Volunteer with SVCT!
Contribute Your Talents: On or Behind the Stage
By Elizabeth Mandel
As South Valley Civic Theatre( SVCT) launches its 2025- 2026 season, we would like to remind all theater lovers that you don ' t need to be an actor to get involved with your local community theater. A theater company is a unique kind of organization: every show is a new and unique project and every show requires producers( project managers), artistic staff( director, vocal director, choreographer), set builders, painters, costumers, publicity, back stage management, concessions staff, ushers, and more. This means that if you love theater and want it to continue thriving in your community, there most assuredly is a place for you to participate and for your contributions to be appreciated.
Hayley Allison
SVCT started its journey toward becoming an integral part of the South Valley community in 1969. It evolved from producing primarily Neil Simon plays and large classic musicals to introducing the community to a broad range of both contemporary and traditional shows, frequently with content that both entertains and reflects today’ s societal issues. Read about SVCT’ s 55 year history at https:// www. svct. org / our-history.
Over those decades, as a non-profit, all volunteer organization, SVCT has stretched and thrived because it has benefited from a continual infusion of talent and ideas. We are grateful for the parents who, upon seeing their children develop confidence and skills on or behind the stage, commit to becoming more personally involved as volunteers. Some adults also find volunteering rewarding as their artistic talents— frequently talents that are not relevant to their day jobs--are utilized, enhanced, and appreciated. Other lovers of live theater may choose to support SVCT in more practical ways, lending their business, organizational, or financial expertise.
an inclusive environment and a safe space where people can express themselves fully. She says,“ The diversity of our volunteers reflects the diversity of our community.”
Allison also emphasizes what SVCT volunteers gain from the experience. " Volunteering with South Valley Civic Theatre means connecting with a group of creative, free-thinking individuals who lend their artistic talents to provide an enjoyable experience to theatregoers." A graduate of CSU Monterey Bay in Teledramatic Arts and Technology whose day job is in finance, she sees herself as one of these volunteers utilizing their artistic talents for the benefit of SVCT and the community. In addition to her volunteer coordination responsibilities, Allison is also on the Board of Directors of SVCT, has stage managed several SVCT shows, and is currently co-producing An Unnecessary Farce, one of the final shows of the 2024-2025 season.
To check out the variety of volunteer opportunities available with SVCT, go to https:// www. svct. org / volunteer or contact Allison at volunteer @ svct. org. And if your preferred way to support community theater is as an audience member, that is great, too! Learn about the upcoming season and purchase tickets at https:// www. svct. org.
SVCT’ s new volunteer coordinator, Hayley Allison, is also passionate about the importance of community theater as
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