By Keith Tomasek, Sept 25, 2018

Stratford Festival’s Seana McKenna will be performing in Margaret Atwood’s “The Penelopiad” at The Grand theatre in London. Other actors familiar to Stratford Festival fans appearing in the 2018/19 Grand season include Steve Ross, Nigel Shawn Williams and E.B. Smith.

Megan Follows, who recently received the Stratford Festival’s Legacy Award will be directing McKenna in Atwood’s “The Penelopiad” which runs from Jan. 22 to Feb. 9, 2019.

Follows starred in Nightwood Theatre’s 2013 production of “The Penelopiad,” which the National Post’s Robert Cushman called: “vibrant, moving and darkly, explosively funny.”

“The Penelopiad” marks a return to the Grand for McKenna, who has performed in the historic venue several times including title roles in “Antigone” and “The Misanthrope.”

Steve Ross, a perennial Stratford favourite, is joining Blythe Wilson and Sean Arbuckle who return to the Grand reprising their roles in “A Christmas Carol.” Ross will play the role of the loveable Mr. Fezziwig. Ross and Wilson are currently performing together as husband, (Mayor Shinn), and wife in “The Music Man” at the Stratford Festival.

“A Christmas Carol” runs from December 5 to 23, 2018.

It’s a delight to see that E.B. Smith is returning to the Grand after stellar performances in “Art” and “The Mountaintop.” Both of those were directed by Nigel Shawn Willians who will be joining Smith, under the direction of Djanet Sears, in the Pulitzer Prize-winning “August Wilson’s Fences” which runs from March 19 to April 16, 2019.

Dennis Garnhum revisits Timothy Findley’s “The Wars” which he originally directed at as a co-production between Theatre Calgary and Vancouver Playhouse in 2007. Garnhum’s connection to Findley goes back to the 2001 production of “The Trials of Ezra Pound” and “Shadows.”

Be sure to listen to my podcast with Garnhum where he discusses working with Findley at the Stratford Festival. Our podcast is available on Spotify and Apple podcasts, from this link.

Jan Alexander Smith, who performed to rave reviews in Catalyst Theatre’s “Vigilante” stars alongside Alex Furber who starred in “War Horse” for Mirvish and more recently Studio 180’s “My Night With Reg.”

Timothy Findley’s “The Wars” runs from Oct. 23 to Nov. 11, 2018.

The Grand Theatre’s 2018/19 Season

AN UNDISCOVERED SHAKESPEARE
A Spontaneous Theatre production by Rebecca Northan
OCTOBER 11 to 13 | McMANUS STAGE

TIMOTHY FINDLEY’S THE WARS
Adapted and Directed by Dennis Garnhum
OCTOBER 23 to NOVEMBER 11 | SPRIET STAGE

BARBER SHOP CHRONICLES
A Fuel, National Theatre, and West Yorkshire Playhouse co-production
NOVEMBER 15 to 24, 2018 | SPRIET STAGE

THE BOY IN THE MOON
A Crow’s Theatre Production
Directed by Chris Abraham
NOVEMBER 20 to DECEMBER 1| McMANUS STAGE

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Adapted by Dennis Garnhum, Directed by Megan Watson
DECEMBER 5 to 29 | SPRIET STAGE

THE PENELOPIAD
Directed by Megan Follows
JANUARY 22 to FEBRUARY 9 | SPRIET STAGE

MAGGIE AND PIERRE
A timeshare Production
Directed by Rob Kempson
FEBRUARY 12 to 16 | McMANUS STAGE

VIGILANTE
A Catalyst Theatre Production
Directed by Jonathan Christenson
FEBRUARY 19 to MARCH 9 | SPRIET STAGE

FENCES
Directed by Djanet Sears
MARCH 19 to APRIL 6 | SPRIET STAGE

CABARET
Directed by Dennis Garnhum
APRIL 9 to 27 | McMANUS STAGE

MAMMA MIA!
Co-production with the Charlottetown Festival
Directed by Adam Brazier
APRIL 23 to MAY 11 | SPRIET STAGE

Details, Details:
The Grand Theatre
September 18 – 29
Purchase tickets online 
Box office: 519-672- 8800