The Launceston Youth Theatre Team

Mandy Gibson graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1995 with a Bachelor of Education (Honours) in English and Speech & Drama. She began her teaching career that same year at Queechy High School, where she spent ten years inspiring hundreds of students in both English and Drama. During this time, she also directed numerous productions, fashion parades, and performance competitions, and in 2004 extended her teaching to include a pre-tertiary Drama class at Newstead College. In 2005, Mandy moved to Riverside High School, where she spent 16 years as Head of Drama. After 26 years of dedicated service in education, she embraced an exciting new chapter as the owner and Artistic Director of Launceston Youth Theatre Ensemble (LYTE) in late 2021 — a role that perfectly combines her love of teaching, theatre, and working with young people. As a young actress, Mandy appeared in productions including Cymbeline, Red Devils, Wedding Games, and Serial Killers — along with what she jokingly calls “multiple award-winning performances in every classroom she’s ever taught in.” She hopes to one day return to the stage and fulfil her dream of performing a big musical number. Outside the theatre, Mandy’s other great passion is sport — especially basketball. She was a member of the 1995 National CBA champion team, the Launceston Tornadoes. Since retiring from competitive play, she has become a dedicated junior coach, guiding her three children (all enthusiastic players themselves) to success in various competitions. Her husband, Craig, is a ship’s pilot, former President of the Launceston Basketball Association and now Chair of the newly formed Northern Tasmanian Basketball Club NBL1 Team— making basketball truly a family affair. Since taking the helm at LYTE, Mandy has directed Charlotte’s Web and The Teacher (her fitting farewell to the Education Department), followed by Game of Tiaras, The Importance of Being Earnest, All the Things I Hate About You, The Wit of the Brit, Alice@Wonderland, Hating Alison Ashley, Murder By Indecision & The Station - which she also wrote. Mandy is thrilled to lead LYTE into a new era — honouring the company’s rich legacy while nurturing its continued growth, creativity, and community spirit.

Originally from Tasmania, Penelope (Penny) returned home after living and working in Victoria as a Performing Arts Teacher and Professional Singer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Musical Theatre) from the Ballarat Arts Academy and a Graduate Diploma in Education with a major in Drama. Penny began her career as the lead singer for Thomson Cruises, performing across Britain and Europe. After returning to Australia, she became a regular in the Melbourne and Adelaide cabaret and comedy festival scenes, and toured Victoria in a variety of educational children’s productions — all while completing her teaching degree. Before returning to Tasmania, Penny taught drama and singing for Stage School Australia, working with students of all ages, and later taught Performing Arts and choir within the Victorian public school system. Since joining LYTE, Penny has become an integral member of the company, teaching multiple classes each week. In 2023 she served as Assistant Director on Alice@Wonderland and The Velveteen Rabbit, before directing her first LYTE production, Winnie the Pooh, in 2024. She backed this up with directing Lemony Snickets - A Series of Unfortunate Events - The Bad Beginning, with Riverside Middle Company in 2025 and the hugely successful Peter Pan with both Junior Companies. Also in 2025, she introduced LYTE’s Choir Kids, further showcasing her talents and offering another creative outlet for our LYTE students. Outside the theatre, Penny loves spending time with her two boys, Hugo and Sebastian, and their Border Collie, Tilby. She and her husband are currently building their family home — and when she’s not building, she’s known for creating epic birthday cakes for friends and family. Penelope is a dynamic and passionate educator whose deep love of the performing arts shines through in every class she teaches. She’s thrilled to continue sharing her experience and creativity with the young performers of LYTE.

A former LYTE alumni, Gabriel Walton-Clear has been an eager member of the theatrical community from an early age. From consistent involvement in school plays, a decade of involvement in the productions of Launceston Youth Theatre Ensemble and other performances with adult companies such as Three River Theatre and Dare Collective, Gabriel has relentlessly pursed a love of story telling, colourful characters and the simple pleasures of productions. Currently enrolled as a student at the University of Tasmania, Gabriel continues his general love of art in multiple different mediums such as photography and digital illustration, as well as taking a deeper interest in the technical and directorial side of his first love, Theatre. Gabe joined LYTE's staff, as an Assistant Director in 2024 alongside mentor Amanda Phillips. He took over the reins when Amanda became ill and saw The Legend of Sleepy Hollow through to it's fabulous theatre run. He took over the role of Queechy Middle Director in 2025 and directed Lemony Snickets - A Series of Unfortunate Events - The Bad Beginning.

