The High School Project’s “School of Rock” at The Grand is Rocking the Room & Learning the Craft – front mezz junkies, Theater News

Frontmezzjunkies reports: The Grand Theatre’s High School Project, Their School of Rock, and Why It Matters

By Ross

The Grand Theatre’s High School Project is one of those projects that quietly restores your faith in what theatre can do for a community. Year after year, I have walked into the Spriet Stage expecting to be impressed and walked out genuinely moved. Not because these productions ask for leniency or goodwill, but because the level of commitment, intelligence, and joy these students bring to the work consistently rises to meet the standards of a professional room. With the musical, School of Rock, announced as the 2026 High School Project, that tradition feels poised to continue in a way that is both thrilling and deeply aligned with what this program does best. That sense of purpose is central to director Lezlie Wade’s approach to this year’s production:

“Young performers with musical abilities – instrumental and/or voice – have the unique ability to express themselves through the medium of music. When that comes together within a narrative, it’s especially magical. Music is a kind of alchemy that stirs the human heart of those listening. How thrilling to be able to have this opportunity for young people, who have so much to say, to share that with me in rehearsals and with the public in performance.” – Lezlie Wade, Director

School of Rock is an inspired choice. It is a show that celebrates individuality, collaboration, and the idea that passion can be a powerful form of discipline. The added element of students playing live music on stage for the first time in the project’s history feels like a natural evolution rather than a novelty. Under the direction of Wade (Monty Python’s Spamalot at the Stratford Festival), with Matthew Atkins as Music Director and Julius Sermonia as Choreographer, the production is clearly being built with intention and care. This is a creative team that understands young performers not as raw material, but as artists capable of real depth when given trust and structure.

What has always set the Grand’s High School Project apart is the seriousness with which it treats its participants. These students are not playing at theatre. They are learning what it means to work inside a professional ecosystem, one that demands focus, generosity, accountability, and craft. I have seen past productions and their participants take enormous artistic risks, handle complex material with sensitivity, and support one another through the pressures of rehearsal and performance. Watching those transformations unfold is one of the quiet joys of following this program over time.

Equally important is that this project makes space for many kinds of students. Some will arrive knowing that theatre is the path they want to pursue beyond high school. Others simply love it and want to be part of something bigger than themselves. The Grand Theatre’s High School Project honours both impulses. It offers meaningful training and mentorship to students considering a future in the arts, while also welcoming those who may carry these skills into entirely different fields. The confidence, collaboration, and creative problem-solving fostered here have value far beyond the stage. For Wade, the heart of the project lies in recognition and growth:

“It’s all about being taken seriously. It doesn’t matter how old we are, one of the most profound things we ever experience is being seen, being heard, being acknowledged. Theatre is an opportunity to come together, with the assurance that you will work together towards a common goal, you will achieve something, you will grow. And whether they stay in theatre or not, I expect the experience will be profoundly rewarding.” – Lezlie Wade, Director

For students interested in becoming involved, the doors are wide open. The project invites London and area high school students to apply for acting, singing, onstage musician roles, and a wide range of production positions, including stage management, props, wardrobe, scenic art, sound, and marketing. There is no cost to participate, and the program is designed to reflect the reality of working in a professional theatre. Applications are now open. Click here for information and the application, but be aware that the process will close on March 30, 2026, with information sessions available for those curious to learn more. Whether a student dreams of a career in theatre or simply wants to experience the exhilaration of building something together, this project remains one of the most meaningful entry points available, a place where young artists are invited not to imitate the profession, but to step fully into it. I, for one, cannot wait to see what this next generation brings to the stage.

For more information on The Grand and for tickets, click here, and for those interested high school students, click here.