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TESTIMONIALS
Actors say...
Parents say....
Parents say....
"SYTCO Testimonial Thingamabob: My first day of SYTCO I was 11 years old and in grade 6, and I thought I would be amazing. I remember driving up to the meeting place, sunny smile, and a skip in my step, I thought nothing could go wrong, that it would be a breeze and I would be a natural. How I wish I could go back to that day, and just sl
"SYTCO Testimonial Thingamabob: My first day of SYTCO I was 11 years old and in grade 6, and I thought I would be amazing. I remember driving up to the meeting place, sunny smile, and a skip in my step, I thought nothing could go wrong, that it would be a breeze and I would be a natural. How I wish I could go back to that day, and just slap myself. Seriously. I wish I had slapped myself. Soon my 11-year-old me would find out, that acting is not just fun and games; it takes commitment and practice and lot of patience. I remember one of the things our director said to me that year was, “I’m going to push you, not because I don’t like you, but because I know you can do better.” This has stuck with me my entire 4 years at SYTCO, and yes it has been hard, but it taught me so many very valuable lessons, and I have learned so much. Yes, it takes work and perseverance, but it also builds confidence and prepares you for the world. Being at SYTCO has really changed me, I now have more confidence and I feel that it would be a great opportunity and privilege for anyone. SYTCO has become like my second family; they build you up when you are down, push you when they know you can do better, and they are just always there whenever you need them. I know its cliché but it’s true. They will stick with you until the end. That’s what SYTCO represents and stands for; Strong, Youth, Theatre, Companionship, and Opportunity. It also stands for Surrey Youth Theatre Company but whatever; that’s the way I see it." Kate
"SYTCO is a great theater program; it is a mix of the serious and the casual fun sides of theater. SYTCO gets me to step outside my comfort zone, explore new ideas and give it my all. They teach me new things and help be get better at the old things in theater. Sytco is a place of theater that is enjoyable and educational in so many ways".
Alexis
"I joined SYTCO when I was 7 years old and grew so much as a person and as an actor during the 5 years I was involved. I am very grateful to Susan, who has always believed in me and I will always hold SYTCO close to my heart."
Annika Ferronato
Parents say....
Parents say....
Parents say....
"SYTCO is family! For 6 years my daughter attended and enjoyed her experiences. She was taught from the start that it is not the lead role that is the greatest, all cast roles play an equally important part in putting together a show and the smallest/shortest line in the play can steal the hearts of the audience and be the most memorable
"SYTCO is family! For 6 years my daughter attended and enjoyed her experiences. She was taught from the start that it is not the lead role that is the greatest, all cast roles play an equally important part in putting together a show and the smallest/shortest line in the play can steal the hearts of the audience and be the most memorable. A respectful and a structured environment is what I viewed when I sat and watched as a parent. A time to play and a time to be serious. Parents are always invited to sit on the sidelines which provided comfort just knowing this was permitted. My second child who didn’t gravitate toward the stage but rather behind the stage was included in helping with productions which gave her valuable experience. It’s a community affair and by the end of the theatre production everyone feels like family. My children have a huge passion for Theatre, SYTCO provided an exceptional outlet. As for Susan, you can see and feel her passion for all that she does with Theatre, children, community and world causes, she is a doer!" Sandi Levy, Parent
“My son has loved working with Susan over the past several months. In addition to picking out great plays for the group to read, she has been very effective in teaching him to express emotions in his acting. He has also had a lot of fun working with her, and it is clear she does a great job of building a strong rapport with the kids. Thanks!"
Jessica (Brookline, MA) parent
"SYTCO is a great program for the kids to develop confidence. The transformation that happened with my daughter was amazing. The atmosphere that the kids live in SYTCO is friendly and the learning process is fabulous. Susan, the director, knows what she is teaching them; is strict and sweet at the same time; very professional and the kids will learn not only to act; but building up self confidence is a part of the program. We love SYTCO."
Beatriz , Parent
"Susan is passionate about teaching theatre skills to kids. She is “old school” meaning she wants her students to be prepared, be creative and ready to be pushed."
Elizabeth Varughese, Parent
and Alum....
Parents say....
and Alum....
"From starting in the company when I was 8, to being an assistant director at 22, this company has let me grow into having a genuine appreciation for the arts. A lot of it stems from the way I was taught to love the arts, and how this company let my imagination have no limits when I was younger. Because I was taught this way, I now want t
"From starting in the company when I was 8, to being an assistant director at 22, this company has let me grow into having a genuine appreciation for the arts. A lot of it stems from the way I was taught to love the arts, and how this company let my imagination have no limits when I was younger. Because I was taught this way, I now want to give as much as my knowledge of theatre down to the kids in the company now. We focus on developing them to go past the wall of "acting" and into "believability" by knowing the character and his/her motive and understanding the culture and history of the character/theatre piece; with the added intentional theatre exercises, and a lot of improv to make these situations feel as real as possible."
Marina Cyr, assistant director
"I was a part of SYTCO for six years (grades 6-11) and am so grateful for the confidence that it helped me to foster at such a young age. Susan is a fantastic director who knows how to bring the best out of all of the young actors she teaches. She ensures that every member of the cast understands their value which creates a supportive community of responsible young actors who work together to put on excellent shows."
Sofie, UBC student
"SYTCO was a huge part of my life in elementary and high school. I didn't realize it at the time, but there were so many skills I gained from theatre that I continue to use to this day, including confidence with public speaking and leadership skills. My time with SYTCO also taught me how to think on my feet and improvise, which made such a difference during job interviews, and particularly for my interviews for medical school. I continued theatre into university, including as a medical student and it has really helped me with work-life balance."
Shandel Riedlinger, MD
PGY2 Psychiatry | University of British Columbia