About SATCo & Our Team
Our Mandate
The Student Alternative Theatre Company (SATCo) is a student-driven theatre company that works to reinforce the teachings of the University of Victoria Theatre Department, as well as assist in the development of new work, and provide quality opportunities to emerging artists while upholding a strong artistic vision.
The main principle of SATCo is to provide opportunities for students to use the skills they learn throughout their degrees. Many students rely on SATCo to gain experience in areas such as directing, stage management, design & acting. Since SATCo is a learning environment, it’s a great way to get practical experience in a safe, supportive, and professional environment.
Our Season
Every fall and spring semester, we put out a call for students to submit short plays, 30-50 minutes in length. We choose three of these plays to produce in each season. Then, teams of students are put together for each play: directors, designers, stage managers, & technical teams. Auditions are then held by the directors to cast their productions. It’s a very quick process; each show has 1-4 weeks to rehearse, depending on their slot in the season, followed by three performances. The shows are performed in the Barbara MacIntyre Theatre at the Phoenix, a little black-box studio theatre that offers flexibility for student designers.
Events
Throughout the school year, SATCo also hosts some events, such as SATCo’s 24-hour play festival and the SATCo vs TCU Improv Battle.
In 2023, we debuted a 24-hour play festival where teams create a whole show from start to finish in 24 hours. This is a low-stakes event designed to get people involved and pumped for the season ahead.
Between 2023-2024, the board chose to collaborate with the Theatre Course Union (TCU) to create an improv competition for the entertainment of both the board and students.
Since 2024, we have also begun facilitating playwriting workshops where playwrights can submit their plays and have them read and receive feedback. These workshops are a great way for writers to improve their work and ready their script to submit to SATCo!
Our Staff and Board
The SATCo Staff Board
SATCo is run by a staff and board comprised entirely of students, which changes every year. There are usually 9-12 board members; the number varies as some positions can be held by two people, or someone may take on an assistant.
Staff and board members get to experience the administrative side of theatre and learn how a theatre company is run. This hands-on experience isn’t offered anywhere else to the same extent, and it can be a great stepping stone to further opportunities.
A new and important distinction is that between staff and board, where staff take on roles involved with producing shows and running the company. Year reps sit in on meetings and help with season selection, but do not administrate within SATCo or work on shows as a head of department. Both staff and board may participate in shows, and they all frequently appear in our show credits, although there are many policies in place to avoid giving out unfair opportunities from within. One exception is hiring staff positions within SATCo, which are always offered internally first. This priority does not apply to the show’s creative teams and casting.
Co-General Managers: Freya Dixon-Reusz and Savannah O’Heany
The general managers are responsible for the overall function and artistic vision of the company. This includes supporting board members and creative teams and making final decisions on issues that arise during the season. They love to brainstorm ideas in collaboration with the rest of the board on how to improve the company and keep it new and exciting for the creative teams!
Assistant General Manager: Emily Harshenin
Financial Manager: TBD
The Financial Manager handles the financial side of SATCo, managing donations and creating a budget for the season. Our Financial Manager ensures all the shows have the resources they need to create the best work they can!
Financial Manager Mentor: Tarn Mokara
Co-Marketers: Stella Mattern and TBD
The marketers are primarily responsible for the overall aesthetic of the marketing materials for each season. They run our social media accounts to keep everyone updated on shows and events, create posters, and take pictures at each dress rehearsal.
Technical Director: Ferris Smart
The technical director is responsible for all technical work done here at SATCo. They create schedules, attend production meetings and installs, and clear sound, lighting, and set pieces with higher-ups in the department.
Assistant Technical Directors: Isaac Alexander
Technical Director Support/Mentor: Taya Fehr
Liaison: Liv Rodier
The liaison serves as a link between the creative teams and the board. They convey information between the two parties, act as a support for the show teams, and ensure that rehearsals are conducted in a safe and productive way.
Front of House Manager: Kaitlyn Bergeron
Our front-of-house manager is responsible for the audiences that attend each show. They deliver an informative speech before each show, ensure that the audience experience is comfortable and safe, and handle emergencies that take place during a performance.
Assistant Front of House Manager: Mikan Munson
Workshop Coordinator: Brionne Wilson
The Workshop Coordinator is a new position since 2025, intended to provide a writing perspective in the meetings. The WC is also responsible for facilitating SATCo’s writing workshops that work to edit scripts and provide a safe environment to experiment.
Assistant Workshop Coordinator: TBD
Year Representatives
The year representatives are a connection between the board and each year’s cohort of students. Each year rep is responsible for communicating information about SATCo to their year, answering questions, and bringing student concerns to SATCo’s attention.
First Year: TBD
Second Year Rep: TBD
Third Year Rep: TBD
Fourth Year Rep (and beyond): Alexis Dunn