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].
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!
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.
Jennifer Rae is excited to be teaching at SSPA again. Her career spans 40 years. She has performed in numerous theatre productions, films, and commercials. Jennifer Rae LOVES Improv.
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.
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.
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Bob Ives has been acting, directing, and teaching in live theater for more than 45 years, starting with the role of Puck in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Since then he has accumulated almost 100 acting credits, as well as dozens of directing credits. Highlights include 10 years with a Shakespeare Festival doing two shows in rep each year, with the final season named in Bob’s honor. You may have seen him here in Reno as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, Torvald in A Doll’s House: Part 2, John D’Gata in The Lifespan of a Fact, the title role in Titus Andronicus, Alex Priest in Heisenberg, and Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show, among others. Bob Ives will be teaching Acting Fundamentals for Teens and Acting Shakespeare.
Francesca Melander is a local dancer who has trained in jazz, ballet, and contemporary for 11 years, as well as participating in musical theatre from a young age. She’s worked with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, Western Nevada Musical Theatre Company, and Ghostlight Theatre Company. She has also choreographed for Carson Valley Community Theatre. Favorite roles include Manuelita in Carmen and Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show. She is currently working with Dark Corner Haunted House as a professional scare actor, and Around The Stage Theatrical Dance Company as a company member. Frankie is thrilled to teach the next generation the joy of theatrical dance in the Song and Dance class.
Cindy Sabatini has a passion for music and has performed in or musically directed theater productions in the Reno/Sparks/Carson City/Lake Tahoe area for Sierra School of Performing Arts, NV Civic Light Opera, Western NV Musical Theater Company, Truckee Community Theater, and Spanish Springs HS since moving here in 1998. Some favorite roles include Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL, Ursula in THE LITTLE MERMAID, Golde in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Rizzo in GREASE, Sally Bowles in CABARET, and Aldonza in MAN OF LA MANCHA. You may remember her from SSPA productions of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Golde) CINDERELLA (Stepmother), and LEGALLY BLONDE (Judge). Her diverse musical background includes productions in 6 states, vocalist in classical, jazz, Christian, and oldies rock groups. She currently is vocalist for the Let’s Dance Big Band, Route 66 rock band, a member of the
Reno Philharmonic Chorus and had the thrill of performing at Carnegie Hall! Cindy teaches private voice and piano and recently retired as Director of Worship & Music Ministries at Sparks United Methodist Church. 
Stephanie McCoy has been a performer and educator in the Reno/Tahoe area since 2005, performing at venues such as Nightingale Hall, Pioneer Center, Piper’s Opera House, and UNR's Redfield Proscenium Theater and with SSPA at the Robert Z. Hawkins Amphitheater. Stephanie is a triple threat; a versatile cross-over singer who has performed many leading musical theater roles and has also been a featured dancer and chorus member.
Stephanie studied Music Education at UNR, with a focus in vocal performance and technique. Her studies involved various vocal techniques used not only in choral singing, but in musical theater and opera performance as well. Stephanie danced with Western Nevada Performing Arts Center focusing on jazz, tap, Lyrical, ballet, modern, and ballroom. |
