Grant Tilly: Home

Hi, and welcome to the website. I'm an actor, writer, and composer originally from Calgary, now based in Toronto. Currently, you can catch me as a member of the Toronto Jersey Boys company, when on any given night I may be one of four ensemble roles or one of two leads (I'm a swing and understudy for the show). I also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for Red Fightin' Blue (formerly The Chritian Republican Fundraiser in Dayton Tennessee) which won best of Fringe in 2008 in Toronto and will be mounted at Talk is Free in Barrie in May 2010. A recent project that is dear to my heart is My Side of the Country, a show for families that celebrates Canada and its people. And of course, I'm a Singer/Songwriter, which is how this whole website got started. Have a look around, and if you have any questions, drop me an email.

Bye Bye Baby-- closing Jersey Boys - August 22, 2010

I'm sitting backstage at the closing matinee of the Canadian Company of Jersey Boys. It doesn't look like I'll be on for this one, so it's great to just sit and listen to an audience go nuts for a show-- they're wild. I experienced a bit of it on the last friday and saturday shows as Tommy; cheers where you'd never expect them, screams when characters come onstage, roses thrown at the bows, Bizarre!

What a crazy experience this show has been. I can't think of a more challenging or rewarding experience than understudying two leads and four ensemble parts. In the past year and a half I have learned so much-- if ever an actor wanted to learn about being in the moment or dealing with stress... this is the gig.

I'll miss everyone, especially a cast who never failed to welcome me onstage, whether playing a Jersey thug turned pop star or a french rapper. And thanks to everyone who came to see the show and left me a personal message or on the guestbook, it means a lot.

As for me, I'm taking a break! Off to Newfoundland, and probably some writing in the near future... What's next for everyone? We'll see...

We hit a million - June 24, 2010

Jersey Boys Toronto hit a million audience members today. Who would have thought a year and a half ago when we started out that the show would still be going so wrong and end up with over a million bums in seats... well, the producers, I guess. Congrats to our one millionth customer who's headed down to New York for a weekend to see the Jersey Boys on Broadway. Hope everyone out there is having a great summer and staying out of the heat!

red Fightin' Blue-- Barrie - May 4, 2010

This Friday, my musical, Red Fightin' Blue opens at Talk is Free Theatre in Barrie. I was up in Barrie (at the Foxx lounge, a bar and music venue in downtown where the show is being performed) to attend the last rehearsal I could before opening, and the show is going to be a blast. What an interesting experience to have so many people working on your show, and to only be the playwright (usually I'm also the producer, or co-director, or whatever it takes to get the show up and running). I think that's why it's been so great to turn this show over to a great team, and just drop in every once in awhile to see how things are going. Red Fightin' Blue previews this Thursday, and then runs May 7th to 15th-- hope you can make it!