“As we face abuses to human rights, personal freedoms and threats to our democracy during these unprecedented times, TST’s In Response festival is more timely and more important than ever before,” said Veronica McClelland, TST CEO. “In Response takes the news of our times straight from our streets and our screens and builds awareness and activism so that people feel empowered to make change. That is the power of the performing arts in 2025.”
Previews: October 4th & 5th
Film Nights: Every Thursday beginning October 9
Opening Night: October 10
Closing Night: November 2
NO SHOW October 31st
Showtimes:
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Location:
Stella Adler Academy of Acting & Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
Here's the line-up!
ACT I
We Are The People
A song by: John Tierney (BIO)
Directed by: Michael A. Shepperd (BIO)
Amorie Barton - Charlie Towle - Deja Monique Cruz - Joshua Loren Kroll - Nina Kasuya - Parnell Damone Marcano - Paul Sohm
John Tierney - Michael A. Shepperd
Frederick Douglass – Unexpected, 1884
A monologue by: Stephen Blackburn (BIO)
Directed by: Kimba Henderson (BIO)
A reflection on the historical stresses that the leaders of the civil rights and women’s rights movements faced early in their fights.
Adrian Babatunde - De Ann Marie Odom
Stephen Blackburn - Kimba Henderson
Rumblings
A short play by: Kimba Henderson (BIO)
Directed by: Kimba Henderson (BIO)
Tackles the question of how we treat traitors to our country.
Brock Jones - Charlie Towle - Eric Geller
Kimba Henderson
nothings
Spoken word by: E. Talley II (BIO)
Directed by: RJ Wayne (BIO)
A call to action and a request to remember that what once seemed only a dream became true, and without question, can live again.
Mel Hampton
E. Talley II - RJ Wayne
The Right To Life!
A short play by: Shanelle Darlene (BIO)
Director: Phone Tha (BIO) & RJ Wayne (BIO)
A story about the game that is America—one of violence, oppression and struggles – sugar-coated with plastic and TV show lights.
Joshua Loren Kroll - Nina Kasuya
Noreen Quadir - Paula Helena
Shanelle Darlene - Phone Tha - RJ Wayne
ACT II
A New America
A monologue by: Reginald Edmund (BIO)
Directed by: Michael A. Shepperd (BIO)
A reflection on what is happening in the world today.
Parnell Damone Marcano
Reginald Edmund - Michael A. Shepperd
Hold the Line
Spoken Word by: Sharon Langley (BIO)
Directed by: RJ Wayne (BIO)
A poem that speaks about the history of resistance in the face of voter suppression and intimidation.
Sharing the role will be:
Daphne Jones - Cherie Carter
Sharon Langley - RJ Wayne
A Gentile Mensch
A short play by: Anita Yellin Simons (BIO)
Directed by: Raf Mauro (BIO)
It takes courage to speak truth to power. And sometimes, you win.
Joey Swift - Nick DiCola - Paul Sohm
Anita Yellin Simons - Raf Mauro
Kingdom of Heaven
A short play by: Rich Rubin (BIO)
Directed by: Veronica Thompson (BIO)
A priest and his immigrant parishioner confront the new American reality.
Brock Jones - Jacqueline Castañeda - Paula Helena
Rich Rubin - Veronica Thompson
For The Love Of D'Artagnan
A short play by: Roland Rusinek (BIO)
Directed by: Veronica Thompson (BIO)
& Karis Clark (BIO)
A speculative fiction piece with queer themes and suppression of the press in a post-Trumpian America.
Joey Swift - Erik Dylan Matibag
Roland Rusinek - Veronica Thompson - Karis Clark
FILMS
Blood Bank
A short film by: S. Pearl Sharp
A poem that speaks to how women’s labor, local resources and bodies are used without permission or compensation for the profit of corporations, governments, and criminals.
The Plea
A short film by: RCB
A reflection to make us aware of a simple truth – we are all one.
Stand!
