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September 10, 2025 – London ON – Each September, London audiences and Canada’s theatre industry turn their eyes to the Grand Theatre’s Spriet Stage. A new class of student artists has spent the summer immersed in the Grand Theatre High School Project, working alongside industry greats to hone their craft and ultimately mount a main-stage production showcasing the next generation of theatre talent.
This year, the power of youth will be on full display with the vibrant musical spectacular, Disney’s Newsies, famed for its imaginative and iconic dance sequences, inspired by a true story, and featuring a Tony Award-winning score that includes songs such as “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “King of New York”.
Newsies invites audiences to step into turn-of-the-century New York City, a time of skyscrapers and money makers. This year's Grand Theatre High School Project production tells the story of charismatic Jack Kelly and his gritty band of newsies, united in the fight against newspaper giants. When greedy publishers decide to raise distribution prices at the newsies’ expense, it’s up to Jack and his pals to be stronger together and fight for what’s right.
More than sixty high school students from London and area – representing seventeen different schools – make up the student company of Disney’s Newsies. Thirty-eight students make up the on-stage cast, two student musicians will be performing with the live orchestra, and twenty-one student artists are working behind the scenes in production roles including wardrobe, props, lighting, sound, stage management, carpentry, scenic art, and marketing/photography.
One of the most influential powers in Canadian musical theatre, Ray Hogg (Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812; A Strange Loop; Musical Stage Co.), has been in residency at the Grand Theatre to lead this year’s High School Project production and direct the newest cohort of student artists through the Grand’s one-of-a-kind theatrical incubator. In step with Hogg is an all-star creative team led by Music Director Matthew Atkins (London Gospel Collective), Choreographer Krista Leis (Stratford, Broadway), Set Design Consultant Joshua Quinlan (Stratford, Crow’s, Mirvish), Costume Designer Lisa Wright, Lighting Designer Echo Zhou 周芷會, Sound Designer Emily Porter, Fight Director Mike Dufays, Disability Consultant Kristi Hansen, and Stage Manager Melissa Cameron.
Throughout rehearsals, Hogg has pointed to the story within the story and has
prompted the company to do the same. “At first glance, Newsies is about a group of kids who go on strike after repeatedly being taken advantage of by rich and powerful people, but it’s really about young people discovering what it means to be the future,” Hogg explains. “It’s about finding the bravery to speak truth to power, seek justice, and demand equality. It is about embracing fear and vulnerability and celebrating imagination and vision.”
Grand Theatre High School Project
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, carpentry, orchestra, sound, lighting, stage, and marketing), culminating in a production staged on the Grand’s 839-seat theatre: the Spriet Stage.
“Year-after-year, the Grand Theatre High School project shows us just how much young people can do when given the space to grow into their potential. Whether onstage or behind-the-scenes, this huge group of young people have been challenged to the extreme on this show,” shares Rachel Peake, Grand Theatre Artistic Director. “It calls on them to execute all elements of musical theatre to the highest level. This exceptional creative team has set the bar high, and day after day, those of us working with these students are deeply impacted by how they continually exceed our expectations.”
The 2025 Grand Theatre High School Project, Disney’s Newsies, plays on the Spriet Stage from September 17 to 27. Single tickets range from $26-$55,and are available at grandtheatre.com, by phone at 519.672.8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street.
The Grand Theatre is grateful to offer Canada Life Pay-What-You-Can pricing for the 2:00 p.m. performance on Sunday, September 22.
The Grand Theatre gratefully acknowledges Season Sponsor BMO, Downtown Community Partner Old Oak Properties, Title Sponsor Western Fair District, and Youth Program Sponsors Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board, Libro Credit Union, and J.P. Bickell Foundation. With thanks to New Era Grafix for the 2025 Grand Theatre High School Project Hoodies.
To learn more about the Grand Theatre High School Project, Disney’s Newsies, please visit grandtheatre.com/event/newsies. Follow the production and peek behind the scenes by following @thegrandlondon and #GrandHSP on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube, & TikTok.
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 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.).
Subscriptions remain available and continue to offer the best pricing and best theatre experience.
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For more information please contact:
Melissa Mae Shipley, Communications and Public Relations Manager
[email protected]
office: 519.672.9030 ext. 266
cell: 519.280.4008
grandtheatre.com
