.png){kind=logo}
Local teen Talent ready to Rock Grand Theatre
Grand Theatre High School Project presents SCHOOL OF ROCK
September 22 to October 3 on the Spriet Stage at the Grand Theatre
grandtheatre.com/event/school-of-rock
September 16, 2026 – London, ON – London teenagers are ready to rock the city’s downtown core with 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.
Director Lezlie Wade talks about School of Rock, the 2026 Grand Theatre High School Project https://youtu.be/h_U6-iRCc64?si=Jx0oiKi7y5B3qDy1
“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.
The Grand’s popular six-show Spriet Series subscription remains available and continues to offer the best pricing and best theatre experience. Audiences may also purchase a particular title from the season roster or bundle three or four shows together to build their own season at the Grand with additional savings.
To learn more about School of Rock, the Grand Theatre High School Project, and the Grand’s 2026/27 Season: All in Grand Time, visit grandtheatre.com and follow along with @thegrandlondon on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube, TikTok, & Substack.
The Grand Theatre’s upcoming 2026/27 Season: All In Grand Time is made possible through the generous support of Season Sponsor BMO, Downtown Community Partner Old Oak Properties, Pay-What-You-Can Presenting Sponsor Canada Life, Emerging Artist Talent Sponsor TD, Student Club Presenting Sponsor Lexus of London, Holiday Wish for Kids Presenting Sponsor Sifton Family Foundation, Lerners Stage Sponsor Lerners, Apparel Partner New Era Grafix, our 2026/27 Season Title Sponsors Linda & Bill Ross, BlueStone Properties, Digital Extremes, London Hydro, and McCormick Canada, and public funders the City of London, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and the Province of Ontario, and all our community partners and business sponsors.
Grand Theatre High School Project
SCHOOL OF ROCK
Based on the Paramount movie by Mike White
Book by Julian Fellowes
Lyrics by Glenn Slater
New Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
STUDENT CAST
Miss Wagner – Lily Barned
Mr. Williams / Mr. Green – Charlie Burnett
Ms. Bingham / Bobby (No Vacancy, Keyboard) – Raya Campbell
Mason Ward – Leland Chafee
Mr. Spencer / Theo (No Vacancy) – Patrick Coombs
Ms. Janes / Stanley – Gwendolyn Cornies
Billy Sandford – Peyton Crosby
Dewey Finn (Guitar) – Isaac De Melo
Ms. Gordon / Neil (No Vacancy, Bass) – Rilla De Souza
Miss Ward / Jeff Sanderson – Isla Fitzsimons
Pit Band Musician (Electric Guitar) / Snake (No Vacancy, Guitar) – Emmett Franck
Lawrence Turner (Keyboard) – Sam Harson
Mrs. Hathaway – Cordelia Hawley
Madison – Isabelle Hiltz
Mr. Mooneyham – Jake Hoare
Mrs. Sheinkopf / Policewoman – Aya Holzberg
Sophie – Sarah Jenkinson
Mrs. Travis / Mrs. Noble – Solange Kirkwood
Katie Travis (Bass) – Malaya MacDonald
Summer Hathaway – Marian Viancy Mamigo
Patty Di Marco – Lara Manocchi
Tomika Spencer-Williams – Amaya Musvosvi
Zack Mooneyham (Guitar) – Paxton Nair
Rosalie Mullins – Isabelle Parent
Mr. Woodard / Doug (No Vacancy, Drums) – Duncan Patrick
Mr. Sandford / Gabe Brown – Owen Petersen
Mrs. Macapugay / Security Guard – Tessa Pritchett-White
Marcy – Taylor Reaume-Cunning
Mr. Turner – Sal Rogers
Shonelle – Solarah Rose
James – Olivia Rossignoli
Freddie Hamilton (Drums) – Daxton Scurr
Mrs. Hamilton / Mr. Sanders – Alexandra Stockford
Ned Schneebly (Keyboard) – Junior Van Geffen
Dance Captain: Isabelle Hiltz
PRODUCTION STUDENTS
Props – Stanislava Chulkova
Props – Chloe Laporte
Props – Ollie Neeb
Props – Elodie Wilson
Wardrobe – Margaret Frisa
Wardrobe – Madelaine Prémont
Wardrobe – Rian Renaud
Wardrobe – Tiffani Seed
Wardrobe – Maria Van Geffen
Scenic Art – Abby Cullaton
Scenic Art – Koda Greene-Cavanagh
Carpentry – Kade Campbell
Stage Management – Juliana Dinnin
Stage Management – Quentin Vieira
Sound – Samuel Craig
Sound – Nina Madelska-Hallows
Photography & Marketing – Emma Hope
Development – Amar Moussa
CREATIVE TEAM
Director – Lezlie Wade
Music Director – Matthew Atkins
Choreographer – Julius Sermonia
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
Assistant Stage Manager – Melissa Cameron
MUSICIANS
Matthew Atkins – Conductor / Keyboard I
Dereyk Goodwin – Drums
Alexandra Kane – Keyboard II
Jeff Lupker – Guitar
Aidan Wasse – Bass
-30-
The Grand Theatre is located on the traditional territories of the Original storytellers and caretakers of this land and the Nations, both settler and Indigenous, who continue to uphold the various treaties of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, and Lunaapéewak. We value the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional First Nations, and all of the Original Peoples of Turtle Island (colonially known as North America), and acknowledge the traditional lands upon which we live, work, share, and tell stories together.
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 premier 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-eighth 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.
MEDIA CALL
When: Wednesday, September 23 at 1 p.m. (Cameras, please arrive at 12:30 p.m. to set up)
Where: Spriet Stage, Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street, London, Ontario
What: Photo, video, and interview opportunities for media.
PHOTOGRAPHY
When available, production photography will be added to the linked folder above. If you are working towards a deadline and are including photography, please contact Melissa Mae Shipley for the best and fastest options available at any moment.
FOR MORE INFORMATION & ALL MEDIA INQUIRIES
Melissa Mae Shipley, Communications and Public Relations Manager
mshipley [at] grandtheatre.com (mshipley[at]grandtheatre[dot]com)
office: 519.672.9030 x266
cell: 519.280.4008
