Every holiday season, The Grand Theatre in London, Ontario, brings a musical to life that captures the magic of the season. This year, Artistic Director Rachel Peake tackles the iconic The Sound of Music, a beloved classic that has enchanted audiences for nearly sixty years.
As a young child, I’ll never forget winning tickets to see the movie with my family—a memory that has stayed with me through the years. The songs, the dance, and the unforgettable love story remain one of my favourite childhood memories. This holiday production offers a chance for young families to create their own lasting memories as they experience this timeless tale together on stage.
The musical’s story centers around Maria (played by Dominique LeBlanc – last seen at the Grand Theatre in Controlled Damage), a would-be nun who abandons her studies to sing songs on the Austrian mountainside.
Not entirely convinced she will make a dedicated nun, Mother Abess (played brilliantly by Janelle Cooper) sends Maria to the von Trapp family to become the new governess. I enjoyed her performance, with the most compelling song of the production being when Ms. Cooper sang at the end of Act One. Her rendition of Climb Ev’ry Mountain brought down the house.
My conversation with Ms. Cooper at the media call focused on her life in Toronto. Growing up with a single mom and facing challenges throughout her life, she has been in theatre for over 20 years and feels she has a voice to bring greater representation to the stage. Within that mandate, she is the founder of Ellipsis Tree Collective—Alberta’s first Black-led and Black-focused theatre company.
On December 12th, I would encourage you to attend the show and stay for a special London Black Community Night reception in the Drewlo Lounge. This reception will feature sweet treats and a post-show chat. Company members, including Janelle Cooper (Mother Abbess) and Music Director Alexandra Kane, will give you a deeper understanding of the show and their role in creating this spectacular production!
Other notable standouts include Maria, played by Dominique LeBlanc. This young, enthusiastic Nova Scotia native has performed since she was six. With a leading role as Maria when she was about seven or eight, she stated The Sound of Music at the Grand Theatre is a full circle moment.
Ms. LeBlanc energizes the stage and has the vocal strength to carry the lead role. Her interaction with the children-actors feels genuine and always encouraging. Her chemistry with Captain von Trapp (Adam Stevenson) is less compelling. That has more to do with Mr. Stevenson than Ms. LeBlanc. I found his performance somewhat stiff and unconvincing when he ‘falls in love’ with Maria.
I first saw Mr. Stevenson in the Million Dollar Quartet, playing Johnny Cash—a production I loved! I felt he was more at home with that play than this one. His singing seemed a bit more retrained and better suited to country music than Rogers & Hammerstein’s.
The children actors in this production were outstanding. All between the ages of 6 – 16 (with one of last year’s favourites – Neela Noble – Remember her exceptional performance in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda, The Musical?). In this year’s Christmas production, Noble plays Louisa. I hope to see her in a more prominent role soon on the Spreit Stage!
There are two youth company casts, and I have to say the Woolen Mitten Cast that performed on opening night deserves a notable mention: Kurt (Tade Calder), Gretl (Finley Campbell), Louisa (Raya Campbell), Marta (Lyla Couch), Brigitta (Oforiwa Ofori), and Friedrich (Junior van Geffen) were excellent singers and dancers. Their performance of those songs and numbers we all love added nostalgic moments. There were definitely a few of my favourite things!
What you need to know:
Dates: The Sound of Music runs between November 19 – December 29
Where: The Grand Theatre Spriet Stage, Grand Theatre, London, ON
Running Time: Two hours and 45 minutes with a 20-minute intermission.
Ticket Prices: Tickets start at $24, but most tickets are in the $89-101 range. Availability is pretty good.
I always look for ways to make the arts accessible for any budget. I encourage people to look into the Canada Life-sponsored Pay What You Can (PWYC) performances. On the first Sunday performance of any production on the Spriet Stage, the Grand Theatre reserves a minimum of 150 tickets.
Available in increments of $5, you can access the first 100 tickets online at 12:00 a.m. the day of the performance (I hate that they ask you to do this at midnight, but sometimes it takes a little bit of extra effort for those who want to save $$$)! You can also stand in line an hour before the performance in person at the Grand Theatre to access the last 50 tickets.
2024/25 Pay-What-You-Can Performances
- As You Like It: Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 2:00 PM
- The Sound of Music: Sunday, November 24 at 1:00 PM
- Heist: Sunday, January 19, 2025 at 2:00 PM
- The Secret to Good Tea: Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM
- Waitress: Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM
- Pride and Prejudice: Sunday, May 4, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Added Insights – Bonus
I appreciate that the Grand Theatre in London Ontario makes a concerted effort to make each production interesting and informative. For example there are numerous opportunities for theatre lovers to meet the cast and creative and Grand staff members. From post-performance informal guided discussions and Tea Talks in the Drewlo Lounge to community talks (London Black Community Night – December 12 at 7:30 pm).
Relaxed Performance: Sunday, Dec 15, 2024 at 1:00 PM
Conclusion
This was an excellent effort for Rachel Peake’s first production at the Grand Theatre. Taking on a classic like The Sound of Music is no small task. Music Director Alexandra Kane did a wonderful job. The songs were wonderful, and the performance by the children actors were outstanding. I recommend seeing the production and encourage you to follow some of these great actors – I look forward to seeing Ms. LeBlanc, Ms. Cooper, and Ms. Noble in future Grand Theatre productions.
Margarita Ibbott is a travel and lifestyle blogger. She blogs about travel in Canada, the United States and Europe giving practical advice through restaurant, hotel and attraction reviews. She writes for DownshiftingPRO.com and other online media outlets.