About Us

Tommy Nelms is an actor, director, and producer with experience in both theatre and film, with extensive experience in bringing Shakespeare to life. He trained as an actor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (Stella Adler Studio, BFA Theatre), The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London, Certificate), and the Missouri Fine Arts Academy (Certificate). Currently, he works as a Project Manager and Operations/Learning Development consultant and as an Instructor of STEAM Education for Rocket Club Academy.

Tommy has worked as an actor, director, producer for projects in stage and film, as a coach and instructor for children’s sports, and as an educator and operations/learning professional for high-growth companies across the country. Over the past few years, he has been immersing himself in theatrical development and non-traditional Shakespearean performance through The Back Room Shakespeare Project, Quest Players, and as an individual contributor with other companies in stage and film.

Tommy is excited to bring inclusive theatre and events opportunities to artists seeking to do meaningful work and to audiences who are craving non- traditional theatrical experiences!

Liz Gray is a candidate for her MFA in Arts Leadership and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit and Nongovernmental Organization Management at Virginia Tech. Previously, she attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (Stella Adler Studio, BFA Theatre), The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London, Certificate), and The Upright Citizens Brigade (NYC).

Liz has been an arts educator, improviser, director, actor, and adjudicator in schools, theatres, and competitions across the country. Over the past few years, she held the positions of Communications Director and Company Manager for the Colorado-based Merely Players theatre company, while also teaching on the faculty in the Performing Arts Department at Fort Lewis College. Recently, she worked as an instructor and project manager for Virginia Tech’s Center for Communicating Science; and, her assistantship is currently with Programming and Community Engagement at the Moss Arts Center.

Liz is passionate about the communication of science and research to non-scientists, multi-modal educational practices, aesthetic accessibility, lateralized leadership, generative board governance, and providing platforms for underrepresented theatrical work. All of this is to say… funny faces are her job.

Leah Maddrie is an actor, administrator, and playwright, and she is thrilled to join Backyard Stages as a Board member. Leah earned an M.F.A. in acting from the University of California, San Diego, and performed professionally for a decade on stages across the country including The Public’s Shakespeare in the Park, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. Her plays have been performed for the Harlem Shakespeare Festival, Red Bull Theater, La Ma Ma E.T.C., Flint Repertory Theatre, and the New York International Fringe Festival.

She earned arts administration degrees from Eastern Michigan University (bachelor’s) and Columbia University (master’s) and has held positions ranging from grant writer to development director in several New York City cultural organizations, including The Pearl Theatre Company, Symphony Space, Alvin Ailey, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center Theater.

Inspired by Backyard Stages’ founders, Leah believes that uncertain periods offer uncommon opportunities. This is the perfect time to start a theater!

Martin Joseph Hardy is an actor, writer, casting director, business owner and Emmy nominated producer. As an actor he has appeared on network television pilots and series such as My Wife & Kids, The District, The O’keefes, The Singles Table and Parent-hood. He made his film debut in the Sundance nominated film Roam, and he was hand picked by Garth Brooks to co-star in the tv & film project about fictional pop-star Chris Gaines. He also created, wrote, directed and starred in the award winning comedy web series Marvelless Martan, which has been featured in multiple festivals internationally.

In 2019 he co-founded Paired Up Media, a bi-coastal media company that focuses on unscripted casting and talent forward television development. Over the years, he has discovered and produced talent for highly rated unscripted shows, such as Queer Eye, Indian Matchmaking and Project Greenlight with Issa Rae to name a few. Prior to forming his own label he served as the Senior Director of Talent & Casting for ITV America, heading up West Coast talent relations and casting initiatives.

Megan Averbuch is a NYC-based Fashion Stylist. She allocates her time between styling at world renowned vintage boutique and showroom/archive, New York Vintage (www.newyorkvintage.com) and working as a freelance stylist. With experience as a Women’s and Men’s stylist, she boasts a diverse clientele which includes NYC’s social sets, music/recording artists, actors/actresses/entertainment industry professionals as well as a plethora of professional athletes. As a retired professional athlete herself, Averbuch is versatile and has a portfolio filled with editorial and editor experience from quite a few publications- including the international Magie Magazine (cover), Heed Magazine (celebrity/cover), FWO (Fashion Week Online), Resource Magazine (celebrity), Teen Vogue, and the highly regarded art/fashion publication, Futureclaw Magazine. Post-Pandemic, Averbuch has nurtured her relationships by way of ‘Influencer’ Management, brokering partnerships between content creators and brands, modeling, and major event planning around the world from Art Basel, to Fashion Weeks, the Super Bowl, the NFL Draft, and NBA All Star Week (for clients such as The Rashad Jennings Foundation, The Karma Foundation, Schuyler 4 Showroom, Rolling Stone, d4sm, DEC Management, Jason of Beverly Hills, Artist Elmo Hood, Swizz Beats/No Commission, major lifestyle publications, and more). Her extensive resume also includes itinerary planning and brand consulting. Averbuch has visited 123 countries and all 50 states. @bellesnrebelles