LAUNCESTON YOUTH THEATRE ENSEMBLE TEAM

Mandy graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1995 with a Bachelor of Education with Honours in English and Speech and Drama. 

She began her teaching career at (ironically) Queechy High School in 1995 where she remained for 10 years, relishing in the opportunity to work with hundreds of students both in the English and Drama classroom as well as in multiple productions, fashion parades and competitions. In 2004 while still working at Queechy she also taught a pre-tertiary Drama class at Newstead College. 

2005 saw her move to Riverside High School where she remained for 16 years as the Head of Drama until the opportunity to become the owner of LYTE in late 2021 was too good to pass up and she resigned from the education department after 26 years of service working with thousands of young people from various walks of life. 

As a young actress she appeared in shows such as "Cymbeline", "Red Devils", "Wedding Games" and "Serial Killers" as well as multiple award-winning performances in every classroom she has ever taught in. She hopes to one day have the time to tread the boards again and achieve her dream of singing a big number in a well known musical. 

Mandy's other passion is sport, in particular basketball and she was a member of the 1995 National CBA champions The Launceston Tornadoes. Since retiring from playing in multiple competitions, she has become a junior coach and coaches her 3 children, (who all share her passion for basketball) in a variety of competitions with great success. Her husband Craig is a ship's pilot and the president of the LBA (Launceston Basketball Association) so basketball is certainly a family affair. Mandy is very excited to lead the LYTE team in this new decade and hopes to take the company to new heights while still maintaining the beautiful heart and soul of LYTE that has seen it thrive for so long. 

During her first year at the helm, she directed "Charlotte's Web" with the Riverside Junior Company and "The Teacher" with the Riverside Senior Company which was a fitting farewell from her teaching career with the Education Department. 

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