100 Schools Tour Launches with BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS

The Grand Theatre, the Thames Valley District School Board, and the London District Catholic School Board are thrilled to announce that the 100 Schools tour launches this week with the Grand's production of BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS, directed by Dennis Garnhum. 100 Schools is a new program by the Grand Theatre that tours professional theatre to elementary school gymnasiums and auditoriums across London and the surrounding area at no cost to the schools. The tour begins in the gym of St. Mary's Choir & Orchestra Catholic School this Friday, January 26 with its finale on April 21 at Ealing Public School.

"We are so excited to make live theatre accessible to so many students: I believe theatre has the power to change lives when young people have the chance to experience it. And what better show to launch the 100 Schools program than with BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS? It's funny, touching, and it explores the private life of this famous composer as told through the eyes of a young child discovering this mysterious man who lives upstairs," said Garnhum.

The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB), the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB), and the Grand worked together to confirm a schedule that will take BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS to 100 schools in the region, including homeschool groups and private schools (a full list is below). The initiative, which was announced a year ago, will see cast and crew hitting the road this week.

"We have enjoyed a long-standing and positive relationship with the Grand Theatre, and TVDSB is committed to continuing our support for important cultural initiatives such as the 100 Schools tour," said Laura Elliott, Director of Education for the Thames Valley District School Board, which supported the tour with a $10,000 sponsorship contribution.

"The London District Catholic School Board is excited to be one of the 100 Schools tour sponsors," said Kelly Holbrough, Superintendent of Education. "This is an excellent vehicle to provide students with an opportunity to experience the world of theatre and see it come alive in their own schools. BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS is a piece that weaves Beethoven's music into a drama that engages all ages in wonderful music and the life story of a genius composer. The 100 Schools tour will support and enhance the music programs in our schools."

There will be two performances each day, Monday through Friday, excluding weekends and holidays, with the first on Friday, January 26. Each morning, the tour starts with the cast and crew packing the set, props, and costumes into the official 100 Schools tour van donated by MacMaster Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC Ltd., departing to the first school, and loading in. The 3-person cast performs a lively music-filled 50-minute performance, after which the crew strikes the set, packs the van, and heads off to the second school of the day. It's a routine that will be repeated 52 times during the tour. In all, the cast and crew will perform 119 shows to over 33,000 elementary school students, and travel approximately 3,000 kilometres.

"It's an incredible undertaking to take this show to so many schools, one that would not be possible without the extraordinary commitment of both school boards," said Deb Harvey, Grand Theatre Executive Director. "The community response to this program, combined with the fantastic level of support from many local partners, has enabled us to make this tour happen."

BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS begins when an unruly Beethoven moves into the upstairs apartment of a Vienna home where there lives a particularly curious child, a role shared by High School Project alumnus Chris George (Christoph) and Amaka Umeh (Christa). "There's a madman living upstairs," the child writes to Uncle, played by London's Mark Payne, "He's uncouth, has a terrible temper, and howls! - his name is Beethoven." Through a series of touching letters, Christoph or Christa come to understand the genius of Beethoven, the beauty of his music, and the depth of his emotion and talent. Based on true incidents in Beethoven's life, the piece is dramatically underscored by 25 of the composer's most beautiful excerpts including Moonlight Sonata, Für Elise, and the great Fifth and Ninth Symphonies.

Originally created by Canadian Susan Hammond as an audio production, BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS has been translated, distributed, and performed across the globe.

BEETHOVEN LIVES UPSTAIRS is on tour from January 26 to April 21, 2018.

In addition to the tour, the production has a limited March Break engagement on the McManus Stage from March 12 to 17, 2018. Tickets are $15 (includes HST and CIF - prices subject to change) and are available at www.grandtheatre.com, by phone at 519-672-8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street. During this one-week run, an ASL-interpreted performance will be offered on Tuesday, March 13 at 10:00 am.

Recommended for ages 6+

The Grand Theatre gratefully acknowledges the support sponsors and donors of the 100 Schools Project tour, including Lead Sponsor the Sifton Family Foundation; Program Sponsors Libro Credit Union, the Westminster College Foundation, TVDSB, LDCSB, Hassan Law, the Good Foundation Inc., as well as support from the Grand Theatre's London Proud Club.

About the Grand Theatre:
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum and Executive Director Deb Harvey, the Grand is a leading cultural hub proudly located in the heart of downtown London, Ontario. The Grand offers diverse, relevant, and original stories from around the globe through collaborations with national and international performing arts organizations and is committed to developing, producing, and premiering original homegrown stories through COMPASS, a New Play Development Program. The Grand supports educational programming and youth mentorship such as The High School Project, the only program of its kind in North America, and 100 Schools, a new community initiative that brings professional theatre to London-area schools in 2018 at no cost. A not-for-profit regional theatre, the Grand produces and presents professional theatre on two stages: the Spriet Stage (839 seats) and the McManus Stage (144 seats). The Grand's season runs from September to May.

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