Grand Theatre in London, Ont. announces new executive director

London, Ont.’s Grand Theatre has announced its caller executive director to switch Evan Klassen, who stepped down to return to his hometown of Winnipeg to fulfil nan aforesaid domiciled astatine a theatre there.

Lyndee Hansen, an award-winning Canadian theatre manager, shaper and decade-long contributor to nan Grand Theatre, officially originates activity of nan statement connected July 29, but started connected Monday to person a week of crossover pinch Klassen. The committee of board astatine nan Grand says Hansen was their perfect campaigner for respective reasons, 1 being her near-decade acquisition moving location successful various roles.

“I cognize each nan people, I cognize nan board, I cognize immoderate of our audiences,” Hansen says. “So, it’s awesome to consciousness for illustration I’m conscionable moving up and moving into a caller abstraction pinch an statement I cognize and love.”

The Grand hired a hunt patient Martin Bragg & Associates to do a nationalist search, looked astatine a number of candidates, had a short list, and did respective interviews for nan role. Hansen was recommended to capable nan role. The hunt recovered qualified arts leaders from crossed nan nation.

“It was a rigorous process pinch 2 different interviews pinch nan hunt firm, past 2 different interviews pinch nan hunt committee,” Hansen says.

Hansen is nationally recognized for her activity wrong nan Canadian master theatre organization and has received respective prestigious awards complete nan people of her career, astir precocious nan Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award successful nickname of sustained, inspired and imaginative activity successful Canadian theatre. It’s fixed erstwhile a twelvemonth to an individual who’s worked for a agelong clip successful nan manufacture and shown their dedication to theatre, ensuring its early success.

“I was besides awarded early successful my profession pinch nan Victor Poli grant for emerging administrators, truthful that was beautiful successful an earlier constituent successful my profession … and nan twelvemonth I sewage that Mallory Gilbert was fixed a life rank to PACT (Professional Association of Canadian Theatres), truthful I person a awesome representation of being recognized on pinch hir.”

Working successful business pinch nan creator director, Rachel Peake, Hansen’s domiciled will person her thrust administration, assemblage engagement, strategical business readying and fundraising pillars for nan Grand. She will supply strategical vision, financial oversight and support to nan Grand Theatre’s elder activity teams successful maintaining and expanding upon an unfastened and welcoming civilization that reaches everyone successful interaction pinch nan company.

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“The Grand has ever been a location for me. The first master show I saw was successful nan container seats erstwhile I was six years old, truthful it’s ever held a typical spot successful my heart,” Hansen says. “I’m really excited to person nan opportunity to lead nan organization.”

Hansen plans connected building connected nan successes that Klassen and Peake person been enjoying complete nan past six months. Peake’s first programme play has been warmly received and Hasnen wants to return her emotion of theatre and championing of activity to bring everyone to nan theatre for nan upcoming season.

A precocious schoolhouse task of Matilda starts rehearsals successful 2 weeks, and nan play starts successful earnest pinch As You Like It successful October, which brings together nan Beatles and Shakespeare, including 20 Beatles songs.

“We besides are doing Sound of Music arsenic vacation show, which (Peake) directed past twelvemonth successful Winnipeg and Edmonton,” Hansen says. “And we person 12 (London) section children double formed arsenic nan Von Trapp family.”

You tin find nan upcoming shows and descriptions for this play on nan Grand Theatre website.