Peta Flanigan - Artistic Director
Peta, originally from New South Wales trained in Cecchetti Classical Ballet, Contemporary dance, F.A.T.D tap and jazz technique. She began teaching dance at the age of 15 which only enhanced her love for the theatre. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Dance, and after gradation pursued her passion for dance by establishing her own dance school which ran successfully for ten years. Peta was passionate about sharing her love for dance and the performing arts with her students. Teaching dance fulfilled one of her goals, the other, was to become a teacher and so she completed her Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education in Dance and Drama from the University of Western Sydney. After moving to Perth, Peta also completed her Masters of Arts Education with a focus on curriculum pedagogy and assessment, Certificate 11 in Creative Industries and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
Arriving in Perth in 2001, Peta found a home at Ocean Reef Senior High School where she continued to foster and develop the creative minds of her students. She was instrumental in creating and developing Dance and Drama programs for students in years 8 through to 12. Under Peta's tutelage, the 2005 Year 12 Dance Studies class achieved top 10 in the WSA subjects in the state of which she received a personal written acknowledgment from Mr Warren Grellier (SCSA). She directed and choreographed numerous productions while at the Ocean Reef SHS including Dags, Hook, The Mystery of Roger Mullaney, Flapper and Cosi.
In 2006, Peta moved to Peter Moyes Anglican Community School where she took on the role of Head of Cocurriculum and continued to develop the after school activities program with a focus on increasing the awareness of the performing arts within the community. Her passion for the arts so strong, she moved into the role of Head of Dance and Drama at Peter Moyes, a position she held for 12 years. In this role she was instrumental in establishing a sense of community within the performing arts. She was instrumental in the push to bring Dance into years 7 and 8 which commenced in 2022.
As choreographer, Peta has been working with many theatre companies in Perth, including the Midnite Youth Theatre Company; an internationally renowned youth theatre company that has been in existence for over 20 years. In her fourteen year history with Midnite, she has choreographed over 20 Midnite productions including 2 international tours to the United Kingdom. Midnite productions include Ruddigore, Joseph and his Amazing technicolour Dreamcoat, The Rose and The Ring, Gondoliers, Roach Motels of Heaven and Hell, Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, Aspects of Love and Premiere. Peta also worked with the Joondalup Youth Theatre Company on their production of Song of the Seals.
As director, Peta has directed over 60 productions both amateur and professional for various age groups including Guys and Dolls. Jr, Cosi, Robin Hood-The Musical, West Side Story, Dags, Scrooge, Bye Bye Birdie, Oh, Horrors It’s Murder, Lion King Jr and Les Miserables, Romeo and Harriett, Alice in Wonderland Jr, Annie Jr and Peter Pan. Peta worked with Onstage Production as choreographer for My Fair Lady.
She has also worked with the Stirling Players directing and choreographing several works including Noah, Flapper, Children of the Black Skirt and the world premiere of Eros and Psyche. Peta choreographed several productions for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Western Australia including the Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, Gondoliers, HMS Pinafore, Yoeman of the Guard and Princess Ida.
Peta’s production of Children of the Black Skirt successfully toured to Bunbury and Mandurah receiving several awards including Best Direction, Best Use of Stage and the Lesley Couzens award for Best Overall Play. She also directed the play 100 and again successfully received awards for Best Direction, Best Costume and Best Use of Stage.
Under Peta's tutelage, SYTC has conducted three international Drama performance tours to the United Kingdom performing in locations such as the Sadler's Wells Theatre in the London West End, St. Aidan's Church of England High School in Harrogate, The Scottish Youth Theatre in Glasgow and the Perth Youth Theatre in Perth, Scotland.
Peta's passion for the theatre includes developing the students interest in the behind-the-scenes. Peta is please to be able to teach these important skills to students in Year 9 and 10 through the Drama Design and Production courses. She also introduced the Certificate 11 in Creative Industries which is an industry based qualification which continues building the students skills in the behind-the-scenes of a theatre production. She taught drama and dance to students ranging from years 5 through to 12 creating and developing programs according to curriculum requirements while still instilling a love for the arts within her students.
Emma Leadon - Associate Director
Emma began her love of Theatre from a young age, always taking up every opportunity through out her schooling to perform at both St Mary’s Anglican Girl’s School and Encore Theatre Company. Emma understands and has witnessed time and time again the importance these experiences play in building a young person’s confidence, social skills, and love for the Arts.
Emma completed her Secondary Bachelor in Education in 2000 and has enjoyed working in the classroom ever since. As an educator, she is passionate, dynamic, and creative in her approach to teaching, engaging both Primary aged and Secondary students.
Emma’s Drama teaching career began at Penrhos College in Perth, Western Australia, as the Middle School Drama Co-ordinator and over these 5 years, Emma had the privilege of working on Productions such as Oliver, Guys and Dolls, Pajama Game, Oklahoma and Little Shop of Horrors. Being a part of the Production Team was invaluable and ignited her love for directing. In addition to this, Emma was able to write many of her own plays for performance on a number of occasions.
In 2006, Emma embarked on a new adventure, teaching Drama, Dance and Musical Theatre at the Canterbury High School in Kent, UK. This position allowed for many collaborative projects within the Performing Arts Department, including co-directing We Will Rock You. Emma also taught the Speech and Drama Programme for Examination, providing opportunity to direct scenes from a number of different Musicals.
In 2008, Emma returned to Perth and began her position at St Stephen’s School. Her directing roles included The Laramie Project and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As the sole Drama Teacher, she began the Interhouse Drama Event and provided the students with many performance experiences, both at school and in the wider community.
Christ Church Grammar welcomed Emma in 2009, where she enjoyed teaching at an All-Boys School for the first time. It was within Midnite Youth Theatre Company that Emma co-directed Sweeney Todd and directed Boy Overboard. Both experiences spurred on Emma’s love for working with talented and passionate students and Production Teams, to create exciting works. Whilst Emma had her small children, she continued to direct, including The Little Match Girl as part of a One Act Festival at St Mary’s Anglican Girl’s School. She also ran student workshops, marked practical and written WACE examinations for countless schools and taught at Helen O’Grady Drama Academy.
Emma was extremely excited to begin work at the International School of Western Australia. It was here that Emma began the Drama programme from Pre-Primary through to Year 10. Developing programmes to suit the International Baccalaureate as well as the ever changing and culturally diverse students was extremely rewarding. At ISWA, Emma had the pleasure of being Assistant Director for the Pantomime, Aladdin, as well as Director for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Emma was fundamental in creating the Assessment outlines and Learning Programmes for SCSA, which are published on their website and available for all Primary Teachers to access and utilise in their own classroom. As a result of this, Emma has run several teacher workshops for Dramawest Secondary and Primary Networks, The Independent Drama Association and at the 2021 Dramawest Conference held at Edith Cowan University.
In 2017, Emma arrived at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School, and this is when her affiliation with Snapshot Youth Theatre Company began. As Head of Dance and Drama, Emma has been privileged to work with both Primary and Secondary students. With a strong Drama curriculum programme from Year 3 to Year 12, the students at Peter Moyes are dedicated, engaged and enthusiastic with performing. Emma has directed Hoods, Eyes to the Floor, Skate, Twisted, been Assistant Director for Lion King Jr. and Production Assistant for Elf Jr. In 2021, Emma directed the hugely successful whole school production of We Will Rock You and is very excited about directing Snapshot Youth Theatre Company’s Production of Aladdin Jr. in 2023.