Regina's Globe Theatre to welcome audiences for Peter Pan as renovations continue

Regina's Globe Theatre may still be under construction, but that's not stopping it from welcoming audiences to its opening show of the season. 

After four years of working out of different Regina venues, the Globe is set to reopen its third and main floor in the Prince Edward heritage building — now known as Globe Theatre at MacCorquodale Place — for a production of Peter Pan. 

The renovations have cost $45 million, with much of it coming from the three levels of government and donors.

Jennifer Brewin, artistic director of the Globe Theatre, said it's been nerve-racking getting ready for a show while there's still so much work to be done on the building. But that old love of show time can't help but bubble to the surface.

"We're super excited. We're overwhelmed with enthusiasm for the space and the building and the opportunity to come back. And then it's sort of sickening too," Brewin said with a laugh. 

Brewin said she's looking forward to seeing people walking into the new lobby Wednesday — taking in the two serving bars, and the "newness and freshness" of the space. She said she hopes the new and improved building and all the theatre fans it attracts will help revitalize Regina's downtown core.

"We all are very aware of what the Globe can mean to downtown Regina, and we're pretty charged by that knowledge and that sort of call to arms. So we're pretty excited about being down here."

The Globe begins with a visit to Neverland

As the Globe team races to get ready for the big inaugural night of the season, actors and crew are rehearsing for Bad Hats Theatre's Peter Pan. The play is set to run from Nov. 27 to just before Christmas.

"I think what's great for this show to be the inaugural show at the Globe is that it's a a real big celebration of theatre and theatre-making. And I think the audience loves seeing that," said actor Joey Tremblay, who is playing Captain Hook.

Tremblay got his first directing gig in 1996 at the Globe Theatre. His history with the theatre has been long and special.

Tremblay is now retired from theatre and has been living abroad, but the Globe convinced him to return — and endure much cooler temperatures — to act in Peter Pan.

Tremblay's six-year-old daughter has never seen her retired father perform. She had some notes.

"She said her biggest concern was, 'how are you gonna do the crocodile? The crocodile is so important,'" he said, laughing.

In Peter Pan, Tick-Tock the Crocodile is Captain Hook's arch-nemesis. After swallowing the pirate's hand, Tick-Tock has been on a quest to finish the job. But the crocodile also swallowed a clock and is constantly ticking. This warns the nervous Captain Hook whenever Tick-Tock is close by.

Tremblay's daughter wants this game of cat and mouse to be done just right. He said she also gave him notes on how to act. 

"She goes, like, 'I think that your Captain Hook needs to be scary, but not so scary that the children cry.'"

While Peter Pan is front and centre right now, Brewin said Globe Theatre is looking forward to is opening up the whole space and having other programming available, like book and play readings and a theatre school.

The completion date for the remaining Globe Theatre renovations is unavailable at this time.