Humour, healing and a good cup of tea
Ontario premiere of Rosanna Deerchild’s The Secret to Good Tea soon to open at the Grand Theatre
By Rosanna Deerchild
Directed by Renae Morriseau
Co-production with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre
February 18 to March 8, 2025
Opening Night Friday, February 21, 2025
Spriet Stage
Season Sponsor:
BMO
Downtown Community Sponsor:
Old Oak Properties
Special Performance and Indigenous Ticketing Program Partner:
Lerners
Tea Sponsor:
The Tea Haus
February 11, 2025 – London ON – Start the kettle and settle in for a touching yet cheeky story inspired by Rosanna Deerchild’s (CBC Unreserved) relationship with her mother. The Grand Theatre is proud to present Deerchild’s first play The Secret to Good Tea, making its Ontario debut on the historic Spriet Stage from February 18 to March 8, 2025, before travelling to Ottawa for a second run at National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre.
The play, which premiered at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in 2023, will enjoy its second professional production in London, Ontario. “It is no surprise that [Rosanna Deerchild’s] play would encompass a bold, fearless, funny exploration of a relationship between a mother and daughter,” says Grand Theatre Artistic Director, Rachel Peake. “This is a great play, and I am endlessly thankful to Rosanna for sharing her story with us”.
Rosanna Deerchild is an award-winning Cree poet, from the community of O-Pipon-Na-Piwan Cree Nation. For over 20 years, she has been a storyteller working in various mediums, including journalism, broadcasting, poetry, and, more recently, playwriting. Deerchild is perhaps most well-known for hosting CBC Unreserved for over 10 years, a radio progra m about issues faced by Indigenous communities, culture, and conversations.
“As Indigenous people, we really need to start telling our own stories and reclaim those spaces,” explains Deerchild, who, in 2021, was invited to participate in the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s Pimootayowin Creators Circle, a playwright’s group. She accepted the invitation and in 2023 The Secret to Good Tea had its world premiere in the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. “Despite its seemingly serious and somber subject matter, the play is actually quite humorous, because Indigenous people are funny.”
The story revolves around Gwynn Starr, a quick-witted local radio host brought to life by Michelle Bardach, who was last seen on the Grand Theatre stage as Jovie in Elf: the Musical. Gwynn has a strong will and one mission, for her mother Maggie Mooswa (played by Marsha Knight, making her Grand debut) to join her in a healing gathering for residential school survivors. Maggie wants to leave the past behind, but her nightmares and her daughter’s insistence keep pulling her back, forcing her to confront what she’s tried to forget. With a pot of steaming hot tea between them, Maggie and Gwynn work to dismantle her wall, uncovering Maggie’s story through laughter, revelation, understanding, and the bond of a mother and daughter.
“It's not just our history as Indigenous people. It is the history of Canada. And we need to include it in what we know, how we know it, and how we move forward together” emphasizes Deerchild. “I want people to leave with a deeper understanding that while this is a dark chapter of our history, it’s not one we can’t heal from.”
The Grand is thrilled to welcome director Renae Morriseau for her Grand directorial debut with The Secret to Good Tea. This marks Morriseau’s second time directing this script, allowing her to refine and reimagine it for fresh audiences. The Secret to Good Tea is a co-production with the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre, where the London-built production will travel to, and play the Babs Asper Theatre in Ottawa from March 20 to 29, 2025.
The creative team of the London, Ontario production of The Secret to Good Tea are: Renae Morriseau (Director), Yolonda Skelton (Costume Designer), Tim Rodrigues (Lighting Designer), Cande Andrade (Projection Designer), Olivia Wheeler (Sound Designer), Montana Summers (Choreographer), Janet Antone (Indigenous Cultural Consultant), Anita Nittoly (Fight Director), Suzanne McArthur (Stage Manager), and Jessica Campbell-Maracle (Assistant Stage Manager).
Audiences at the Grand Theatre will be treated to an extraordinary group of talent from across Canada. This production marks twelve Grand Theatre debuts, including five out of the six cast members. Among the talented company, the Grand is delighted to welcome back Michelle Bardach, who returns to the stage as Gwynn Starr.
