Beyond the Financial Portfolio: Investing in Community

In a world increasingly focused on digital connection, there’s something profoundly human about gathering in a circle to share stories.

My conversation with Fraz Wiest, Development and Community Engagement Administrator at Regina’s Globe Theatre, explores how theatre creates authentic bonds that transcend entertainment.

As Canada’s only permanent theatre-in-the-round completes its four-year renovation, Fraz reveals why supporting local arts represents a community investment with returns measured in connection, purpose, and belonging.

From his personal journey as a theatre-loving child to his vision for revitalizing downtown Regina, Fraz reminds us that theatre isn’t just about watching a performance—it’s about participating in a fundamental human experience.

Learn more about the Globe Theatre in Regina and get tickets here: https://globetheatrelive.com/ 

Show Notes: Beyond the Financial Portfolio: Investing in Community

Hey there, welcome to today’s episode. I’m thrilled to introduce my friend, Fraz. He is the Development and Community Engagement Administrator at Regina’s Globe Theatre. In this conversation, we explore the powerful role theatre plays in building community and connections. We dive into Fraz’s personal journey with theatre and discuss the upcoming production of a classic, Steel Magnolias. Fraz also shares insights on volunteering in the unique experience of the Globe Theatre’s recently renovated one-of-a-kind theatre in the round. Let’s get started.

Zena: Hey there, so I’ve got my favorite guest here, Fraz, and I’ve known Fraz for a while, but that’s a whole other podcast in itself. Fraz, thanks for joining us. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at the Globe Theatre?

Fraz: Gosh, I’d love to. First of all, thank you for having me. Second of all, my name is Fraser Patrick Wiest. That’s the name on my birth certificate, but I got the name Fraz a long time ago, and that’s kind of stuck. So, it says Fraz everywhere except my identification, including my business card for the Globe Theatre. I am the Development and Community Engagement Administrator at the Globe Theatre, a job that is even more detailed than all of the words that describe it.

Zena: So a lot of words in that title, but…

Fraz: Uh, you know, okay.

Zena: I know a little bit more than any of the listeners, although not near enough. Share with me some of your experiences in theatre because at Globe Theatre, our local theatre here puts on a lot of great stuff. What’s your history and experience in theatre? What are some, give me some, I’ve been to a few, a few things, but share with us.

Fraz: Well, I started a long time ago. So I took theatre classes when I was about eight years old at the old university campus, right next to Darke Hall, where I now work part-time as well, proud to say. So that’s kind of where the journey started and then since, you know, I auditioned for things as a kid and then I started doing a local production here in Regina called The Trial of Louis Riel when I was quite young and then into my high school years.

And then after that, I started spreading my wings a bit and going to different parts of Western Canada and doing dinner theatre and writing fringe festival plays and getting involved with improv comedy quite a bit and going to improv festivals and comedy festivals and stuff like that.

I haven’t done a lot of what I describe as legitimate theatre. That’s my term, maybe people would argue, but I also, as you touched on a second ago, I wrote two one-man shows that I toured with the fringe or otherwise.

Zena: Fantastic. Like, like, like fantastic. So I’m grinning right now, but listeners can’t see, but like my cheeks hurt from smiling because every time I talk to you, you just, you’ve got such great energy and you bring it up on stage too and, or in your job, right? The passion there. So I can feel it.

Fraz: You’re very sweet to say, and I thank you. I hope so. I hope so.

Zena: Yeah. Okay, there’s a show coming up. Share with me, yeah, share with me that show.

Fraz: The show, next show coming up is Steel Magnolias, which is a classic. So anyone who is listening, this is based on the original script, the original play, it is not based on the movie version, and it’s a classic show about enduring friendships and community and all of these things that the Globe likes to represent and perpetuate and it’s a great show for older audiences.

It’s a great show for rural audiences. So we’re really trying to let those folks know about it because it’s something that we think everyone will enjoy, but those folks specifically, because it is the classic of the season.

Zena: So I there’s, I’m getting a group together, a bunch of girlfriends and and your mom.

Fraz: Yes. Including my own mom.

Zena: Yeah. Shout out to Deb.

Fraz: Referring this group of folks as an entire swarm.

Zena: Yes. So we’re swarming you for us. We’re coming and it’s going to be a great party night. But, you know, when I was thinking about this and the whole story of Steel Magnolias, like friendships, right. Connections. And I was like, this is important right now. And so I think it was perfect that we talk about it. You know, I’m taking a little mini break from, I get a little bit technical or, retirement planning and money. This is still a part of planning our life in retirement. And this is about community.

