On June 22, after 10 years of portraying the title role in Globe Theatre’s A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, and closely following a successful 10-day run of the show at Casino Regina from June 9 - 18, Saltcoats’ Devra Straker was as nervous as she ever had been as the curtains rose at Conexus Arts Centre.
In the audience to help celebrate Globe’s 50th anniversary was the theatre’s Royal Patron Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and his wife the Countess of Wessex.
Straker said she was shocked to be asked last year during planning for the Royal Gala to do A Closer Walk for the Royals.
“It was overwhelming, surreal and humbling,” she said. “It was a huge honour and definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
She settled in, of course, as seasoned performers do and was thrilled to meet the Earl and Countess after the show when they arrived backstage in the green room.
“They were very gracious about the show,” she said. “They were lovely, warm, funny and easy-going people, as one would expect.”
Even being asked to perform at the 50th celebrations was a big deal for Straker.
“It was thrilling just to be part of it,” she said.
Finally, Straker did not pass up the opportunity to acknowledge her local roots.
“I’m very grateful for that,” she said. “Yorkton and Saltcoats, my hometown, have always been so supportive. That does not go without notice for me.”
The Globe Theatre was founded in 1966 by Ken and Sue Kramer. It was Saskatchewan’s first professional theatre company.
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