president’s report

Dear members of the Grand Theatre,

It is my privilege and honour to provide the Presidents report, outlining the past year’s successes, and challenges.

First and foremost, I would like to express my deep appreciation for the support and generosity of our sponsors, donors, and patrons. Without your unwavering dedication we would not be able to continue to bring world class performances to our stages. Thanks to you we remain World Curious and London Proud.

Following a period of societal upheaval, tremendous uncertainty, and empty theatre seats, it is fair to say we began this season with both great anticipation and a quiet trepidation. Despite another challenging and tumultuous year for the theatre industry, the Grand marched forward to create a season of incredible achievement, monumental firsts, and bold theatre magic.

It’s impossible to look back on this season and not celebrate the completion of one of the Grand’s most ambitious projects to date: RENO2020. This $9.5 million renovation made our community spaces more beautiful, our stages more advanced, and our working spaces more functional. We strove to ensure that this historic building became a more accessible and welcoming environment for all Londoners today, and into the future.

One of the highlights of my time as chair was witnessing the official re-opening of the theatre in November 2021. Sitting on the darkened Spriet Stage, and watching the curtain rise to hundreds of golden balloons in the house was a glorious image. Similarly, attending the GRAND RE:OPENING FESTIVAL, which hosted our first live performances in 15 months, was a great reminder of the joy and privilege it is to come together and experience powerful theatre.

And what powerful theatre we produced this season. The Grand proudly hosted two premieres: the North-American premiere of ROOM by Emma Donoghue, and the world premiere of GROW. These two productions exemplified the Grand’s commitment to creating and staging new work, and highlighted our unique position in Canada’s theatre landscape.

While the year was a triumph in many ways, it also brought forward great challenge – most notably the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. While we hoped to provide an uninterrupted season, flare-ups of new variants forced us to limit audience sizes, implement new procedures, and cancel a number of shows. These were challenging waters to navigate, but through teamwork, leadership and informed decision making, we were still able to finish our year with a surplus.

This season saw the bittersweet departure of Executive Director, Deb Harvey, who ended her 22-year career with us in June. Deb was a pillar at the Grand and within the London community. Between her strong business acumen, her passion for the arts, and her commitment to our city, she truly left an indelible mark and set the Grand up for continued success into the future. It was an honour to celebrate her at this year’s Grand Gala with so many community members and friends in attendance.

After a national search, the Grand welcomed Evan Klassen as our new Executive Director. Evan stood out to the search committee due to his diverse knowledge, experience, and pure passion for theatre. I know the theatre is in safe hands with Evan, and that our future shines brighter than even our newest stage lights.

On behalf of the board, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff and volunteers. Our sincerest gratitude for all your hard work and dedication. Your efforts have truly made a difference and have not gone unnoticed. Thank you for your commitment to the Grand Theatre through challenging times, and beyond. Finally, I wanted to extend a thank you to the Grand’s board of directors. Thank you for your time, expertise, and commitment to our organization. Your contributions have helped shape the direction of our organization and have made a positive impact on our mission.

Thank you to all who contributed to this unforgettable year. I look forward to celebrating our new 10-show season, LIVE! And in person, with you.

Anita Shah President, Board of Directors