Participate in the High School Project
Applications for the 2025 High School Project are now closed.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
The Grand Theatre invites London and area high school students to apply for the 2025 Grand Theatre High School Project (HSP), Disney’s Newsies. The project is open to any high school student from the London area who will be enrolled in high school in the fall of 2025, or participating in homeschooling, and as such ages generally range from 14-18.
Like all Grand Theatre High School Project productions, Newsies will endeavour to bring a new and unique voice to this well-known story.
FILL OUT THE APPLICATION FORM HERE
INFORMATION for NEW APPLICANTS
THE AUDITION PROCESS (Onstage)
Auditions for the 2025 HSP are unique to the ensemble nature of NEWSIES and will take a different format than previous years: Group Audition Workshops which will include an acting through song masterclass and movement call. Students interested in performance roles should fill out the application form linked below and will receive confirmation of which group audition time slot they are invited to.
FILL OUT THE APPLICATION FORM HERE
In this group audition setting, you will meet and work with the Director Ray Hogg, Music Director Matthew Atkins, Choreographer Krista Leis and Director of Education & Community Engagement Breanne Ritchie.
Music to prepare for the Group Audition Workshop will be shared with you after you complete the application form. You will be given a group audition time, though you can tell us about your availability and conflicts in the application form.
No monologue will be required. No sheet music to bring in. No Resume/CV required.
A dance call and callbacks will be the next step after auditioning. These will take place on March 1, 2 (and tentatively 4). You will be invited to the dance call and/or callbacks after your audition, with scheduled times confirmed then. Please hold these dates!
A note from the production’s Director, Ray Hogg:
"Newsies is a story about young people coming together, claiming their space and claiming their rights, in the face of an uncaring capitalist. It's a story about community - a group of people who have each others’ backs, and slowly over the course of the play, realize the power of the collective.
We are very eager to meet young folks with a variety of experience levels who have a sense of play, a sense of rebelliousness, and aren't afraid of breaking the rules. We're interested in meeting beginner, intermediate, and advanced singers, actors, and dancers. We really want you to hear that there is tons of room in this show for dancers who have never sung, actors who have never danced, and singers who are still figuring it all out! Whether or not you've tapped into it yet, if you’re somebody who is curious to explore their power, if you value community, and want to have your fellow artist's back, then our choreographer, Krista Leis, and I want to meet you!”
RAY HOGG - Director
Ray Hogg is an award winning Black theatre artist who creates virtuosic, visually stunning, viscerally moving theatre and live performance. He has 30 years of artistic, educational and leadership experience in the most celebrated opera, dance, and theatre companies around the world. His work as a theatre artist, director, and choreographer has taken him across Europe, The United States, and Canada. He has created for stages as diverse as Neptune Theatre in the east, The Arts Club Theatre Company in the west and many others in between. From 2012-2017 Ray served as Artistic Director of Rainbow Stage and from 2021-2025 as the Artistic Director of The Musical Stage Company. He is an Associate Artist at Neptune Theatre, and the founding Artistic Director of Prime Mover Theatre Company.
Directing credits include: A Strange Loop (Soulpepper/Crow’s/Musical Stage Company), Controlled Damage (The Grand Theatre London), Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill (Theatre Calgary), Dixon Road, Starwalker ( Musical Stage Company), Da Kink In My Hair (Arts Club Theatre); Cats, The Producers, Sister Act, Shrek, Little Shop of Horrors (Rainbow Stage); Five Guys Named Moe, Dreamgirls (Neptune Theatre), Love and Information, An Enemy of the People, Damn Yankees, Mary Poppins, and Chicago (Theatre Sheridan). His award-winning choreography has been seen at Crow’s Theatre (Natasha Pierre…Great Comet of 1812), the Shaw Festival (Come Back Little Sheba), the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (South Pacific), Neptune Theatre (Mamma Mia, Billy Elliot), the Segal Centre (Indecent), and more.
@rayhogg2021 | @primemovertheatreco | www.rayhogg.com | www.primemovertheatre.com
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS (Production)
The Grand Theatre High School Project has many exciting Production placements available for students such as: wardrobe, props, scenic art, stage management, sound, lighting, photography & marketing. Students interested in a production role should fill out the application form linked below in order to book their interview time slot.
FILL OUT THE APPLICATION FORM HERE
Interviews will take place at the Grand Theatre with our Director of Production & Operations (Paul Fujimoto-Pihl) and Director of Education & Community Engagement (Breanne Ritchie). You will answer some basic questions about your interests, experience, strengths, weaknesses, and goals.
For your interview, you must bring in something that you have created which demonstrates your artistic and/or crafting skills related to the Production placement you are interested in. This could be a portfolio of painting/design/photography, a garment that you have sewn, prop that you have built, book or script with Stage Management notes, etc.. Please be prepared to present and discuss the item(s) you bring in and how they relate to the production area you are most interested in.
THE AUDITION PROCESS (Musicians)
There will be a few student positions available in our Orchestra for the production of Disney’s Newsies. Instruments we will be auditioning for are: reeds, violin, keyboard, and guitar. (You must be able to read music, not just guitar chords.) Students interested in orchestra roles should fill out the application form, and will receive their audition time and music sides from Newsies. You are encouraged to begin preparing your personal choice piece.
FILL OUT THE APPLICATION FORM HERE
Auditions will take place at the Grand Theatre in mid-late March with Music Director, Matthew Atkins. Please bring your instrument, unless you are auditioning on keyboard.
#1 - Prepare and present a piece of music of your choice. (max. 2 minutes). It should demonstrate your highest level of technical skill on your instrument. Please bring in an extra copy of your sheet music.
#2 - Prepare and present an excerpt of music from the show to the best of your ability. You will be given the sheet music and an accompaniment track to practise with. Be prepared to play with live piano accompanist in your audition.
If you have questions not covered by the above information, please reach out to Director of Education & Community Engagement, Breanne Ritchie, at britchie [at] grandtheatre.com (britchie[at]grandtheatre[dot]com) or 519-672-9030 x224.
We look forward to meeting you!