A short film by: Marlene McCurtis & Susie Tanner
Written by incarcerated men at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Lancaster, CA through the Theatre Workers Project. Formerly incarcerated men perform in this story that examines the personal struggle to stand up for justice and hope – even in the most challenging situations.
Look What You Made Me Do
A short film by: Destiny Nelson
A music video that follows a young black woman who is killed by police, and then rises from the dead to seek revenge.
She Prayed For Me
A short film by: Sonia Jackson
A heartfelt music video that celebrates the timeless power of ancestral and community prayers to uplift and sustain us.
A display of fine artwork
Power of the People
Cathy Weiss
Woodcut print and Sharpie on paper, 21”x16”
This woodcut was inspired by Kamala Harris. To rise and fight for our freedoms and to look forward. We have the power when we do it together.
Ours Not Yours
Laura Brody
Repurposed fabrics and trims, embroidery floss.
20" x 18.5"
Started life as a printed uterus, became a protest sign during the Black Lives Matter movement and the pandemic shutdown, was embroidered during a fraught cross country trip the summer of 2024, and was finished right as the first of the authoritarian executive orders went down in the US in 2025.
Make Good Trouble
Susan Lee
Print of an original watercolor portrait of John Lewis. Will be matted and framed. 16" x 20"
This work is a watercolor featuring John Lewis and his now-famous challenge to "make good trouble."
Meet the Playwrights
Anita Yellin Simons combines history and activism in her award-winning plays: GOODBYE MEMORIES, Anne Frank family before hiding, produced by La Jolla JCC and published by YouthPLAYS; HEARTLAND (co-written with Lojo Simon), German-Americans interned in U.S. camps during WWII, produced by MiraCosta College Theater and published by YouthPLAYS; THIS WE’LL DEFEND, rape and PTSD in the military, produced by American History Theatre in San Diego; SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN, domestic abuse, production in Sedona in September. Read her full bibliography. >>
Anita Yellin Simons
A Gentile Mensch
Reginald Edmund is an award-winning playwright, producer, and curator dedicated to amplifying Black voices in the arts. As Co-Founder and Managing Curating Producer of the Black Lives Black Words International Project, he has commissioned powerful theatrical works across the U.S. and UK, while also leading the LA and Houston Underground Railroad Film Festivals. With a BFA from Texas Southern University and an MFA from Ohio University, Reginald has held influential roles at the Anthology Film Festival, Robey Theatre Company, and Denver Center for the Performing Arts. A committed educator, he has taught internationally and produced with ADF’s Rebel Alliance in London. His acclaimed City of the Bayou play series, including Southbridge and Daughters of the Moon, has garnered honors such as the Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Award and multiple Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Awards.
Reginald Edmund
A New America
Roland Ponce Rusinek, a native of southern California, is the queer offspring of two immigrants from different countries. Roland is a performer and writer who has worked in the entertainment industry all of his life. He has performed on Broadway, at Lincoln Center, in National Tours, at Carnegie Hall, in Regional Theaters, on Television, in Films, voiced characters in an animated series, and even sang on a movie soundtrack. He is now focusing on his career as a writer. He thanks you and sincerely hopes you enjoy his play.
Roland Rusinek
For The Love Of D'Artagnan
A co-founder of Fierce Backbone Theatre Co., Blackburn authored The Rock of Abandon, a noir-style murder mystery set in ancient Athens, featuring the playwright Euripides as the detective. Its world premiere was at the old Lillian Theatre in Hollywood. Backstage hailed the Fierce Backbone production as “a Grecian extravaganza…always engrossing and fun to watch.” The Nicholl Fellowship named the screenplay of the story as a Semi Finalist and it scored as a Second Rounder at 2024’s Austin Film Festival.
Stephen Blackburn
Frederick Douglass – Unexpected, 1884
Sharon Langley is an author, poet, and educator. She often writes on themes of social justice, current events and American history. She is also a children's book writer and co-author of A Ride to Remember, which tells of her memorable visit to a local amusement park. She lives and writes in Los Angeles.
