Shakespeare once wrote, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” But for most SFU students, that line can’t literally be the case. Our school is an outlier in the academic community, hosting no all-major, all-inclusive, no experience needed, judgment-free drama club at any campus. And that’s a shame!
Now, SFU does have an extensive and excellent list of academic theater programs at the School of Contemporary Arts in Vancouver, but it doesn’t have a widely accessible, all-inclusive, all-major drama club. The University of Waterloo, the University of Toronto, and the University of Victoria all have drama clubs. Why not SFU? To be fair, a few years back, some like-minded individuals started up the SFU Improv Club. But, unfortunately, the group shut down in late 2019. Now, though, as folks have gotten vaccinated, and we can implement the safety plans up our sleeves, students are looking to try out new things!
Small groups of people from different departments could meet to play theatre games or assemble small productions! They could play their favorite characters or recite their favorite stories. Common interests could be found and friendships could be formed. Original stories could be built by those who have stories to tell. Diverse tales from the participants’ cultures could be showcased. Resourceful participants could throw together makeshift costumes and props. Funny behind-the-scenes stories could make for such wonderful memories.
The club could help students in non-drama fields, too. Members could get to tackle their stage fear. We could add public speaking to our resumes. All the organizing, scheduling, and managing of affairs could provide several opportunities to improve one’s team-building and leadership skills.
And as a final call to action, our lack of an inclusive drama club means that we’re falling behind UBC. The UBC Players Club has been in action since 1915. Their club website set out the mission, including their resolve to be a safe, inclusive, and accessible place for students from all majors. Instead of falling short of UBC’s program, we need to kick things up a notch and put together our own drama club! And if not now, then when!?