The Secret to Good Tea
By Rosanna Deerchild
Directed by Renae Morriseau
Co-Production with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre
FEB 18 to MAR 8 (Opening Night FEB 21)
CREATIVE TEAM
Renae Morriseau – Director
Yolonda Skelton – Costume Designer
Tim Rodrigues – Lighting Designer
Cande Andrade – Projection Designer
Olivia Wheeler – Sound Designer
Montana Summers – Choreographer
Janet Antone – Indigenous Cultural Consultant
Anita Nittoly – Fight Director
Suzanne McArthur – Stage Manager
Jessica Campbell-Maracle – Assistant Stage Manager
CAST
Michelle Bardach
Gwynn Starr
Kelsey Kanatan Wavey
Nicki
Marsha Knight
Maggie Mooswa
Jeremy Proulx
Mr Big Chief
James Dallas Smith
Michael
Emily Solstice Tait
Crow
The Secret to Good Tea plays on the Spriet Stage from February 18 to March 8, 2025. Single tickets range from $24-$96, and are available at www.grandtheatre.com, by phone at 519.672.8800, or at the Box Office, 471 Richmond Street. There is a Pay-What-You-Can performance on Sunday, February 23 at 2:00 p.m. (Pay-What-You-Can tickets become available online at midnight on the day of the performance, with a selection of tickets held for in-person purchase one hour prior to the performance at the Grand Theatre Box Office) Indigenous Community Ticket Program is available to those individuals who identify as Indigenous. For only $20, you can experience one, or any of the remaining 2024/25 Grand Theatre productions.
The Grand Theatre gratefully acknowledges Season Sponsor BMO, Downtown Community Partner Old Oak Properties, Special Performance and Indigenous Ticketing Program Partner Lerners and Tea Sponsor The Tea Haus.
To learn more about The Secret to Good Tea, please visit /event/secret-to-good-tea. Additional facts, photos, and updates can also be found by following @thegrandlondon and #GrandTea on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
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The Grand Theatre is located on the traditional territories of the Original storytellers and caretakers of this land and the Nations, both settler and Indigenous, who continue to uphold the various treaties of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, and Lunaapéewak. We value the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional First Nations, and all of the Original Peoples of Turtle Island (colonially known as North America), and acknowledge the traditional lands upon which we live, work, share, and tell stories together.
ABOUT THE GRAND THEATRE – WORLD CURIOUS. LONDON MADE.
The Grand Theatre is known for world-class theatre created and built in London, Ontario. As southwestern Ontario’s premiere producing theatre and one of the most beautiful theatre spaces in Canada, the company has deep ties to the community and to its artists, artisans, and technicians.
As a vibrant cultural hub and not-for-profit professional theatre, the Grand serves to gather, inspire, and entertain audiences in London and beyond. At our home in downtown London, we create productions on two stages: the Spriet Stage (839 seats) and the Auburn Developments Stage (144 seats). The Grand season of theatrical offerings runs from September to May, and we collaborate with companies and artists across the country through our co-productions that see London-made artistic and creative work travel to audiences nation-wide. Through our successful New Play Development Program, the Grand is committed to developing and premiering new, original works and supporting the growth and reach of theatre writers and creators. Our recently renovated venue offers a contemporary and welcoming environment that is also home to several successful music series’, community arts rentals, and cultural and special events.
A cornerstone of the organization is our place as a teaching theatre, exemplified in our many mentorship programs and highlighted in our annual Grand Theatre High School Project. As the first program of its kind in the country and currently in its twenty-sixth year, the High School Project involves as many as one hundred high school participants annually from schools across the region. These students participate at no cost and take on roles both on stage and off, in a fully realized mainstage production under the direction of a professional creative team.
For more information, visit: grandtheatre.com.
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For more information please contact:
Maria Siabato, Communications and PR Specialist
msiabato [at] grandtheatre.com (msiabato[at]grandtheatre[dot]com)
office: 519-672-9030 ext. 266
MEDIA CALL
When: Tuesday, February 18 at 1:00 p.m. (Cameras, please arrive at 12:30 p.m. to set up)
Where: Spriet Stage, Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street, London, Ontario
What: The Secret to Good Tea photo, video, and interview opportunities for media.
