Dae Thomas- Haggood

CEO & Choreographer

Dae has been dancing since childhood, and has choreographed countless dances for innumerable productions and recitals. She has worked with famous artists as not only a dancer, but a consultant as well. When she isn 't choreographing a new dance, she is also a photographer, and graphic designer, where she creates designs for t-shirts, bags, cups, and more. She is a gifted visionary and the leader of Gospel On Stage. Aside from all that she does creatively, she adds wife and mother to the list. 

Dr. A. Nickolus Bell

Artistic Director

Ashton N. Bell is an academic, educator, minister, businessman, artist, and visionary. 

Dr. Bell is honored and privileged to serve as the Artistic Director for Sister’s Circle, Inc. He participated in both the Theater camp in 1996 and in the after school program. Since 1996, Nick, as the family knows him as, has acted & danced in, been the stage manager and/ or assistant director for many of the plays, including The Shoe Box Fox, The Suit of Armor, The Hypocrites, and The True Story. It is because of his involvement with SCI starting at the age of 9 years old, that he is so heavily involved in the theater today.  Currently, he is directing the crowd favorite, the Hypocrites, while preparing for the next production of Kaylee’s Dolls,  as well as working with the CEO, Mrs. Dae. Thomas- Haggood on moving SCI to the next level. 

As an artist, Ashton has been involved in theater for over 20 years. He has had extensive experience as a director, assistant director and stage manager. He has worked on recordings, plays, fashion shows, TV segments and community projects with Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Pastor David Wright, Perfecting Faith Church, the New York Call, Inc., Dr. Felicia El-Amin, and Andre Byrd. He also served as the advisor to the Roosevelt High School Drama Club and the Assistant Director for the Roosevelt Performing Arts. During his tenure, he has worked on such productions as Fences, A. Ham in the Velt (A tribute to the works of Lin-Manuel Miranda), A Raisin in the Sun, and Once on this Island Jr. He has also pulled together the annual talent show as well as assisted with the Black History Month Program. What is interesting about his work as the Drama Club advisor is, he is directing plays on the same stage he was an actor on as a student, performing in Romeo and Juliet, A Christmas Carol, and A Bit of Broadway Comes to Roosevelt. Currently, Dr. Bell is a tenured member of the faculty at Hempstead High School where he works with the Visual and Performing Arts Academy. During his time at Hempstead High School, Dr. Bell has been on the planning committee for the Black History Month program in 2020, he hosted Young Men’s Empowerment Day in 2022, The Poetry Slam in 2022, He was the Assistant Director for the Spring 2022 production of The Wiz and the AD for the Fall 2022 production of Fences, and he worked with both the Spring Concert 2022, and the Winter Concert 2022.   He has recently directed the Spring Musical, Once on This Island, The Hypocrites, and he directed the Fall production of Lend Me a Tenor. Currently, he is the Assistant Director for the Spring Musical, Hairspray 

In addition to his work in the theater, Ashton is also a writer, having completed 3 books, several plays and contributed to numerous articles, magazines, and anthologies including When You Break A Writer’s Heart and the SIU School of Medicine Literary Magazine, Scope. Additionally, Ashton is a talented painter, utilizing acrylic, oil, watercolor, canvas and wood as his mediums. In 2021, he created Okan Awaron as an online platform to showcase his work on Instagram, before the creation of the website. As an all around artist, Ashton has also been gifted with an eye for photography and he has performed with numerous choirs. 

Dr. Bell is the Chairman/CEO of The Next Generation Enhancement Programs, Inc., a non-profit organization that was established in order to bring arts education into areas where it is often cut from the public-school budget. He desires to provide the platform for students of all backgrounds to find their niche and thrive. Through this organization, Ashton hopes to not only service students in their pursuit of the arts, but to employ high school and college students through some of the programs offered, provide classes to the community such as cooking, table manners, computer literacy, and test prep. 

Ashton works as a high school special education teacher, specializing in English. He also worked in an alternative learning setting for students who are not successful in a traditional school setting. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Special Education from Dowling College, a Master of Arts in Teaching English from Brooklyn College, a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Concordia University Nebraska, and a Doctor of Theology focusing on impactful preaching.

Dr. Bell is currently the Assistant Pastor for Restoration House of Power, under the leadership of Pastor Sapphire L. Jackson. He is also the Secretary of State for Resurgence Unlimited Church under the leadership of Patriarch Orion R. Denmond, Ph.D and the Provincial Archbishop for the Sea of St. John the Beloved, which covers the North Eastern portion of the United States, the Caribbean, and parts of Central America, including Belize and Honduras.

Mrs. Elaine L. Petry

Writer & Producer

Elaine L. Dale was born on November 13, 1951 in Fruitland, MD to Mr. Gulia Dale, Sr. & Mrs. Agnes Lavinia Dale. She has 11 brothers and sisters, and she was the 12th child. Growing up, she realized that poverty by the world's standards was considered richness in their home, however it was rich in love and bonding. Born in the country without electricity and running water, she says, “our simple life never missed the amenities that were available to others. Our living room became a stage for family music and games''. By the age of four, she was singing with her six year old sister in church on Sundays before a congregation. She matriculated through the Fruitland Public school system.  It was during Elaine’s childhood that she wrote her first song that she sang with her friends at school during a talent show, which they won! Following this victory, Elaine formed a singing group with her best friends, Wanda, Ida, & Betty, called the Coolettes. The group sounded good, had great harmony together, however the walls of her bedroom were the only ones to witness the spectacle.  

