REGINA — The lights illuminate a new stage for University of Regina theatre students.
Thanks to a new collaboration with Regina’s Globe Theatre, fourth-year students in the Devised Performance and Theatre Creation program mount their final production in the heart of the city’s theatre community.
What Was, What Will, runs March 11–14 and March 18–21 in the Globe’s Second Stage space, a debut audiences won’t want to miss.
It’s a way for them to test out working in a professional space while they’re still supported by the program
— Shannon Holmes, Theatre Department Head, Faculty of Media, Art, and Performance
How to build a show
Unlike traditional theatre productions that begin with a finished script, What Was, What Will was created through the program’s collaborative devising process, one that asks students to build a production from the ground up.
The work began in Winter 2025, with students researching and experimenting with ways to generate material under former assistant professor Jonathan Seinen. Later, U of R alum and director Judy Wensel joined the process, helping the group transform that research into performance.
Having worked together for four years, the students brought a deep level of trust to the work, allowing for honest storytelling and creative experimentation. “We are all supportive of each other emotionally and artistically. If someone brings in an idea or a piece of writing, we all try to see each other’s artistic vision through. That’s something that makes this show special,” says fourth-year theatre student Slayte Prefontaine.
Students divided into teams focused on dramaturgy, design, stage management, technology, and communications, with everyone contributing both onstage and behind the scenes. As the work evolved, the process remained fluid, with scenes created and rewritten as they rehearsed.
Prefontaine says the ensemble was guided by Wensel’s steadfast encouragement to “let the process lead,” allowing the material itself to shape the story.
Learning from a working artist
Working with Wensel was a defining part of the students’ experience. An established director, creator, and performer, she is also a longtime collaborator with the Globe Theatre, with more than 25 productions as an actor, director, and creator.
“We couldn’t have asked for better with Judy,” says Shannon Holmes, U of R Theatre Department Head. “She is so good with the students, and they really respect her. It was great for them to see her in action.”
As a working professional, students saw Wensel moving between other rehearsals at the Globe, masterfully navigating her professional responsibilities. In the rehearsal room, she shifted fluidly between facilitator, director, dramaturg, and teacher, modelling the focus and work ethic required to bring a production to life.
“I think she is an incredible artist, and we are lucky to be working with her,” says Prefontaine. “She always comes into the room full of energy and ready to explore new ideas. She’s been a mentor to all of us.”
Working at the Globe Theatre
For many students, What Was, What Will marks their first time performing in a professional theatre. That opportunity grew out of ongoing conversations between the U of R Theatre Department and Globe Theatre Artistic Director Jennifer Brewin about giving students access to professional theatre environments earlier in their training.
“We are so excited. There has been such a willingness to work together. Jennifer has been a huge champion of our program and very generous with her time,” says Holmes.
Holmes notes that being based downtown gives U of R students greater visibility and allows them to begin building relationships within Regina’s theatre community. “Really, it’s a way for them to test out working in a professional space while they’re still supported by the program,” she adds.
Since January, the ensemble has been in residence at the Globe, becoming the first theatrical production to have a full run on the company’s new second stage. Day to day, students have been immersed in the theatre’s ecosystem, sharing space with professional artists, passing crews at work on Frozen, and adapting to the pace and standards of a professional theatre company.
“Being at the Globe has helped us push our work to be the best it can. Being in the professional setting and being there at the same time of a major production like Frozen has made me want to work as hard as I can,” enthuses Prefontaine.
