POETIC THEATER - Key Persons
Aaron Marshall-Bobb is a performing artist from Brooklyn, NY. He was recently seen in Dreamgirls at Yale as Jimmy "Thunder" Early. Love and gratitude to Pace Performing Arts, The Lost Collective, CHVRBZ and Mom.
Christopher Aaron "Doc" Rollins is a native Texan from the small town of Kerens. Aaron has a passion for poetry
Abena Koomson-Davis is a performer, educator and wordsmith. She is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College where she earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts, and also of Teachers College, Columbia University where she earned a Masters in Education Leadership. Abena originated the role of Fela's mother in the Off Broadway musical FELA! and reprised her role in the Broadway production which earned 3 Tony awards. She has performed with Stevie Wonder, Carly Simon, Natalie Merchant, Angelique Kidjo and many other luminaries. For over 15 years, Abena has been the lead vocalist of the funk rock band Van Davis. She is the musical director for the Resistance Revival Chorus, and her song "Joy in Resistance" is featured on their debut album, entitled "This Joy." Abena currently serves as Ethics Chair of the middle school division at Ethical Culture Fieldston School, where she teaches ethics and social justice to middle & upper school students.
Ada Reso is a queer woman, an immigrant, Albanian-American, and an artist. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Art History at the University of Virginia and her Master of Science in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She currently works as a qualitative researcher in public health and has also worked as a health educator. She is a hoop dancer, and collaborated with a collective of artists, teachers, and activists in Guatemala using theatre-based techniques and the flow arts as part of a strategy to engage communities and promote health and environmental justice. She is also yoga student. Her photography is a practice of personal documentation and reflection. Her menstrual paintings are one component of a larger body of multi-disciplinary performance work. She opens her ritual practice to all beings by providing some guiding principles and inviting individuals to create collectively. By disrupting the act of dumping and disregarding menstrual blood, she hopes to open the present to new ways of being and feeling, consequently reclaiming the body from effects of capitalist, patriarchal power. Her menstrual art is an attempt to reconnect to obscured, mystical knowledge, to perceive liberation, and to open space for healing of past psychological imprints (resilience). She believes all her art carries messages from Spirit.
Adam Fleming is a New York City based choreographer, performer, and educator. In 2018 he formed Two Way Radio, a theatrical collaboration, with director Christopher Murrah. They've since collaborated on Toe Pick, a fully transcribed play with music at Dixon Place, and a production of West Side Story featuring new original choreography and a 40-piece orchestra on one stage. Adam was chosen as the inaugural choreographer for Broadway Dance Lab's Connect Mentorship Initiative in 2017. His work can be seen on film in the 2020 Sundance Film Festival stand out, Dick Johnson is Dead.
Adam Wennick is an actor specializing in voiceover and a producer. Select Voiceover credits: Nicktoons' Yu-Gi-Oh, commercials for Fanta, Death Battle on YouTube, audiobooks for the Emergency Ad Council, and many independent video games. Select NYC Theater Credits: Back (Poetic Theater Productions); Twelfth Night (Modern Shakespeare Project); Henry VI (MSP); The Internet Abridged (Sauce and Co.); Worldwide Plays Festival (Writopia). Adam received his BFA in Theatre from Bucknell University. For voiceover demos and more information - www.adamwennick.com
Adin Lenahan is a writer, performer, and receptionist: Asher Rhys Got Married too Young (Fresh Fruit at The Wild Project, The Tank, Dixon Place); True Right (ANTFEST at Ars Nova, Ice Factory at the New Ohio); Pilgrim Notes (Planet Connections at Paradise Factory); BFA NYU Tisch; they are on the board of Undiscovered Countries, a Brooklyn-based incubator of new and developing work and pursing their MFA in Playwriting at Hunter College. adinlenahan.com | undiscoveredcountries.com
Adrienne Brammer is a 14-year Air Force veteran who worked as a broadcast journalist and combat videographer. She's been assigned to South Korea, Iceland, Italy, and South Carolina and deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. Off-Broadway: Twelfth Night (Public Works), Bullet Catchers (Women in Combat Theater Project), Blueprint Specials (Waterwell); Television: Shadow of Doubt (Investigation Discovery). She is an alumna of the Veterans Immersion Program at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Adrienne is a founding member of Society of Artistic Veterans and the Project Manager of OurVeterans.nyc, the NYC Veterans Alliance's premier calendar of events for NYC-area veterans. She has a BFA in Acting from Marymount Manhattan College. AdrienneBrammer.com
Adrienne de la Fuente joined Exit12 Dance Company in 2010 and has been with the company ever since, performing and leading workshops throughout the US and abroad. In 2016, she became Exit12's Company Manager and Rehearsal Director. Through her work with Exit12, she has developed a greater understanding of the military's influence on her own family and the community where she was raised.
