Coronavirus: Grand Theatre in London, Ont., postpones 2020-21 season

A popular theatre in London, Ont., has announced the postponement of its 2020-21 season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Grand Theatre issued a statement Wednesday saying the postponement impacts production on both of its stages, along with the Jeans ‘n Classics concert series.

The theatre’s cross-Canada tour of Cabaret is also postponed.

The season was set to begin in October and has now been pushed back to the fall of 2021.

“It’s heartbreaking to make the calls to the artists and designers that were contracted for the coming season and just as difficult to tell our staff who are passionate about their work at the Grand,” said the theatre’s artistic director, Dennis Garnhum.

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The Grand Theatre has deemed its postponement “A Grand Intermission,” which is set to provide “the Board of Leadership teams with an opportunity to listen, to learn and more importantly to take action toward the systemic racism that exists within Canadian theatre companies, including the Grand,” according to the release.

“We will be examining the theatre through a different lens and making changes to all aspects of what we do,” said Garnhum.

A new lobby will also be in the works during the “extended intermission,” as well as most of the backstage spaces.

Garnhum says the shows that are postponed will likely return unchanged, “but over time, as the stories change, what stories we want to tell will also change.”

The theatre says a working group has also been established to “develop a plan to keep Londoners engaged and entertained through this period of intermission,” though no details have been released at this time.