Grand Theatre Ladies of Old South Three Old South Londoners with London’s Grand Theatre share their thoughts about working with the historic theatre and living in Wortley Village: RACHEL PEAKE (Artistic Director, Grand Theatre) What first interested you in theatre? I’ve always loved storytelling, starting from making puppet shows as a child. The Globe Theatre in Regina sent school tours to my small Saskatchewan town and they were my favourite day of the year – it felt like magic. What is your role at the Grand and what is most rewarding about your work? I have been Artistic Director of the Grand Theatre for a year and a half now, which means I lead the artistic side of the company. The most rewarding part of my work is collaborating – whether that is collaborating with actors and designers in rehearsal, or with a playwright developing a new script, or with my team at the Grand creating new programs to engage with our audiences. Do you have a favourite memory or anecdote or career highlight? Coming from a small town I didn’t believe that working in theatre was a real possibility so I thought I would work in tv and film. Then one day I was in Vancouver and went to see West Side Story at the Arts Club at a matinee. I sat in that theatre with all those people around me and the lights went down, and the orchestra started to play the overture, and I started to weep. I
knew from that moment that I would spend the rest of my life in the theatre. What do you like about living in Old South London? Our neighbours! The community has been so welcoming and so generous to me and to my family since moving here – I honestly didn’t know that places like this still exist. We feel like we hit the lottery moving here. LYNDEE HANSEN (Executive Director, Grand Theatre) What first interested you in theatre? I have had a life long love of theatre that came from my parents. Their record collection included a lot of musicals, so I was exposed to theatre and song at a young age. I saw my first show at the Grand Theatre, my mom and dad took me for my birthday. We saw Godspell and got to sit in the box seats. I loved it. I have been a theatre lover ever since. It is wonderful to be back where my love for theatre began. What is your role at the Grand and what is most rewarding about your work? I am the Executive Director at the Grand Theatre. The most rewarding part of the work is to talk with people about their experience at the theatre and to hear how the work of our team has such an impact in our community. I also really love giving tours to people who have never been as we have one of the best (if not the best) theatre spaces in the country. It is always a magical when people come into the space and see our jewel box theatre. It is truly like being transported back in time.
Page 8 Wortley Villager • May 2025
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