Outside of Exit12, Adrienne has performed with SpectorDance Company and the JUNTOS Dance Collective. She is also COO and International Partner at Private Prep, an educational service company headquartered in New York City.
Aimee Herman (Storytelling Faciliator) is a queer nonbinary writer and educator, the author of the novel, "Everything Grows" (Three Rooms Press) and two full length books of poems, "meant to wake up feeling" (great weather for MEDIA) and "to go without blinking" (BlazeVOX books). In addition, they are widely published in journals and anthologies including BOMB, cream city review, and Troubling the Line: Trans and Genderqueer Poetry and Poetics
Albert Andrew Garcia A.A.Garcia (b. 1982) is an artist and a writer with a background in performance theory and creative writing. His practice spans across live performance, video, and installation. Garcia is known for his live audio-visual performances in collaboration with musicians such as Daniel De Jesus, and performance and visual artists such as Natalie Deryn Johnson and David Antonio Cruz. Please visit theredlines.org to learn more about upcoming performances.
Job Titles:
- Director of the Metal Shop Performance Lab
Alex Mallory is the director of The Metal Shop Performance Lab, founded with the mission to create theatrical events that foster radical community-building and authentic exchange between artists and audiences. Current Metal Shop projects: THE VULNERABLE YEAR, investigating the power of vulnerability in search of self-love, and A WAKENING, which seeks to heal the generational shame and silence around sexual education and agency of women.
Alex's directing highlights include GOLIATH, DIJLA WAL FURAT, THE REFUGE PROJECT, and FAITH with Poetic Theater Productions (Co-Artistic Director, 2011-2015), Schiller's MARY STUART, and an original translation of SPRING AWAKENING. Her masters' thesis investigates how authenticity and authorship in theatrical process helps to create productive, brave spaces for conversations on personal and collective histories of violence for artists and audience members.
As a facilitator for DE-CRUIT, Alex helps military veterans to unlearn unwanted behaviors and heal from trauma using classical acting training and Shakespearean texts. Further work with military veterans includes directing and producing for Piven Theatre, The Telling Project, LaGuardia Community College, and the Veteran Artist Program, with whom she produced THE HOME SHOW at Lincoln Center.
Alex holds an MFA in Directing from Northwestern University and a BA from Stanford University where she received the Louis Sudler Prize in Creative Arts and the Sherifa Omade Edoga Prize for work involving social issues. She has assisted at Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, Goodman Theatre, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Associate Member, SDC. www.alexmallory.com.
Alexandra Klausner is a freestyle singer, emcee, poet, actor, and grant-winning playwright originally from New York City. Words are her bridge to greater expansion, compassion, and play. Alexandra graduated from The Freestyle Love Supreme Academy, where she studied with the show's Broadway cast member Tarik Davis, and she utilizes those teachings to blend freestyling with theatrical improvisation and storytelling. She is also a freestyle artist with The Lyrical Meditation cypher, a podcast started by Toni Blackman, and is one half of the band Bearkitten, which combines pre-written songs with freestyle songs created with audience participation and vocal looping. Under the moniker Werekitten, she sings and freestyles over house and techno music.
Ali Andre Ali is a Palestinian/Irish-American actor and musician based in New York. As an actor he has worked with numerous New York based companies including Target Margin Theater, The Flea, The Lark, The International WOW Company and Poetic Theater Productions among others. Some of his recent credits include 10,000 Balconies (TheatreSquared), Eh Dah? Questions for my Father (Next Door @NYTW), and American Dreams (Cleveland Public Theatre). His TV credits include "Ramy" and "Dead on Arrival." As a musician he writes and performs with his music duo fajjr+ali. Their music is available on all major streaming platforms. www.aliandreali.com. | Instagram: @aliandreali @fajjrplusali
Alia "Li" (pronounced Lee) Pierre is a Brooklyn native who has a strong passion for performing arts. She believes her
Amanda J. Gardner, I fell in love with movies at a very young age but it wasn't until I got
Amanda S. Cherry is an award winning photographer, freelance journalist, author, playwright, actress, director, former EMT, and military veteran. She served in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1992-2000 first as a combat medic and then a public affairs specialist. She was deployed from 1996-1997 in support of Bosnia's Operation Joint Endeavor. Her photos have been published in local newspapers and magazines, receiving an honorable mention in "Proud to Be: Writings by American Warriors Vol. 2" a collection of writings by military veterans and their families. Her first published short story was also featured in "Proud to Be: Writings by American Warriors Vol. 3." Another biographical piece was recently published in "Who'll Stop the Rain? Respect, Remembrance, and Reconciliation in Post-Vietnam America" by Doug Bradley.
