Convocation Profile: Sabrina Weinstein

“UC One changed my life,” says Sabrina Weinstein, who graduates in 2022 with a BA from University College that includes a specialist in drama, theatre and performance studies and a minor in philosophy.

Weinstein, a Toronto native, was active in high school theatre, but planned to major in criminology and philosophy at university because these disciplines seemed to promise more solid career opportunities. However, her plans quickly changed once her UC One course, Performing the City, began. 

“I was going to leave theatre behind, but Performing the City was all about the Toronto theatre scene and I fell back in love with theatre,” she says. “I saw how much opportunity there was and told myself, ‘I’ll just take a few more theatre courses’ – and that kept happening. Now, the only thing I can see myself doing is theatre.” 

Of course, the pandemic interfered with her education, as it did for all students, by requiring remote learning for a year, but Weinstein worked around it by postponing her acting courses and working on directing. She was one of two students chosen for a course that provided an opportunity to direct a production, and Weinstein worked around the COVID restrictions by choosing a one-woman show that was shot outdoors as a movie. 

“I was one of the only people on campus, so it was really a bit spooky and strange,” she says. 

Weinstein has also been testing her producing abilities and has discovered how much she enjoys that role. 

“I was the executive producer for UC Follies and found I loved producing and being that person who puts together the puzzle.” 

She and her friends also started their own not-for-profit theatre company, Quirky Cabaret, and Weinstein produced three shows with all proceeds going to charity. Last summer, she was accepted as an indie producer by Theatre by the Bay in Barrie, where she produced their season launch, including planning all the promotional materials and organizing the livestreaming for the show. 

“Theatre is amazing, because you have nothing and can create something from it with a spark of creativity,” Weinstein says. “I’m also interested in spectatorship, because the audience factor means that no two performances are alike.” 

During her final year at U of T, Weinstein returned to acting, since classes were once again being held in person. She also performed on the Mainstage. 

“It was great to be able to create in a space with people again,” Weinstein says. “I now have the people I plan to work with for the rest of my life. 

“It’s all about the connections you make and the friends you make. Your friends are your collaborators.” 

She also can’t say enough about her professors, especially those in the drama program, citing Banuta Rubess, Kate Lynch, Leah Cherniak, and Miriam Fernandes. 

Coming to UC wasn’t initially about drama, however. 

“My mom went to UC, so part of choosing it was due to her influence, but I also visited the campus and fell in love with it,” Weinstein says. 

She lived in residence for her first two years and served on the UC Literary & Athletic Society (UC Lit) for three: as a first-year representative, a mid-year representative and literary & creative arts commissioner. She also spent a lot of time in the Commuter Student Centre, since it was close to her residence. 

“I met a lot of upper-year students there who were able to guide me,” she says. “Going into university, you have no idea what’s going on, but they helped me to chill.” 

As much as she loves theatre, Weinstein is also pleased that she pursued a minor in philosophy. 

“They gave me an external lens to see the world and the concepts and ideas I studied helped me as a director.” 

During her final year at U of T, Weinstein served as president of the Drama Coalition, the group that oversees theatre across all three campuses. She and her team planned the first ever hybrid drama festival, adjudicated by theatre professors. The Coalition also organized the Dougies, the U of T theatre awards, which were held in person for the first time since the pandemic began. Given her enthusiasm and extensive credentials, it’s no surprise that Weinstein earned the Graduating Impact Award. 

Although she’s graduating, Weinstein will be as busy as ever in the summer of 2022. She is currently doing an internship at Canadian Stage and working on contract as an event co-ordinator, doing stage management and producing. She will also be producing two shows at the Toronto Fringe Festival, which will be held in person for the first time since 2019. One show, The Boy Who Cried, features a cast full of U of T graduates.  

Then, it’s off to travel in Europe where Weinstein will visit London, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Berlin and “see way too much theatre.” Her plans afterward are still to be determined. 

“I’ll come back and figure it out,” she says. “I hope to start my own theatre company, Casting Shadows.” 

The company will focus on shadowcast theatre, an interactive medium where movies play on a screen and actors are arrayed in front of the screen acting out the scenes or responding to them. 

“The films have a fixed text and are from a certain time, so the actors interact with it in the moment and play with that interaction,” Weinstein says. “It all started with The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which, as a queer creator, is very important to me.” 

Most important is to continue working in theatre in any capacity. 

“I want to be immersed in all areas of theatre so I can always fit in and always be creating,” Weinstein says. “There is joy in theatre. I want to make theatre that celebrates the moment we’re in and provide moments of lightness and celebration.” 

Coming out of the gloominess of the pandemic, Weinstein should have no trouble finding a receptive audience.