Like most high school students, Doug Floyd wasn’t sure which university would be right for him, so he sought guidance.
“My history teacher, Mel Greif at Humberside Collegiate Institute, was one of those educators whose advice came with real gravitas,” he recounts.
Victoria College at the Faculty of Arts & Science at U of T was the resounding response.
“Mr. Greif told me this was a well-rounded, liberal arts college and a supportive community,” says Floyd who earned his honours bachelor of arts, majoring in English and philosophy and minoring in history, in 2001. “He was right. Victoria was a very welcoming environment that became my home base.”
Floyd was a regular at the E.J. Pratt Library, Old Vic and Northrop Frye Hall and frequented the Cat’s Eye Student Pub & Lounge.
He was, admittedly, shy in first year. That abruptly transformed in second year after a life-changing event in an unassuming location: the washroom of the Pratt Library where he spotted a poster urging students to audition for the UC Follies’ production of Guys and Dolls at Hart House Theatre. He had seen the musical at Stratford so, throwing caution to the wind, he auditioned and earned a spot in the chorus. (He had one line, which he remembers to this day: “Where’s the game?”)
“It exceeded all my expectations,” he recalls. “It was a fun show with a talented cast, many of whose members went on into showbusiness.”
More than this, the show created a sense of community. “I think that's what I needed: to be part of a group dynamic,” he says.
Comparing his first year to his second, “It was like night and day. I became a much happier and more engaged person.”
Floyd continued with UC Follies, jumping headfirst into Cabaret and then Fiddler on the Roof. Over time, he became more interested in producing, marketing, publicity and media relations than acting.
This realization further shaped his trajectory. He was approached to produce A Man for All Seasons, so he put together a partnership of Hart House Theatre, Hart House Drama Society and what he called the University of Toronto Stage Company, his own startup student company.
This production showed what the future could hold for student theatre.
After graduation and armed with the experience he had gained shouldering governance, marketing, financial and sponsorship responsibilities in tandem with the pressure-cooker expectations of filling a 450-plus seat auditorium, Floyd secured coveted marketing positions at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and Tribute Entertainment Media Group. He was also the co-founder and executive producer of the Canopy Theatre Company, which co-produced outdoor summer seasons at the Philosopher’s Stage at Philosopher’s Walk for no less than eleven seasons.
Today, Floyd serves as Hart House Theatre’s general manager, where he continues to make tremendous impact.
Theatre at U of T is galvanized by the Drama Coalition, administered and supported by Hart House Theatre. The Coalition is made up of the many student dramatic groups at U of T, including but not limited to the St. Michael's College Troubadours, the Trinity College Dramatic Society, UC Follies, UTM Drama Club and the Victoria College Drama Society.
The annual Hart House U of T Drama Festival remains a focal point for student drama and is also the setting for the U of T Drama Coalition Awards, now in its 10th year and affectionately called the “Dougies” in his honour.
Looking back, Floyd firmly believes an experiential-focused education played a key role.
Indeed, Hart House Theatre facilitates priceless, outside-the-classroom opportunities because it focuses on the development, training and showcasing of young emerging artists. He credits the informal mentorship he gained in this environment and loves that he can provide that kind of support for students now.
Generous of spirit, Floyd has a few nuggets of advice for students: “Take risks. Take an audition. This experience is really important, even if you don’t get the part. There’s huge value in trying new things, testing your limits. That’s the biggest part of the university experience.”
This piece was originally published in the Winter 2022 Edition of The Vic Report, the alumni magazine of Victoria College.