Her freelance reporting has appeared in local newspapers from Oregon, Minnesota, Iowa to Missouri. She was the executive editor for the Homefront United Network website, where her comedic alter ego Military Martha first appeared combining her love of theatre with all things domestic. In 2018 she became the first female veteran to found a non-profit theatre company dedicated to serving military, veterans, first responders, and their families. As Artistic Director of Charlie Mike Theatre Company (www.charliemiketc.org) she is dedicated to continuing the mission of service through education, outreach, and theatre, featuring those who served. She is currently the host and creator of a new podcast called "Embrace the Suck; Healing Trauma through the Arts" which debuts July 4th.
Amanda runs a writing group for women writers and participates in writing programs across the country for military veterans. She works as an editor for the Department of Joint Interagency and Multinational Operations at Ft. Leavenworth's military college. Lives the single life in Kansas City with her service dog, Buster Brown.
Amber Brown performed in high school drama club plays, most notably as the Dodo Bird in Alice in Wonderland! Her other accomplishments include: learning that the greatest accomplishment can be forgiving oneself for one's "failures," learning to swim in order to compete in a sprint triathlon (she finished one in 2006), earning a couple of college degrees, belting out multiple monologues in the Boston GLOW performance of The Vagina Monologues, unleashing her poetic spirit at a poetry slam in Binghamton, NY, and speaking her personal journey with mental health recovery and spiritual wellness. She particularly has enjoyed speaking to multi-faith audiences, college courses, and anyone who needs an extra burst of "Just Hang On" energy. You can find some more of her writing and poetry at https://mindfullyamberbrown.substack.com/
Amir Hall spent five years in Amherst College learning to write. Along with outstanding penmanship, he also developed an affinity for cross-genre writing and performance. Amir realized his dreams of American suburbia pretty early in life, training for a year in costume and set construction and design for theater, as Amherst College's Design Fellow. Since then, he has dedicated himself to independent art-making and research. Multi-talented and indecisive, he writes, performs, models, sings among other things. His performance art has been seen in Trinidad, Nigeria and in the US. He has recently begun writing publicly, mostly on his blog while his work also appears in the Irin Journal and Okayafrica.com
Andrea Bowling started a new adventure in the writing world as a participant in PTP's Veteran Voices program in the spring of 2021. She is currently the Director and Treasurer at Know A Vet? and has over fifteen years Financial Reporting and Accounting experience from small to large public companies. Previous writing experience focused on business and technical documents. She started writing creative opening stories for Know A Vet? with the purpose of catching people's attention and transporting them to that situation to create an emotional reaction.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director and Creator
Andrew Scoville is a director and creator of original work. Current projects: Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Warehouse Theater in Greenville, SC. Theater of the Mind by David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar (premiering in Denver with DCPA). Recent directing projects include: The Brobot Johnson Experience (NY Times Critic Pick, Bushwick Starr), Memory Retrograde with harunalee theater company (Ars Nova, Public Theater Under the Radar Festival), and Piano Tales with James and Jerome (La Mama, Playwrights Horizons Downtown, Joe's Pub, Lincoln Center Education, Bouley Test Kitchen, and more). He is co-founder and co-creative director of Fresh Ground Pepper NYC, a company dedicated to the development of emerging art. Scoville graduated from NYU in 2008 where he currently teaches a symposium class for first time project leaders. He is a member of the 2011 Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. He lives in Ridgewood, Queens with his wife, and FGP co-founder, Jaclyn Backhaus, and their son Ernie. www.andrewjscoville.com
Andrew Willis-Woodward is a New York based director, actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, dialect coach, writer, and deviser. He is a founding member of Red Caravan, and a graduate of Stanford University and the CAP21 Conservatory. www.andrewwilliswoodward.com, www.redcaravanco.com
Anna is a performer, musician, teacher and a half of folk-pop duo, Anna/Kate. Anna has performed widely in music venues
Anthony LoBue is an advocate, artist, author, coach, entrepreneur, speaker, and volunteer in literary, performing, and visual arts. He is the director of artsforveterans.org (A4V) "Empowering YOU through the ARTS!", a U.S. Army Airborne Infantry Vietnam War Veteran, and Co-Champion in the Physical and Emotional Health (PEH) Action Group of San Diego Veterans Coalition (SDVC) (sdvetscoalition.org). He is a Creative Community Partner at VERART PROJECT: Virtual Pop-Up Art Cafés. You can visit his free daily Arts for All Facebook post here.
