAST
Miraya Agrawal
Ava Alcaidinho
Marissa Allen
Sophia Belleth
Charlie Burnett
Leland Chafee
Theone Damue
Michael Dodge
Evan Doerr
Shakotshanunyatha Doxtator
Sawyer Eidt
Hosna Emami
Greta Fleet
Billie Gould
Abby Hall
Isabelle Hiltz
Aya Holzberg
Piper Jesney
Alexis Khanna
Jasmine Melo
Erica Mota
Neela Noble
Danica Novo
Isabelle Parent
Ethan Pickett
Erin Prouty
Leticia Rodrigues
Una Roulston
Olivia Schiedel
Isaac Sellars
Alyssa Skiffington
Isaac Szoldatits
Desi vanBeek-Paterson
Mackenna VanMassenhoven
James Wright
PRODUCTION STUDENTS
Adelaide Alcantara LIGHTING
Angelina Moses PHOTOGRAPHY & MARKETING
Kate Telfer PROPS
Aislynn Pinelli PROPS
Corinne Smeenk PROPS
Chloe Laporte PROPS
Marlie Klompstra-White PROPS
Bea Snider SCENIC ART
Ayat Reza SCENIC ART
Joni Lau SOUND
Luis Garcia SOUND
Quentin Vieira STAGE MANAGEMENT
Grace Tang STAGE MANAGEMENT
Reagan Berdan WARDROBE
Meyer Liston WARDROBE
Morrigan Beharriell WARDROBE
Eris Marles WARDROBE
Maggie McHardy WARDROBE
Virginia McCallum WARDROBE
ORCHESTRA STUDENTS
Riley Hales
Franz Marsolais Hernandez
Emily Peacock
Ryan Shaw
The 2024 Grand Theatre High School Project: Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical plays on the Spriet Stage from September 17 to 28, 2024. Single tickets range from $26-$55, and are available at www.grandtheatre.com, by phone at 519.672.8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street. There is a Pay-What-You-Can performance on Sunday, September 22nd at 2:00 p.m. (Pay-What-You-Can tickets become available online at midnight on the day of the performance, with a selection of tickets held for in-person purchase one hour prior to the performance at the Grand Theatre Box Office).
The Grand Theatre gratefully acknowledges Season Sponsor BMO, Downtown Community Partner Old Oak Properties, Title Sponsor Western Fair District, HSP Program Sponsors Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board, Libro Credit Union, and Westminster College Foundation.
To learn more about the Grand Theatre High School Project: Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, please visit grandtheatre.com/high-school-project. Additional facts, photos, and updates can also be found by following @thegrandlondon and #GrandHSP on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
The Grand Theatre is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Attawandaron Peoples. We acknowledge with gratitude the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional Indigenous Peoples and of all the Original Peoples of Turtle Island (also known as North America). We are honoured to live, work, and tell stories together on this land.
About the Grand Theatre – World Curious. London Made.
The Grand Theatre is known for world-class theatre created and built in London, Ontario. As southwestern Ontario’s premiere producing theatre and one of the most beautiful theatre spaces in Canada, the company has deep ties to the community and to its artists, artisans, and technicians.
As a vibrant cultural hub and not-for-profit professional theatre, the Grand serves to gather, inspire, and entertain audiences in London and beyond. At our home in downtown London, we create productions on two stages: the Spriet Stage (839 seats) and the Auburn Developments Stage (144 seats). The Grand season of theatrical offerings runs from September to May, and we collaborate with companies and artists across the country through our co-productions that see London-made artistic and creative work travel to audiences nation-wide. Through our successful New Play Development Program, the Grand is committed to developing and premiering new, original works and supporting the growth and reach of theatre writers and creators. Our recently renovated venue offers a contemporary and welcoming environment that is also home to several successful music series’, community arts rentals, and cultural and special events.
A cornerstone of the organization is our place as a teaching theatre, exemplified in our many mentorship programs and highlighted in our annual Grand Theatre High School Project. As the first program of its kind in the country and currently in its twenty-sixth year, the High School Project involves as many as one hundred high school participants annually from schools across the region. These students participate at no cost and take on roles both on stage and off, in a fully realized mainstage production under the direction of a professional creative team.
For more information, visit: grandtheatre.com.
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For more information please contact:
Lia Karidas, Director of Marketing & Digital Strategy
lkaridas@grandtheatre.com
office: 519-672-9030 ext. 280
