Ruth Smillie has been the artistic director of Regina’s Globe Theatre for 21 years. She reflected on her career and experience in the Queen City with CTV Regina’s Taylor Rattray.
CTV Regina: What got you into theatre?
Ruth Smillie: I was a dancer and my family moved to New York City in 1968. At that time New York was going bankrupt, there was a lot of violence around the time the riots started. The government was trying to have a number of social interventions for marginalized youth. So there was a project started to engage young people and I saw an ad in the newspaper, and it was for a young, white, actor to be in a play. I applied and I got the job, which was sort of the turning point when I realized I wanted to be an actor, it was an incredible experience. We moved back to Saskatoon I was involved I high school theatre and I ended up going to Toronto where I trained as an actor at Ryerson. I was full time acting for a few years and then I had an opportunity to direct a show and as they say, the rest is history. I worked at Twenty Fifth Street Theatre and I was the founding artistic director of Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon. I moved to Catalyst Theatre in Edmonton, and I was there for 10 years, and then I came here.
CTV: Why did you decide to come to Regina
Smillie: I actually came back to be the performing arts consultant for the Saskatchewan Arts Board and in about 18 months the artistic director stepped down and I applied and I got the job. It’s a dream job so, I’ve spent a lot of years in Saskatchewan. I wasn’t born here but it’s considered home. Globe Theatre was the only game in town, and used to tour to Saskatoon. So the dream job would have been to act with Globe Theatre. I had no intention at the time of being a director so bring appointed artistic director of Globe Theatre was the dream.
CTV: What have been some highlights of your career here, over the last 21 years?
Smillie: I have to start by saying that I think this theatre is blessed with some of the best support of any regional theatre in Canada. Our audiences are incredibly loyal, engaged with this organization and the business community is outstanding. When I moved here, I got letters of welcome from city councillors the Premier, MLA’s, businesses and that juts doesn’t happen anywhere. Talk about a warm welcome, and a sustained welcome.
CTV: What productions have stood you for you?
Smillie: “Making Treaty 4” was the most recent project that I worked on. It was such a powerful experience to walk beside these amazing Indigenous artists. It was humbling to really check my privilege at the door and walk beside and not ahead. The process lasted over two years so getting to know people and watching the work evolve and being a part of that process was really exciting. I love doing big musicals; Mary Poppins was one of my all-time favourites. Every project I’ve done, I get to choose the plays so at the end of the day I get to work on plays I’m engaged with and feel strongly about.
CTV: What is it about Regina’s arts community that stands out to you?
Smillie: It’s become so vibrant. There are so many independent artists doing incredible work here. Because it was so difficult to establish a career in Regina, so many artists like myself left and most never came back. I was really focused on creating opportunities for emerging artists to train here at Globe Theatre, and then peruse careers here and across the country. Over the last 20 years watching the emerging artists that have graduated from the conservatory achieve great success has been wonderful. May are still based here, many are in Toronto.
CTV: What is next for you?
Smillie: My kids have said they’d like to see me take a break. It’s important just to take the time to figure out what you want to do next. I love gardening, I love reading, I have grandchildren, but beyond that I don’t know if it’s writing or if it’s directing across the country. I don’t know yet, I just need time to think.