Anthony Roberts is a former United States Army Officer. He is a graduate of the New School where he earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.
He currently serves as a Julian Robertson Leadership Fellow with Success Academy Charter Schools in New York City and is an adjunct professor of writing at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ.
He has also taught at Fairleigh Dickinson University and at Seton Hall University.
He is the author of two books of poetry. His first book, Pigtown, published in 2017 by Red Dashboard Publications is hybrid form that explores adolescence in inner city Baltimore in the late 80s and early 90s. His second book, The Clearing Barrel, is a full length volume that examines, family, history, and the experience of war and its aftermath.
April Dae Okpwae is a performer, playwright, & community organizer who utilizes comedy to highlight the diversity of black identity
Ashley Adelman (Book Club and Interviewing Facilitator) received her BFA from NYU TISCH and her MFA from The Actor's Studio Drama School at Pace University. Her play, In Their Footsteps, based on the oral histories Ms. Adelman conducted of five American women who served in the Vietnam War is published by Smith Scripts, has been produced in Italy, Scotland, Australia and all around the United States. Her newest work uses six interviews of women archaeologists who uncovered a new hominid species in South Africa. This new piece will be an immersive documentary play currently in workshop. She is the founder of the not for profit theatre company, Infinite Variety Productions, a resident artist at Frigid NYC and resident director at The Sedona Arts Academy. Her writing and her directing focuses on historical works that can give an audience not just a production but an experience. To learn more about her company visit www.infinitevarietynyc.org. In her spare time she trains in martial arts, currently a third degree black belt.
Ashley Dorcé is a child of God, musician and all around creative. She is a believer with a passion for helping people. Ashley lives each day with this thought - Be A Better You Than Yesterday".
Aya Aziz is a songwriter and performance artist based between New York and Beirut, Lebanon. Aya wrote and performed her first full production, Sitting Regal by the Window, in 2014 at the Metro Al-Madina Theater in Beirut. The show then featured in both the Fringe and Planet Connections Theater Festivity festivals in New York. The re-written iteration of the show, now titled Eh Dah? Questions for my father was produced by the Hypokrit Theatre Company the following year and taken to the summer 2016 New York Musical Festival. There at NYMF, Eh Dah? won the award for Most Outstanding Book and Aya for Most Outstanding Individual Performance. Aya is a longtime member of Girl Be Heard, a nonprofit theater company devoted to foregrounding issues affecting women and girls around the world. She works with Girl Be Heard as a teaching artist for middle school girls in multiple public after school programs around the city. Aya is currently finishing her B.A in Anthropology and Political Science at Hunter College. You can follow her work at soundcloud.com/aya-aziz-music-nyc and www.facebook.com/AyaAzizMusic.
"Normal" is for other people. The more Barbara Allen fought to be normal, the harder life laughed at her. And
As a multidisciplinary artist working out of Brooklyn, Becca constantly has her hands in a different project. She fluctuates between
Job Titles:
- Marine and Part Time Writer
Ben Kent is a full time Marine and part time writer, but will soon reverse his time investment in each of those categories. Originally from Boston, Ben is the son of an actress and a cameraman. Over the past 10 years, he has been involved in student theater and film productions, script writing, documentaries, and live storytelling. He currently lives in California.
Brendan Ryan Walsh was honorably discharged from the U.S.M.C. and came home to N.Y. to pursue his love for theatre. He is a graduate of Esper Studio's two year conservatory and continues to study at the renowned HB Studio under the tutelage of Austin Pendleton. He is obtaining his degree in Dramatic Studies from Columbia University. Brendan has performed in theatre regionally and nationally winning awards in acting and ensemble work as well as for his work in Irish Theatre. He also has multiple Film, T.V. and Commercial credits.A proud member of Equity and SAG-AFTRA, Brendan is honored to be a member of The Forge at Hudson Theatre Group.
