PRESS
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TST Welcomes Two Dynamic New Board Members: RJ Wayne and Daphne Jones
Hollywood, CA – Towne Street Theatre (TST), Los Angeles' premiere African American theatre company, proudly announces the appointment of two new Board of Directors members, RJ Wayne and Daphne Jones. Both bring a wealth of talent, experience, and dedication to the arts, education, and community advocacy—values that are at the heart of Towne Street Theatre’s mission.
“We are honored to welcome Daphne and RJ to our board,” said Veronica McClelland, chief executive officer of TST. “Their combined experience, passion, and dedication to artistic excellence and community empowerment will undoubtedly enrich our organization and help us continue to uplift underrepresented voices in theatre.”
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Download a PDF of the Press Release.
Daphne Jones
A longtime TST member and passionate supporter of the performing arts, Daphne has had a vibrant career in entertainment, spanning nearly four decades as a proud member of SAG-AFTRA. From early beginnings in commercials, theatre, television, and film, Daphne has continually committed herself to telling powerful stories on stage and screen. Beyond her artistic pursuits, she is a staunch advocate for youth empowerment, having mentored and led young people for over 20 years. With more than 15 years of experience in higher education, she brings deep insight into nurturing talent and community engagement. Daphne also serves on the board of Core Contributors Group, a nonprofit organization focused on education, wellness, and addressing homelessness. Her passion for entertainment now includes a growing interest in casting, and she remains steadfast in her commitment to the Towne Street Theatre community.
RJ Wayne
RJ Wayne is a multifaceted artist, educator, and thought leader in Hip Hop Theatre. A six-year member of TST, he brings a dynamic blend of performance, music, and pedagogy to the board. AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and Dramatist Guild member, RJ is also a BMI artist with past distribution through Sony BMG and Universal Music Group. His collaborations with Hip Hop icons such as Rakim, KRS-ONE, Snoop Dogg, and members of the Wu-Tang Clan speak to his deep roots in music and culture. RJ has performed in over 35 professional theatre productions and 15 film and TV roles. As an educator, he designed and implemented modern acting and theatre curricula for Summit Public Charter Schools in the Bay Area, impacting students in San Jose, Mountain View, and Redwood City from 2014 to 2019. He is the published author of Milkcrate Monologues Vol. 1: Hip Hop Monologues for Theatre and continues to advance Hip Hop Theatre as a practitioner and instructor.
TST was quoted in "American Theatre"
“As a company that primarily employs actors and technicians of color, as well as other minorities, losing this funding would mean these vulnerable members of our community would lose a pillar of support in a system that is already jeopardized by the current federal administration,” Towne Street Theatre chief operating officer Sarah Allyn Bauer said in a statement.
New TST Leadership
After the passing of beloved Co-founder and Artistic Director, Nancy Cheryll Davis Bellamy, Towne Street Theatre welcomes new leadership.
Nancy Cheryll Davis Bellamy
May 30, 1958 - November 21,2024
For 32 years, Nancy was co-founder and artistic/producing director of Towne Street Theatre (TST) – Los Angeles’ premier African American theatre company. A critically acclaimed producer, director, and actress, she created an artistic home for countless performing artists who were committed to sharing the African American experience through the performing arts. She passed away at age 66 after a battle with cancer surrounded by her husband and family. One of Nancy’s final acts of love for TST and those it touched was to select leaders to carry on her legacy and the future of Towne Street Theatre.
Meet TST CEO Veronica McClelland and TST COO Sarah Allyn Bauer.
Veronica McClelland
Chief Executive Officer
Towne Street Theatre has been a prominent fixture in Veronica’s life since childhood. In elementary school, she completed her mandatory service hours by stuffing hundreds of envelopes for TST’s mailing lists. In high school and college, Veronica volunteered as a camp counselor for the TST Kids Camp, and she continued to work behind the scenes as an administrative assistant and backstage hand in the years that followed. Growing up within Towne Street shaped how Veronica views the world. Today, she is dedicated to leveraging the power of art to shed light on injustice, raise the voices of healers and bridge builders, and support strong, thriving communities.
Because of the influence TST had on her early life, Veronica chose to stay in Los Angeles for higher education and pursue a degree in English. She attended Whittier College but was forced to take a break from college to focus on personal health issues. It was during this time that Veronica learned what it meant to persevere in the face of daunting odds. Veronica worked for other nonprofits as her health permitted including Community Services Unlimited and an animal shelter in Los Angeles. Working with these organizations gave Veronica an up-close view of how much her community benefited from organizations like Towne Street Theatre, further strengthening her determination to keep working in the sector.
During the pandemic, Veronica finished her bachelor’s Degree in English at UCLA while increasing her hours working as administrative assistant at Towne Street. After graduating in 2022, Veronica put her degree to use by writing two short plays and helping to write grant proposals to raise funds and help TST to move into post-pandemic viability. Throughout the years, Veronica also served as a sounding board for TST’s original artistic director Nancy Cheryll Davis Bellamy, hearing ideas and lending Nancy her creative and strategic input. As she watched and listened to Nancy, Veronica carved her own path in the arts with grit, determination, and kindness, which has given her the roadmap she needs to carry Towne Street Theatre forward into the future.
Sarah Allyn Bauer
Chief Operations Officer
Sarah Allyn Bauer has extensive experience as a writer, actress and producer. She has worked on hit television shows, films and in theatre. A graduate of University of California, Riverside with a B.A. in theater, and a minor in business, Sarah began her affiliation with Towne Street Theatre in 2010 as the stage manager for the play Langston & Nicolas. In no time, Sarah fell in love with the community that TST had built. Simultaneously, she worked as an intern and later producer for The Blank Theatre in Hollywood. At The Blank, she was the executive producer for their long running Living Room Series program, where she streamlined their submission process, implemented a training program for new stage managers, developed a new dramaturgy department for writers, and increased attendance. In 2013 she was promoted to Lead Producer. Some of her favorite projects include The Boy Who Hated Mothers written by Michael Lluberes and directed by award-winning director Michael Matthews, the award-winning A Singular They written by Aliza Goldstein, and multiple Young Playwrights Festivals – a unique competition that produces plays written by playwrights from around the country ages 9-19 with professional actors like Noah Wyle (The Pitt, ER), Angel Parker (The Rookie, The Recruit) and Ariel Winter (Modern Family).
Sarah combined her love of the arts with a career in communications when she worked as the Event and Marketing Coordinator for the Dolby Theatre beginning in 2016. At the Dolby, Sarah was instrumental in increasing social media presence and online engagement. In 2020, Sarah founded Break The Glass, a digital marketing company focused on nonprofits and small businesses, and she has since developed a large roster of clients.
In 2023, Sarah reconnected with Nancy Cheryll Davis-Bellamy at TST and began working as the company’s Production Manager. Sarah and Nancy worked together to bring TST back to full onstage productions, beginning with the 12th Annual 10 Minute Play Festival and the first ever TST Film Festival. She also helped bring TST’s reading series back in 2024 and later, with Nancy by her side, produced the critically acclaimed play 160 Years of Walking written by David Lee Lindsey.
The legacy that Nancy, Nancy Renee and Nathaniel created has been with Sarah from that very first show, and she looks forward to continuing to serve the mission they started back in 1993 – Art Heals.