And this is the number one important thing I’ve talked about. There’s a book that I’ve got and all the studies out there, the longest studies have shown over the last 85 years, the key to longevity is happiness and connection, and this is the perfect example of building community and then trade wars right now.

And I know I don’t want to, you know, bore everybody in thinking about the economic and political uncertainty right now, but this is so important right now to support local and the sense of community that the Globe is building. And then this show, which I’m excited taking my community to go see. So what do you see? So share with me, so the Globe has had some rentals and it’s had some upgrades. But tell me about the experience at the theatre.

Fraz: Well, I will say this in terms of Steel Magnolias specifically, the Globe Theatre is Canada’s only permanent theatre in the round. So that means that instead of a proscenium stage, which means the audience sits in front of the action, it means that the audience sits around all of the action.

So we have spent four years renovating our old space on Scarth and 11th into not only the only permanent theatre in the round space in Canada, but one of the most state-of-the-art theatres in Canada as well. So in terms of Steel Magnolias specifically, I already touched on the fact that it’s this old classic, which it is, but it’s going to be automatically a modern take of the show because it is in this new state-of-the-art, in-the-round theater.

And honestly, Zena, I really think that theater in and of itself is a metaphor for community. And I don’t just mean in terms of the modern-day Globe Theatre and what we can bring to Regina audiences. I think it goes way further than that. I think that the idea of a sharing circle in terms of our Indigenous community and ending our day in a circle of our friends and family and unpacking our day in our life and all those things that are important to us. I think that’s really what a metaphor for what theater is. Theater is community. If you don’t have actors, if you don’t have a director, if you don’t have a theater, if you don’t have the audience, if you don’t have the technicians running the show night to night, none of those components, without a single one of those components, none of it works and community is the same.

It’s a metaphor for togetherness. And I think that our theater and this show is going to be the perfect representation of that.

Zena: Anyone who’s gone, I get that sense, right? When I’m sitting in the audience and you’re in that kind of round circle and you’re, you’re part of the show, like you’re in it and, and there’s a sense of belonging in there.

Fraz: And so that’s when I consider it—at the risk of cutting you off, I’m sorry—I really do consider it fundamental. I consider it a fundamental human experience. I use this, I talk about this all the time to anybody who will listen, as you have probably realized by now. When we’re sitting around a campfire, or any kind of when we’re sitting in a circle enjoying, traditionally I think it would be like a fire with, camping or at the lake or whatever.

No one ever stands up and goes, “You know what, this is gross, I gotta get out of here, this isn’t for me.” Why is that? Why is that right? Because we’re supposed to do it. We’re supposed to—the idea of togetherness. Humans are pack animals. So the idea of being isolated over the pandemic and maybe the feeling of isolation within our own communities.

I think that’s very, very common, and I think that the solution to that is very fundamental. And I think that is the idea, like I have been explaining, of just ending our days around the people we love. Whether that be in a kitchen, or another place in your home, or your backyard, or somewhere else in your community, like a community center, or a theatre, or whatever it is.

Zena: Yeah.

Fraz: Ending your day celebrating life and connectivity and community is what we should all be doing. It’s a fundamental human experience.

Zena: Well said. I love it. So that’s, that’s being in as part of the community and watching the show. Share with me behind the scenes. And so what if we’re looking for some volunteer work, because not all of us have the great credentials to actually be on a stage, but maybe we have some other skills and I’m thinking of, we have, you know, part of the retirement—you know, we do all the finances and such, and we try and touch the checklist of all the things that need to be happening, but it’s the emotions too. And sometimes there’s a sense of purpose and volunteering.

And some of our most happiest people that I can think of working with is because they have something that they’re passionate about, and it’s whether it’s volunteering or a side hustle. So tell me behind the scenes, some of the things, is there volunteers at the Globe?

Fraz: There are absolutely volunteers at the Globe. And I will say this, speaking of all aspects of theatre being important, the one thing I left out was our patron services staff which includes our volunteers. And I say that because they are the first faces that folks see when they walk through the doors. So, to those folks with their tickets in their hands, these people in our patron services team are the Globe Theatre.

Because they’re the first, they’re the front lines.

Zena: Yeah.

Fraz: So, they’re very important to us. And also, it’s a fun job. Working in theatre is fun, and you get to see the shows for free. That’s your payment for volunteering. And, like I’ve been ranting on about here, that is a complete unique experience to seeing any other theatre in Canada.

