Wednesday was a show stopping night for The Grand Theatre, celebrating a major milestone. “Today we’re celebrating 125 years of live performance here at the Grand Theatre,” said Lyndee Hansen, executive director at The Grand Theatre. To mark the occasion theatre buffs were invited to attend a “Backstage Bash”. “It’s an open house sort of vibe,” said Hansen. “It’s a chance to wander around and look at all the things we have available for people to see.” The main attraction was a display showcasing more than a century of history. “We have this beautiful display that runs all the way through the building,” said Hansen. “It’s a great opportunity for Londoners to have a chance to see just how much impact this building and this theatre and this building has had for the past 25 years.” The journey through The Grand’s history wouldn’t be complete without paying tribute to memorable fashion moments. “I pulled pieces that correlate with the Backstage Bash,” said Lisa Wright, head of wardrobe at the theatre. “We’ve got looks from the 20’s, 30’s and 50’s.” Visitors also got their chance to take centre stage. “We really like this idea of people coming in through the stage door and getting an experience that the average theatre goer doesn’t get,” said Rachel Reake, artistic director at the Grand Theatre. “They stand on the stage and look out at the audience the way the actors do.” Organizers said they are looking forward to 125 more years of live performance in London. “We have our high school project coming up first which is School of Rock,” said Peake. “Then we start our main season in just a little over a month with Dracula.”
