Theatre means everything to me. The intimacy, the spectacle, the adrenaline before you step onstage — theatre has always filled a missing puzzle piece inside me. Although I have theatre experience from high school, I always found myself reluctant to audition for U of T’s shows or groups out of fear of failure.

That was until I found out about the University of Toronto Students’ Theatre Company (UTC) — a group that is taking steps to make campus theatre less daunting for newcomers to the university drama scene. Recently, on behalf of The Varsity, I interviewed its president and founder, Shadi Sadat. 

Sadat said she was inspired to start the company after noticing the lack of opportunities for U of T students to develop their skills in a theatre environment without competition or pressure. “I started thinking about opening a club that would give me and others in my shoes that hands-on experience. I thought to myself, ‘I’m surely not alone in this,’ ” she said. 

The UTC is dedicated to creating a community based around theatre. When you join the club and pay the $10 membership fee, you can act in any of its productions, work backstage, help produce and direct shows, and even write your own production. 

But what makes the UTC different from other drama societies on campus is that it also offers a variety of resources and opportunities for those who are new to theatre. It has hosted workshops for auditions, taking headshots, and playwriting to help its members better understand the fundamentals of the theatre industry. The UTC is dedicated to helping develop skills in its members, which allow them to be involved in productions beyond the club. 

My favourite aspect of the club is the commitment to producing original shows that are written by U of T students. “I really like Shakespeare, but at a certain point you have to explore what else is out there,” Sadat remarked. By empowering students to write, share, and produce their own work without the pressure of being graded, the UTC creates a unique environment for its members to reach their full artistic potential. 

Last year’s production, Je Suis Canadien, was written and directed by Sadat. “It was about the immigration system in Canada,” she told me. The show followed a character who was interviewing people waiting for their work visas or permanent residences to be approved. Sadat’s goal was to reveal the “stereotypes and racism” that may not always be visible because they are “rooted so deep down in the institutions.”

The club’s merits were recognized by this year’s Hart House Drama Festival. The UTC’s performance of I Am Here won production member Sophie Kholtobina the All-Star Tech award. The play focused on the lives of U of T students and highlighted the harsh reality of going to a school as academically rigorous as U of T. The show was adapted for the stage from real interviews with students on campus.

Performance can be a daunting prospect. Don’t let the fear of rejection stop you. UTC’s mission and ethos are an important reminder for U of T students: do theatre!