top of page
LEIGH HIGH SCHOOL THEATER ARTS
Staff and Coaches
Maria Griswold
Theater Arts Program Director / Thespian Troupe #7618
MGriswold@cuhsd.org
Maria Griswold (Ms. G) is a proud CUHSD graduate from Del Mar High, and recieved both her Bachelor's in Theatre Arts Education, as well as her teaching credential from San Jose State University. Never wanting to stray too far from the disctict she loves, she did her student teaching here at Leigh, then was hired at her alma mater, only to offically call Leigh her home (and she couldn't be happier!). This marks her 45 show overall, but only her 11th as a director. Past theatre credits include: Directing, Acting, Asst. Vocal Directing, Asst. Directing, Wardrobe crew and Makeup crew through various local companies. However, directorial favorites include: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (DMHS), Little Shop of Horrors (LHS), Curtains (LHS), and of course, Once Upon a Mattress (LHS). She'd like to thank her parents for supporting her passion of theatre, and seeing all of her shows over the past 25 years!
T
Amanda Ku
Vocal Trainer / Vocal Director
Amanda is a collaborative pianist, theatre musician, and music director in her native San Francisco Bay Area. She made her vocal directing debut at Leigh High School with Big Fish in 2019. Community theater music directing credits: The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Foothill Music Theatre); Flower Drum Song, A Christmas Story: the Musical (Palo Alto Players); Peter and the Starcatcher (Hillbarn Theatre); Bullets Over Broadway (West Valley Light Opera). She enjoys playing piano for musical theater auditions, rehearsals, and pit orchestras across the South Bay and Peninsula; memorable scores to play have included Seussical, In the Heights, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In addition to her musical theater work, Amanda is the staff accompanist for Cantabile Youth Singers and Los Altos High School choirs, and is active in the choral community.
Christine Scadina
Choreographer / Dance Coach
Christine Scadina is the Choreographer and Dance Instructor for Leigh High. Prior to joining Leigh High School, a couple of years ago, she worked for SJUSD for 27 years teaching dance at Lincoln High School. Sincer her retirement from Lincoln she has been blessed to continue working with various age groups of students in the capacity of Director, Choreography, or dance instructor at a variety of other programs including Starting Arts and West Valley College. Before embarking on her teaching career she had the privilege to work as a professional dancer herself on tour with Smokey Robinson and a tour of Dream Street, a variety show.
Annalisa Penhollow
Audio Coach
Annalisa Penhollow is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in Recording Industry with a focus on Audio Production and a Minor in Music Theory. She also has an Associate of Arts degree in Music Performance from Delgado Community College.
She had been in love with music and sounds all her life, but discovered the technical side in middle school. Mixing sound and producing high quality audio have been her passions ever since.
Her background is in studio work, with such places as New Orleans, Nashville, and Los Angeles. She started coaching at Leigh in 2017 and really enjoys working with the students each year.
In her free time, she enjoys finding new (to her) hidden beaches along the coast and catching all the new release movies.
Jonathan Yani
Technical Theater Consultant
jyani@cuhsd.org
Jonathan Yani is a graduate of San Jose State University with a Bachelor of the Arts in Technical Theater, and a Minor in English Literature.
He has been passionate about theater (especially the tech aspects) from a young age. After working as an extra-curricular coach he decided to pursue his credential to be able to work with the passionate youth at Leigh.
In the past he's appeared as Moises Kaufman in "The Laramie Project", and Thurio in "The Two Gentleman Of Verona." He draws on his love of theatre history (dramaturgy) to allow students to explore the many different styles that originated with the Greeks and continues to evolve through the modern age.
While he enjoys acting he found himself drawn to the dark side of theater. He's passionate about set design, and costuming.
In his free time (what little there is) he enjoys going to Disneyland and chilling with his cats, Baloo, and Shere Kahn.
bottom of page