Hot off the heels of Peter Pan, Regina’s historic Globe Theatre will be premiering, on Feb. 5th, their second in-house show since 2019: a five-year hiatus caused by extensive building renovations.
“Set during the height of the Fur Trade on the ‘reddish river’ and using modern language”, Women of the Fur Trade is advertised as a hilarious and historical tale written by Frances Koncan and directed by Yvette Nolan.
The show stars three women whose lives are changed by the Red River Resistance: Marie Angelique, played by Kat Maclean, Eugenia, played by Brefny Caribou, and Cecilia, played by Judy Wensel.
Director Yvette Nolan and cast member Judy Wensel each have extensive histories of working in Regina’s Globe Theatre.
Nolan is a previous member of the Globe’s faculty, has participated in the Globe Theatre Conservatory in both 2012 and 2016, and has twice directed the play Salt Baby at the Globe Theatre.
Judy Wensel has been attached to over 25 different shows at the Globe Theatre as an actor, director, and or creator. Her most recent work at the Globe, excluding Women of the Fur Trade, was as director of the newly renovated Globe’s premier show Peter Pan.
Additional cast members include Jesse Gervais as Louis Riel and Nathan Howe as Thomas Scott.
Women of the Fur Trade was most recently performed at the 2023 Stratford Festival, where it was resoundingly praised.
“Koncan’s sense of humour is irreverent and Nolan’s equally playful direction compliments it, creating a disarming atmosphere where the audience can investigate some dark history and its fallout without shame and defensiveness,” said critic Robyn Grant-Moran for Intermission Magazine.
The Bad Hats Theatre’s version of Peter Pan was the first show to play at the Globe after about five years and 45 million dollars spent on renovations. The show ran for about 6 weeks, from November 27th to January 5th.
Some of the improvements provided by the renovations include, but are not limited to: additional seating and better views for the audience, improved accessibility, as well as a completely revamped interior.
On the main stage, a catwalk has been added above and a trapdoor below, allowing for new stagework previously unattainable at the Globe.
Over half of the funds required for the renovations were provided by the local, provincial, and federal governments.
The rest of the money was earned via fundraising and donations supplied by various members of the community. The largest sponsors now have sections of the theatre named for them.
The theatre’s building itself, in fact, has been renamed in honour of the two largest sponsors, Andrew and Chantel MacCorquodale, who donated three million dollars. Formerly called the Prince Albert Building, the Globe Theatre’s home is now known as MacCorquodale Place.
“We feel privileged to have this opportunity to invest back into the community and help Regina continue to develop into a city that our own children will be proud to call home for many years to come,” said Mr. MacCorquodale in his testimonial to the Globe Theatre team.
