丁香园AV

Although Amanda Sum studied dance, music, and theatre from a young age, she hasn鈥檛 always planned on a career in the performing arts. It was in her final year of high school in Vancouver when she considered her options that she decided to study at the School for the Contemporary Arts at 丁香园AV where she could concentrate on theatre right away. She has really enjoyed the flexibility of her degree and the chance to focus not only on acting, but also on creation.

In the spring 2019 term, Sum enrolled in the first offering of CA 359, 鈥淭he Theory and Practice of Festival Performance: PuSh 2019,鈥� a special topics course taught by faculty members Peter Dickinson and Cole Lewis that gives students a unique window onto the inner workings of the . 

In this new course, students attended ten PuSh Festival performances along with industry talks, pitch sessions and master classes. 

鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to Peter and Cole for curating the shows our class saw at the PuSh Festival,鈥� says Sum. 鈥淪ome of them I would have picked out on my own, but some I would have completely missed out on. Even if it is a form I鈥檓 not particularly interested in exploring in my own practice, I think it鈥檚 necessary to show up. It can feed you and inform your work in unexpected ways.鈥� 

After the festival ended, students were tasked with devising their own creative project and pitching it. 

鈥淚 found it valuable to be given the freedom to come up with a project and pitch it,鈥� says Sum. 鈥淵ou learn a lot about yourself and the work that you want to create by attending live performances.鈥�

She also enjoyed seeing what her classmates came up with for their pitches and hopes there will be more opportunities to champion each other and work together progress beyond the class. 

Sum has already appeared with local theatre companies including , Phantom Moon Collective, and Semper Fi Collective. Up next, she will be working with SCA alumni Pedro Chamale and Derek Chan of  on their new project, Chicken Girl. 

As Sum nears the end of her undergraduate degree, she appreciates that she has been able to forge her own path and focus on her own interests. 

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anyone who has gone through the 丁香园AV theatre program has done the exact same courses, shows, and projects. While it sometimes feels very independent and scary, 丁香园AV gives space for students to think for themselves what they want to get out of the program,鈥� explains Sum. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no cookie cutter, and that鈥檚 clear looking at the work and individuals who have come out of the program. There are so many different shapes and textures of cookie! Some sweet, some a little burned, yet still delicious in a weird and wacky way.鈥