# Red Carpet Ahead for Grand Theatre’s 2026/27 Season ![Rachel Peake with many clocks.](/sites/default/files/styles/hero/public/2026-09/HERO_RedCarpetAhed.jpg?h=5b8344af&itok=yv-OeFGB) Young & GRAND: Theatre Festival for Young Audiences announced as new addition to the season [grandtheatre.com/2627-season](/2627-season) **September 29, 2026 – London, ON** – Only weeks remain until the red carpet opening of the **Grand Theatre’s 2026/27 Season: All in Grand Time**, featuring: *Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors* | OCT 20 – NOV 7 *A Christmas Carol* | NOV 24 – DEC 27 *cicadas* | JAN 19 – Feb 6 *Somewhere* | FEB 23 – MAR 13 *Cyrano De Bergerac* | MAR 30 – APR 17 *9 to 5* | MAY 4 – MAY 22 The opening night of the off-Broadway/West End 13+ farce with fangs, ***Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors**,* will officially open the Grand for the season as is tradition for the first production of the theatre’s flagship Spriet Series. **WHAT:** Red Carpet Grand GRAND Opening Night featuring *Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors* directed by Krista Jackson **WHEN:** Friday, October 23 (Doors & Carpet at 7 PM, Show at 8 PM) **WHO:** Media/Cameras Welcome by Arrangement **WHERE:** The Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street, London, Ontario As London’s theatre heads speedily into its new season, the Grand is topping up its season with the exciting announcement of **Young & GRAND: Theatre Festival for Young Audiences**, slated for March 18 through 21 in alignment with March Break for the city’s school boards. Believed to be the first in the Grand’s storied history, this festival for young audiences will offer titles for different ages of young people, as well as story times in both French and English, musical performances, and workshops throughout the Grand’s 125-year old building in the heart of Downtown London. Programmed by Artistic Director **Rachel Peake**, the festival’s titles include: ***Fireside Munsch*** **(All Ages)** A wonderfully wacky play for littles, based on Robert Munsch favourites! Performed by **M. John Kennedy**. ***The Assembly*** (Ages 9 to 14) An interactive theatre-meets-board-game experience about sustainability and democracy. Created & Performed by **Breanne Tice** and **Deivan Steele**. ***Otosan*** (Ages 4 and up) A little girl bravely stows away on her father’s wild, Northern adventure. Created by **Shizuka Kai**, **Jess Amy Shead**, and **Randi Edmundson** – **a Little Onion Puppet Company production**. Explore the complete schedule including these three titles, as well as the story time, song time, and workshop offerings at [grandtheatre.com/event/young-and-grand](/event/young-and-grand) **MEDIA AVAILABILITY** Grand Theatre Artistic Director, Rachel Peake, is available to speak about the upcoming season as well as the just announced Young & GRAND: Theatre Festival for Young Audiences. **For More Information & All Media Inquiries, contact:** Melissa Mae Shipley, Communications and Public Relations Manager mshipley \[at\] grandtheatre.com (mshipley\[at\]grandtheatre\[dot\]com) | 519.672.9030 x266 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. Subscriptions and single tickets can be purchased online at grandtheatre.com, by phoning the Box Office at 519.672.8800, or by visiting the Box Office in person at 471 Richmond Street (weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). To learn more about the Grand Theatre’s **2026/27 Season: All in Grand Time**, visit [grandtheatre.com/2627-season](https://www.grandtheatre.com/2627-season). Follow along with the season and peek behind the scenes by following @thegrandlondon and #GrandTheatre on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/thegrandlondon), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/TheGrandLondon/), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-grand-theatre/), [Threads](https://www.threads.com/@thegrandlondon), [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/thegrandlondon.bsky.social), [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@TheGrandTheatre/), & [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@thegrandlondon). The Grand Theatre is grateful to offer **Canada Life Pay What You Can** pricing for performances of *Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors* on Sunday, October 25 at 2 p.m., *A Christmas Carol* on Sunday, November 29 at 1 p.m., *cicadas* on Sunday, January 24 at 2 p.m., *Somewhere* on Sunday, February 28 at 2 p.m., *Cyrano de Bergerac* on Sunday, April 4 at 2 p.m., and *9 to 5* on Sunday, May 9 at 2:00 p.m. 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. -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](http://www.grandtheatre.com). **PHOTOGRAPHY**: [Grand Opening and Young Audiences Announcement](https://thegrandtheatre.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/MarketingDept/IgDiipoK6woHTZJVGcpfDz84AafWg-20TmGSnG7dS3OaDNI?e=IsUfRu)