Meet our Teachers
Sierra School of Performing Arts is proud to contract with some of the finest performing arts teaching artists in Northern Nevada and Northeastern California. If you have any questions about our teachers, please email [email protected].
Mandy Flocchini (choreographer) has been dancing since she was seven years old. She grew up in Reno, Nevada and graduated from the University of Nevada in the spring of 2011 with a BS in Chemistry. She performed in and choreographed for numerous dance concerts at the University of Nevada. Mandy was a member of bellē contemporary dance co. and was privileged to perform with the company at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and the DUMBO Arts Festival in New York. Mandy also performed in and choreographed for shows sponsored by Downtown Dance Collective in Reno. She has choreographed for Sierra School of Performing Arts’ summer musicals since 2013 including: Bye Bye Birdie, Fiddler on the Roof, Cinderella, Wizard of Oz and Legally Blonde, Guys and Dolls, and Annie. When she is not choreographing or spending time with her family, Mandy writes middle and high school science curriculum.
Janet Lazarus is a co-founder and the producing artistic director of SSPA, and has been directing their musical productions since 2005. She is a graduate of the MFA program in acting at UCLA and has appeared in over 30 productions in such places as New York, Los Angeles, Rome (Italy) and most recently Northern Nevada. She has been directing and teaching theater in Hawaii, Reno and Tahoe schools and arts organizations for over 25 years, including University of Nevada Reno, Hawaii School for Girls, Lake Tahoe Community College, Arts for the Schools, Bishop Manogue Catholic High School and Sage Ridge School. Janet is teaching the acting class for Triple Threat Intensive.
Deb Leamy is originally from Providence, RI and worked primarily as a theatre artist, director, and choreographer in her earlier career, making NYC her home for more than 20 years. She has performed on Broadway, regionally, and across the globe. Some favorite shows include Fosse, Chicago, and A Chorus Line. She spent seven years teaching in academia; two of those at UNR, teaching Music Theatre. She has directed and/or choreographed for numerous musicals and in 2016, founded the West Coast (SF) version of the illustrious NYC AIDS benefit, Broadway Bares, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Holly Natwora received her MFA from Columbia University in NYC and has performed in over 75 plays including two summers at Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Festival, She appeared as Lady Macbeth in the first ever New York Fringe Festival. Holly has also appeared in television and film, most notably in Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Since moving to Reno in 2005, she has performed or directed at the Brüka Theatre, Reno Little Theatre, Good Luck Macbeth, and TheatreWorks of Northern Nevada. Holly currently teaches Acting at TMCC and Shakespeare for Social Justice at High Desert State Prison. We are very lucky to have Holly teaching acting classes for us!
Steve Saari has achieved a multi-faceted career as an arranger, musical and vocal director, and performance artist working in Broadway and commercial theater, classical music concerts, as well as live performances with Grammy-winning recording artists. Steve spent 20 years in New York City working as a pianist and vocal coach on Broadway and off-Broadway, and for 15 years, he has worked in music and production fleetwide for Royal Caribbean International. He has starred in Mister Fabulous, created with Broadway lyricist Bill Russell in New York. Steve’s credits include live concerts with Vince Gill, Martin Short’s Fame Becomes Me (Broadway), Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York Pops Gala at Carnegie Hall, Tommy Tune’s Doctor Dolittle (National Tour), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (off-Broadway/National Tour), Forbidden Broadway (off-Broadway), Broadway Concerts Direct at Merkin Hall, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring The Rockettes. He has performed at the piano for audiences across North America, Europe, Asia, and the high seas. In addition to his MM in Piano Performance, Steve holds a finishing degree from the Juilliard School of Music.
Talia Smith is a vocalist, musical theatre performer and educator. Originally from Las Vegas, she is a graduate of Las Vegas Academy of the Arts’ Vocal program, having performed with Barry Manilow, Clint Holmes, for the Las Vegas Raiders with Wayne Newton, and all over the country as a vocalist. She is currently a Musical Theatre Major at the University of Nevada, Reno (class of 2027). When she isn’t teaching she’s probably picking up an instrument, hosting trivia or enjoying some quality time with her dog Ziggy.
Stephen Thompson received his BFA from NYU, Tisch where he also attended the Graduate Program in Music Theatre. After a successful career in NYC as Music Director, Accompanist, Theatre Director, and Playwright/Composer of two off Broadway musicals, he heard the calling to teach and earned his Masters in Theatre Education from Emerson College. He subsequently taught Music and Theatre History at Emerson College and Music at ECSU, Clark University, and for the Metropolitan Opera Guild, bringing Opera to public schools. He has taught and directed many award-winning choirs and theatre troupes in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Arkansas, and Oregon where he was an ACDA certified choral adjudicator. Stephen is the founding Executive and Artistic Director of Forte Vocal.