Headshot Photo credit Heidi Hart.
Sharon Langley
Hold the Line
Rich Rubin's plays have been staged throughout the U.S., as well as in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico and the Middle East. Full-length plays include PICASSO IN PARIS (winner, Julie Harris Playwright Award) and LEFT HOOK (finalist, Woodward-Newman Drama Award). Rich's one-act BRAVE BLOOD, about Dr. Charles R. Drew, received a TST Zoom reading in 2021, and he is thrilled to be collaborating with TST once again.
Rich Rubin
Kingdom of Heaven
E Talley II (he/him) earned his B.A. from The University of Michigan and his M.F.A. from Wayne State University (Hilberry Repertory Theatre Fellow). He was one of four Literary Artists selected by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs to have his poem, “b”, included in the 2023 LGBT Calendar & Cultural Guide. His theatre/tv/film credits include playing “Pharaoh” in the musical Yosef; “Jim” in the national tour of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; “Raymond Parks” in the regional tour of Rosa's Ride: The Life of Rosa Parks; Flautist & Rapper in the 2022 Superbowl commercial for the tv series Bel Air; “Bartender” in NCIS: Los Angeles, among many others. E also currently teaches R&B Line Dancing & Cardio Soul Dance and Dance Meditation & Movement classes at The LGBT Center in Hollywood, CA.
E Talley II
nothings
Kimba Henderson, a Detroit-born Navy kid raised in San Diego, holds a History degree and studied Dramatic Writing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned an Academy of Television Arts and Sciences fellowship. She began her career writing for true crime docuseries like It Takes a Killer and Corrupt Crimes, and has since gained acclaim as a playwright, winning awards for Women on the Verge and The Reckoning. Her play RISE was produced in 2023, and she has also written the first four seasons of the audio series The Adventum. Her film projects include the feature Flaccid and the optioned international thriller Another River. Currently, she is a Drama Fellow in the Fox Entertainment TV Writing Program and part of The Black List + Women in Film Screenwriting Residency.
Kimba Henderson
Rumblings
Shanelle is an artist whose work looks to question society and create visibility in a world that continually erases lives and stories. She is currently a member of Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble and has participated in multiple festivals as a performer, writer, and producer. Shanelle has crafted works in musical theater, singing, art, dance and ensemble-based works. She hopes to continue using art as a way of truth, community and empowerment.
Shanelle Darlene
The Right to Life
John McDonnell Tierney (aka “Jack McT”) is a composer, playwright, and retired professor of music and psychology. He is best known for The Humanity’s Child Musicals, a four-part series following the character “Humanity’s Child” from youth to adulthood. Highlights include Peacemaker (2016, Hartford), Humanity’s Child: A Musical for Today (2019 NY Theater Festival, Off-Broadway run), More Than a Musical (2020 audio-musical), and Extraordinary Hero (2022 virtual premiere, Rogue Theater Festival). His non-musical work includes Keepers of the Secret (2022 virtual production) and Interview with Archie (2023 live performance). His current project, Democracy: An American Musical, is scheduled for production in the fall of 2025.
John Tierney
We Are The People
Meet the Playwrights
Deborah Sharpe Taylor
Musical Director
We Are The People
Deborah returns to TST as Musical Director, having previously directed TST Youth Summer Productions. She has held Musical Director roles for various organizations, including All About Kids, Performing Arts For Life And Education Foundation, Phillips Performing Arts, Triple Talent, and The Little Miss African America Pageant. Additionally, she served as Minister of Music at Wilshire United Methodist Church and directed a children's choir for 22 years. Deborah is a Western Regional Councilor for Actors' Equity Association and chairs the Paul Robeson Awards Committee. She teaches at the Musicians Institute of Hollywood and leads her nonprofit, United Voices of Peace.