Kevin’s education includes a diploma in Performance and Media, a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts with honours specialising in theatre, and a graduate certificate in Disability and Inclusion. He started out as a singer, lyricist and composer, Kevin went on to present his music in cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Tokyo. Thereon he decided to pursue the theatrical arts and worked mostly on new works. He has also had his fair share of mainstream works. Currently living in Tasmania, he has worked with community companies such as Three River Theatre, Launceston Players, Launceston Musical Society, IO Performance, Black Box Theatre Co, Studio Space Inclusive Arts, and Adaptivity Theatre Company, working as an actor or the production team. He is excited by the new challenge that directing at LYTE will present him with and after completing his first LYTE show Murder by Indecision as co-director with Mandy, he is excitedly preparing for the senior showcase performances and planning what 2026 will bring for the Queechy Seniors.

A previous LYTE student, Rhys Dobson is joining the LYTE team in in 2026 as an Assistant Director across both Riverside and Queechy Junior Companies. A lifelong fan of visual and performing arts, Rhys was thrilled to be invited to join the LYTE company. He first joined LYTE when Mandy became the Artistic Director and took part in various shows such as The Teacher, Game of Tiaras and The Importance of Being Earnest. During this time, he continued to study Drama and other art subjects alongside these productions and into college. In the past few years, he has also helped with both the sound and lighting for senior and junior LYTE shows. Rhys is currently studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts at UTAS, and he hopes to further his interest in the arts through a range of different practices, including digital illustration, photography and more traditional mediums. By embracing this new Assistant Director role, he hopes to offer the same level of support and care for the arts that he received to the next generation of LYTE students.

I am a returning LYTE alumni and film director. I started acting with LYTE at the age of 12 in the show Agatha Rex and continued performing over the next two years in ‘Alice: Through the Looking Glass’ and ‘Animal Farm’. I furthered my work with the company as a photographer before making the jump into directing as the Assistant Director, with the 2022 show ’Scotts on the Rocks’, followed by Property Rites and Jane Austen Zoomed in 23 and Dracula in 24. In the years following my time as a student at LYTE I performed in theatre shows such as the Launceston College production of ‘Matilda: The Musical’, the Launceston Players’ ‘1984’ as well as Terrapin Puppet Theatre’s show ‘King Ubu’. Together with a fellow alumni from LYTE, I started a YouTube channel in 2016 called ‘The Rejectables’ where I direct, produce and act in a wide variety of short films. Over the years I have worked on well over 100 film projects and am grateful for my opportunity at LYTE to continue honing my skills as a creative director.

I founded LYTE in 1999 with the desire to give young Tasmanian’s access to exceptional theatre training and performance opportunities, and to create a warm and generous company culture where everyone’s uniqueness and creative passion is celebrated. Through LYTE I wanted to help young people find their voice and the courage to share it; for them to deeply understand the vital role artists play in our society and the intrinsic importance of people connecting through stories and theatre. And so has been the last 23 years of my life, filled with countless wonderful moments and extraordinary people. And now I am excited for LYTE to be welcoming a new owner and artistic director in 2022. Mandy is the perfect person to be taking the reins. I’m thrilled to be handing the company to someone of such talent, care and integrity and will continue to be an avid supporter of LYTE moving forward. LYTE is a special community to be part of. I’m immensely proud of the work our company has created and the deep collaborations we have enjoyed over the past two-and-a-bit decades. I’m indebted to all the inspiring teachers and directors, production teams, parents and young artists who have contributed so much to the success of the company. It has been a joy to play a small role in your lives. Jane is an actress, director and youth theatre facilitator and has worked with organisations including; Archipelago Productions, Tasmanian Theatre Company, Blue Cow Theatre, Mudlark, Tasdance, Theatre North, Ten Days on the Island, Tasmania Performs, Terrapin Puppet Theatre, The Unconformity, Tasmanian Regional Arts, The Australian Script Centre and JUTE. Jane was a founding member and co-artistic director of Mudlark Theatre and the founding AD of LYTE (1999-2021). In 2020 Jane was the joint recipient of the Tasmanian Theatre Award for Outstanding Performance in Professional Theatre for The Mares (Tasmanian Theatre Company and Ten Days on the Island). Selected acting credits include; The Bleeding Tree (Archipelago), The Mares (TTC/Ten Days on the Island), The Tree Widows, Two Pairs of Shorts (TTC), Caravan Boat Treehouse, The Sea Project, Beautiful: a Ghost Story, Cross, Voices from the Grave, Rooted, What is the Matter with Mary Jane?, One Day Projects (Mudlark), Dancing Back Home (Mudlark/JUTE), Our Path (Theatre North/Ten Days on the Island). Directing credits include: I Am A Lake, Café (Mudlark), Chasing a Sound Like Rain (Ten Days on the Island/LYTE), A Number (CentrStage), Our Path (associate director: Theatre North/Ten Days on the Island), assistant director to Paige Rattray for The Midlands (Mudlark), and as rehearsal director for Happy Me (Tasmania Performs).