After moving to NY, Elaine led a very busy life. She attended classes at Nassau Community College and Molloy College, worked for Bell Atlantic, met and married Mr. Nate Thomas, and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Daelin Thomas- Haggood. Destined to continue using her gifts in the arts, Elaine formed another singing group, the New Psalm Singers, consisting of her long time friend Delores, a new co-worker, Mary, and her babysitter’s son, Patrick. To accompany their singing, they found a tall, lanky kid to be their piano player named Donnie, who would become the world renowned gospel singer and pastor, Pastor Donnie McClurkin. The group began making rounds to local churches getting better and better. However, despite the success, Elaine disbanded the group once she embarked on her new journey, playwriting. She penned her first play, “Speak of the Devil” which was a play about salvation, and she wrote original songs for it. Unfortunately, she could not get anyone to produce it. Not one to be deterred, Elaine drafted two of her seven sisters, Agnes and Lucille, and together they formed The Sisters Circle, Inc., a non-profit community theater. During this time period, Elaine wrote many more plays about divorce and the hardships of life. 

Over the next twenty years, SCI traveled the Eastern Seaboard doing original works with the stage being their pulpit. Many souls were saved through the ministry of theater. They expanded to life changing programs and birthed a summer theatrical camp in 1994 where some of the small children became Elaine’s children for life, and she became affectionately known as “Mommy” to them. It was also in that year that she was remarried to Mr. Emrys Petry. Together they worked the summer camp and eventually an after school program. Sadly, Mr. Em passed away in 1999, making Elaine a widow.

After some time off to mourn the loss of her husband and readjust to the new phase of her life, Elaine jumped back into the theater arts with both feel, becoming the head of the fine arts department at her church, Perfecting Faith Church, pastored by the tall lanky kid who used to play piano for the Nw Psalm Singers, PAstor Donnie McClurkin. She served in this capacity for over 10 years, before transitioning and becoming the department head liaison. Additionally, Elaine began to work for the Village of Rockville Center in the Rockville Center Housing. She continued doing plays, Coffee Houses, Talent Shows, School for the Arts, etc. and celebrated 35 years in gospel theater with the third production of Kaylee’s Dolls in 2018. 

Not showing any signs of stopping, Elaine is still diligently working on new plays and music, while also grooming the next generation of SCI to take the reins and move the organization to the next level.

Darrell J. Haggood

Musical Director

Darrell Haggood is a native of Long Island NY.  He began playing drums at the tender age of 5 years old and has worked with some of the greatest  musicians and songwriters to come out of New York.  Corey Henry, Jeff Davis, Gerald Heyward, Quennel Gaskins, Marshal Carpenter, Arnea Lomax, Stanley Brown, Nathaniel Townsend, Leon Lacy, Pastor Leroy Woodside, Bishop David Gates and Love, Peace & Joy singers, Bishop Frank A. White and F.A.W. Ministries  just to name a few.  Darrell currently worships at Perfecting Faith Church (Pastor Donald A.McClurkin), where he's had the esteem pleasure of being the drummer for the last 20yrs.

He is married to the love of his life, Mrs. Dae Thomas-Haggood and a proud #GirlDad

Ms. Faye Ivey-Jones

Production Manager

Faye Ivey-Jones joined SCI in late 1989 and performed in her first play in early 1990 and remained an active member of SCI ever since.  She became the in-house choreographer as a staff member during the SCI 6-week summer camp workshop.  She choreographed and taught numerous dances to numerous children and adults.  Because of the strain in the traveling demands of her professional dance career while raising her family, she opened and co-owned “Progressive Movement Dance Studio” for 15 years teaching students from 3 years to adult in modern, Tap, jazz and African dance techniques.  Her students’ Praise Dance audition earned them the position of finalist at the McDonalds Gospel Fest.  

She lives her life in Christian Faith giving all honor to Jesus Christ for the Grace in her life.

Mrs. Violet Price

Vocal Coach

From an early age Violet has been a student of music without even studying, sitting at the top of the stairs listening to her mom Dr. Wilma Russell teach voice to her students. Violet knew scales and techniques which allowed her to sing along side some of Queens finest. From her first church choir album Violet knew music was an important part of her life. Majoring in music in high school, made way for her to sharpen her teaching and directing skills, then graduating with numerous vocal music awards at graduation. Violet is definitely a force to be reckoned with and is no stranger to the studio having done session work around NYC, supporting vocals across the US.   Having starred as Evilene in a production of The Wiz as well and vocalist in Time to Come Home.  Violet currently serves in the Worship Music & Arts Department at Perfecting Faith Church.

Ms. Ivy Bullock

Production Assistant

Ivy Bullock is a Production Assistant for Gospel on Stage.  Ivy has played characters in past productions of "The Hypocrites" and "Kaylee's Dolls".  She enjoyed the experiences and wanted to continue to be involved with future productions behind the scenes.  She has been a consistent supporter of Gospel on Stage.  She believes in the vision cast by the founders.  She has been inspired by the hard work of the production team.  She would like to thank her family and friends for their continued support of her endeavors. 

Ms. Bernice Smith

Administration

Ms. Bernice Smith is a welcome addition to the Gospel on Stage Family! She brings 30+ years of Administrative experience to the company, as she has recently retired from the Hempstead School District. 

An artist in her own right, Ms. Smith is an accomplished poet and author. She is also a Bible Instructor and minister at her church.