Brigitte is currently an apprentice carpenter with the NYC District Council of Carpenter's but studied to be an actress in
BRYS PERALTA-GRANT: I am 16 years old, go to Millennium Brooklyn High School, and aside from being an artist, I
Job Titles:
- Professor of Philosophy and Ethics at the School of Visual Arts
Camillo Mac Bica, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy and ethics at the School of Visual Arts in New York
Cari Greywolf Rowan, a Post Vietnam era Air Force veteran (1976-1978), is a poet and spoken word performer: a wordsmith
Caroline Rothstein is a New York City-based award-winning writer and performer. She has been performing spoken word poetry, public speaking,
Caryn Davidson is an art educator who teaches for social justice, global awareness, and self-understanding. She studied Anthropology and Visual Art
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate Editor for Consequence Magazine
Catherine Parnell, Senior Associate Editor for Consequence Magazine, is an independent consultant as well as an instructor at Grub Street
Job Titles:
- Professional Actress Member
Catherine Taormina is a professional actress member of SAG-AFTRA-AEA who also writes, directs, creates art work, works fabric crafts and
Catherine Weingarten is a NYC based playwright and a recent graduate of the MFA Playwriting program at Ohio University, studying
Celeste Sage is the positive and negative attraction between good intention and transparent honesty. She is grateful, however hard that
Chad Chenail is a graduate of Pace University and freelance director based in Jersey City. He is also the cofounder
Chantal has been blessed to work in a variety of acting mediums including Theatre, Film, TV, Industrials and Commercials. In
Charan P. Morris is a New York based poet/educator. A 2011-12 LAMBDA Literary Foundation Fellow, recipient of the Archie D.
Charli McKean is a sixteen-year-old artist. Along with art, she likes to write fiction novellas, create comics, and practice guitar. She
Chelsea Allison is an actor and playwright from New York. This is her first year with viBe Company! Recent projects
Job Titles:
- Community - Engaged Dance Theater Artist, Writer
Chelsea Gregory is a community-engaged dance theater artist, writer, educator and cultural organizer originally from Atlanta, GA. She was recently
Chris has served in the U.S. Air Force for nearly 20 years, and is beginning the transition into a life
Chris King is a creative artist in several media and a lifelong friend of J.A. Moad II. He has two
Colby is a 62 year old prison reform activist, re-entry advocate. She is a speaker and is writing her first
Colista K. Turner is a New York based Social Worker, Actress, and Performer. She co-facilitates a therapeutic Art Group in
Corinna Louise Brown is an Army veteran who deployed to South Korea. A mother, a partner, a homemaker, a healer,
Corinne studied theatre at Ithaca College where she was a founding member of IC Teatro a Spanish language theatre group.
Craig's experience as a former military medic, tending to both the visible and the invisible wounds of war, brought to
Craig muMs Grant is an American Playwright, Poet and Actor best known for playing Poet on the HBO hit show
Cyrus Aaron is a creative storyteller and curator. The Fire This Time Festival Cycle 11 Playwright has used his
Job Titles:
- Productions' Veteran Voices Advisory Board Member
Dahlia Damoiselle is a Poetic Theater Productions' Veteran Voices Advisory Board Member. Dahlia is a queer, transgender writer of Vietnamese
Daisy Long (Lighting Design) is a lighting designer for theater, dance and concerts. Recent credits include: Men on Boats; The Scottsboro Boys (Speakeasy Stage Company,
Danielle Rutherford has spent her professional career dancing with Exit12 & XAOC Contemporary Ballet, performing in the City, creatively working
Danny Haengil Larsen (composer and lyricist) graduated from NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program where he now teaches, and where
Danny Lama, (AKA Danny Thorin), is a military veteran, poet, vocalist, guitarist, harmonica player, composer, and film maker. He has been honored with ASCAP's Outstanding Performer award and the "PeN" Writers award, which he was directly referred for by Allen Ginsberg. His short films placed 3rd two years in a row in Arlene's and Anthology Films Short Film Festival. He has won poetry slams at Tower Books/Records, and at the Nuyorican Poets Café. He wrote the lyrics and sang vocals for the bands Espionage, Maloney's Touch, Bad Politics, Convulsion Cabaret, Contortions, and Suckers Luck. Danny has also played as a guest with Question Mark and the Mysterians, Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek (The Doors), Johnny Thunders and Sylvain Sylvain (New York Dolls), Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience), Eileen Ivers, Keith Hudson, Phil Spector, Neil Young, and many others. His songs have been covered by many singers and bands. Recent noteworthy performances have included "Trbute to Gregroy Courso" with Anne Waldan, at Howl Gallery, and Velvet Underground/Andy Warhol Tribute at the New York Public Library. Danny Lama is featured on vocals and rhythm guitar on Maloney's Touch "Don't Kill Us" which was re-released by Rave Up Records on the compilation "America Lost Punk Rock Gems Vol 2".