Volunteering at the Globe means you get to see these shows in the round that a lot of folks in other places in Canada aren’t privy to, which is pretty cool. And speaking of retirement and wanting things to do, I touched on working part-time at Darke Hall as well, which is another one of our historic and beautiful venues.

And we also talked about, we talked about you bringing my mom to the show, or at least meeting her there, and with any luck, hopefully in the next few months she will be volunteering at Darke Hall as well. Yeah, community is important to me in case you haven’t noticed, but it’s also like I said, it’s also a very fundamental thing.

Zena: It’s also affordable, you know, when we think about, you know, the, the value and the feeling that you walk away with is priceless. But when we talk about something local and something that we can support and that’s going to give us some great bang for our buck, it is a very affordable form of entertainment as well.

Fraz: Sure, and you know what, it’s something else I wanted to say briefly—so that’s a great segue—is that seeing the shows are great, and theatre is great, and we want people to come see the shows, but we also want people to realize that in doing so, you are a part of that community, and you are building that community, and you’re a part of stewarding that community.

The arts in southern Saskatchewan—we don’t just want people to come see theater and leave. And that’s it. We want downtown Regina to not just survive, but thrive. And we want people to fill the restaurants and the shops and coffee shops, before a show or the afternoon of a show. Once the renovations on the Globe are fully complete, which will be this fall, the fall of 2025, we want action on every floor, pretty much at every point of the day. So we just want people to be involved. Not just in theatre, but in Regina.

Zena: That sounds fun.

Fraz: And in the community, to be proud of it. To be proud of downtown and be proud of community and be proud to be a member of the arts community. That’s our goal. It’s for everyone, every member of Regina’s population to feel at least a little proud. A little part of that. We really do.

Zena: Oh, that’s a good goal. You guys will get there. Steel Magnolias, share for me something. Give us a little teaser. Come on, Fraz. Like, what’s your favorite? Come on. You’ve, I know you’ve seen rehearsals. You know some. You know what?

Fraz: I have no, I have been privy to maybe about half an hour’s worth of rehearsal. I missed the first read through, but I was lucky enough to like sneak over and catch a little bit. The director of the show was still, Shug was kind enough to let me sit around and watch.

So I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say this. I auditioned for the Globe when I was about 10 years old. I’m going to get emotional here. And,

Zena: It’s quite full.

Fraz: Your journey has been very full circle coming back home. Cause I know you’ve been all over across Canada and you’ve been, you know, on the road and doing your, your show and you’ve been a part of a lot of things. And so I do, it’s, it’s quite—we’re quite happy to have you back in our, in your home city. Yeah.

Fraz: So this is the thing—I auditioned for the Globe back in the day when I was a little kid, but I did not get it. And I think part of the compensation for this… I don’t know if they did this for all the kids or just me, but well, they gave me comps to the show that I didn’t land, which is awfully sweet.

And so me and my mom and my brother went and I fell in love. I fell in love with the Globe. I fell in love with theatre and I specifically fell in love with an actor in that show who I felt made best friends with the entire audience. And it was amazing. And I said, I want to do that. And I want, like I said, I want at least a part of that.

I want a piece of that. And that show was The Secret Garden in some, at some point in the nineties, ’91 or ’92 or something. And that actor was Marianne Wood and Marianne is in Steel Magnolias. So I won’t give anything about the show away, but I will say that I, as I got to watch one of my heroes rehearse the show and, and put the show together and just be this fly on the wall.

And so if you want to talk about a giant full circle moment for a theater kid like me, seeing Marianne work and the rest of the cast work was a thrill.

Zena: Thank you for sharing that. That’s going to make it extra special watching it, you know.

Fraz: Well, it’ll make it extra special for me, for sure.

Zena: Oh, so good. Okay. Share with me, where can we get tickets for the show? How do we find it?

Fraz: You can visit our website, globetheatrelive.com. Everything is there. It has a link to our box office, the phone number for the box office. It has kind of a silly picture of me on there. It has information on how to donate or how to become a sponsor.

There’s lots of bells and whistles on there and it’s, the, the renovations are kind of metaphor for the Globe in general. Everything is growing and expanding and changing for the better every single day—our website included. So all the information you need to book tickets and see shows is there, but information on the theatre school as well is on there, but that will grow and get better with time and there’ll be even more features on the website.

Stay tuned. And in the meantime, that’s where you get your tickets for Steel Magnolias.

Zena: Thank you, Fraz.

Fraz: The pleasure was all mine. Thank you.

Zena: Enjoy. See you there.

Fraz: Awesome. Looking forward to it.