Karis Clark
For The Love Of D'Artagnan
Karis is a freestyle artist, educator, and writer, making his directorial debut as a new member of Towne Street Theatre. Born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and currently based in Los Angeles, California, he is an alumnus of the University of Michigan, where he studied secondary education and playwriting.
Kimba Henderson
Frederick Douglass – Unexpected, 1884 & Rumblings
The youngest of three Navy brats, Kimba was born in Detroit and grew up in San Diego. While studying Dramatic Writing at NYU, she discovered her penchant for crafting stories exploring diverse worlds and cultures. An accomplished playwright, Kimba’s plays, Women On The Verge and The Reckoning, garnered NAACP Theatre awards. Her 2023 play, Rise, about the historically multicultural Boyle Heights neighborhood, was produced. Recently, Kimba was a Fox Entertainment TV fellow, and was part of The Black List / Women in Screenwriting Residency. She looks forward to the Company of Angels production of her play, Red Harlem, in January 2026. IG: @kimbakaye
Michael A. Shepperd
We Are The People &
A New America
Michael is thrilled to work with this amazing company. His directing credits include Blood at the Root at Open Fist Theatre (Stage Scene LA “Scenie” for Best Direction, LA Drama Critic Circle nomination for for Best Director), Twelve O’Clock Tales with Ava Gardner at Whitefire Theatre (Stage Raw Top Ten), The Boy From Oz (Ovation Award, LADCC Award), and Rotterdam at Kirk Douglas Theatre (LADCC Best Production). He also directed West Addams at Skylight Theatre (LA Times Critics Choice), Laughter on the 23rd Floor at Garry Marshall Theatre (Scenie Award Director of the Year), and The View Upstairs.
Phone Tha
The Right to Life!
Phone (he/him) is a Burmese-American stage manager and director. He has had the privilege of collaborating with acclaimed regional theaters, including the New Swan Shakespeare Festival and Cornerstone Theater Company, and previously served as a faculty stage manager at AMDA College of the Performing Arts in Los Angeles. His credits include directing We Lovers (Hollywood Fringe 2024) and The Club of Broken Fasts (Hollywood Fringe 2025), as well as stage managing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He is excited to join this year’s production and is deeply grateful to TST for their compassion and support in his growth as an artist.
Raf Mauro
A Gentile Mensch
Raf is a member of TST since its inception. He has been a working actor for over 60 years, having done about 100 TV shows and films. He has also done dozens of commercials and plays. He is the author of three published children’s books as well as screenplays and two musicals for the stage. He not only wrote the songs for the plays but also songs for various artists. He has directed all during his career and has recently gone back to stand up comedy.or
RJ Wayne
Hold the Line, nothings &
The Right to Life!
RJ is a professional film and stage actor, producer, director, Hiphop artist/cultural specialist, teaching artist, and published author. Recently, he was part of the five-time 2024 BroadwayWorld Award-winning directing team for In the Heights at Cabrillo Stage (SF Bay Area) and earned the Directorial Debut Award for Adira Delacroix 6.0 at the 2024 Hollywood Short & Sweet Festival. He is the author of Milkcrate Monologues, a collection of Hiphop monologues for theatre, and the creator of a unique Hiphop theatre technique that is spreading throughout the theatre diaspora. Check out his music on Spotify/Apple Music under “PHILASIFER”.
Veronica Thompson
For The Love Of D'Artagnan & Kingdom of Heaven
Veronica is a proud 30-year member of Towne Street Theatre, LA’s Premiere African American Theatre Company. A native of Brooklyn, NY, she is an Acting Coach and received a Master's of Fine Arts degree in Acting from New York University Tisch School of the Arts. She is a 4-time NAACP Theatre award nominee and was last seen at the Antaeus Theatre as Miss Jane in Marlowe Wyatt’s She. Her numerous directing credits include The Daughters of The KUSH by George Corbin, War Babies by Madeline Puccioni, TST In Response Series, and the yearly TST 10 Minute Play Festival.
In Response V
View Past In Response Productions
