Syd trained initially as a dancer and then went on to act, choreograph and direct both in the UK and in Canada and work regularly for CBC radio and television.

She returned to the UK and met her composer/MD husband whilst playing Crissy on the national tour of Hair. She choreographed Godspell at the Young Vic and a number of repertory productions for the Manchester Library Theatre and the Crucible, Sheffield.

As well as working in musical theatre, she played a number of television roles for the BBC and ITV. She was also a freelance actor for BBC School Radio and later a member of the BBC radio repertory company.

As a director, she started working for the National Youth Music Theatre and then went on to become a founding Artistic Associate of Youth Music Theatre:UK. She also directed regularly for Music Theatre 4 Youth, based in Belfast. Working over in Northern Ireland was one of the reasons she returned to live there in 2012.

Before leaving England, she had directed productions for the London Savoy Theatre, the Royal Opera House and on a BBC2 documentary filmed inside Wandsworth Prison. She also wrote and had published 5 youth theatre musicals and an opera, co-written with Mark Dougherty and performed at the Theatre Royal, Margate as part of the Canterbury Festival.

Since moving to Northern Ireland she has worked on television series, most memorably Game of Thrones, short films, corporate films, and the feature film A Christmas Star for Cinemagic. She also appeared in the stage tour of Talking Heads. She also directed a Milennium Theatre production of Sorcha’s Story and a production of Oliver! at the Belfast Opera House.

She was awarded an MBE in 2016 for services to youth theatre