Daryl is a Shakespeare enthusiast at heart, with a deep love for rebelling against the norm. Follow her on instagram
David Davila is a writer and performer from South Texas; where 45 wants to build his idiotic wall. His musicals
David J. Palmer is an award-winning lighting & video/projection designer based in New York City. Recent Designs: Oso Fabuloso: A
David King is an actor, director, poet, curator, educator and NYC native. He acted in acclaimed independent feature films "Four Bottles"
David M. Stamps has been selected as a 2023-24 Artist-in-Residence at The Kennedy Center because of the cultural and social
Dennis A. Allen II is from Hempstead, New York. His play The Mud is Thicker in Mississippi won the 35th annual Off
Donna was born in Harlem New York and grew up in Bay Shore, Long island. She went to Brentwood High
Dr. Takeo Rivera has been a friend of Poetic Theater Productions since writing Goliath: A Choreopoem, which PTP first staged in
Eboni Hogan is a Brooklyn-based poet, playwright, screenwriter, actress and arts educator. She studied theater at NYU's Tisch School of
Ebony Golden is a Houston, TX native now living in the South Bronx. Ebony is an accomplished performance artist, poet,
Eddie Maisonet is an interdisciplinary storyteller, teaching artist, and facilitator who is studying to add "dog trainer" to that list.
Edgar Eguia is a NY-based actor. He has affiliations with The Flea Theater, The Amoralists Theatre Company, and Poetic Theater Productions.
Elaine Little is a writer and U.S. Army Veteran who deployed to Cuba, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. Her short stories and
Elizabeth Velasquez seeks for her work to facilitate human connection and interaction. The cyclical forces of destruction and reconstruction drive her
Ellen Mischinski is a stage manager, producer, and theater administrator. She has worked with Poetic Theater Productions as a Producer
Elliot Babilonia (they/he) is a queer and transgender poet, musician, actor, singer and activist of Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage.
Emily Wexler is a Brooklyn-based musician/song-writer/teaching artist/activist who employs the transformative power of musical story-telling as a means toward collective
Eric Aviles is an actor, writer, and teaching artist and activist residing in NYC. Eric recently completed a California tour of
Everett Cox served in the U. S. Army from 1966-1969. He served in Viet Nam in 1969 with the 245th
Fernando García is a drummer, percussionist, and composer well versed in a wide variety of musical styles. Born in San
Frank Dolce is an actor and tap dancer from Sussex, NJ. He has worked in theater, television, film, and radio.
Job Titles:
- Freelance Writer, Producer, and Director With the 366th Creative Mothership Group
Gabriel Tolliver is a freelance writer, producer, and director with the 366th Creative Mothership Group. He has created content for MTV,
Gabriella Bruno: Upon graduating from Chapman University, Gabriella moved to Brooklyn to pursue her career in dance. She has been dancing
Gaven Trinidad (he/him) is a first generation Filipinx American theatremaker, illustrator, and educator from NYC. His artistic work examines the intersections
Georgina Bates is a NY based choreographer/director. Her dance film UNSTOPPABLE was selected from the#mydancefilm campaign and screened at the Film
Glenn Quentin is an award-winning multi-hyphenate artist based in New York City. Author of "No Place For Us" a collection
Grace Tarry is currently a sophomore at Millennium Brooklyn high school. Their journey started with them messing around on Pixlr (a
Hello my name is Hanifah Johnson and I am 19 years old, born and raised in Brooklyn. I am a
Hollie Wright is a Philadelphia native, Miss Wright began her career at The Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco!). Miss
Ianne Fields Stewart (pronouns: they/them/their) is a black, queer, and Transfeminine New York based storyteller working at the intersection of theatre and
Ish raps, writes, and makes records. A rapper and producer from Brooklyn, New York, Ish's artist development has led him
J. A. Moad II is a former Air Force C-130 pilot with over 3000 flight hours and more than 100
Jacqueline Jones LaMon is the author of two award-winning collections of poetry, most recently, Last Seen (University of Wisconsin Press),
Jacqui Martinez is a Lenca Artist and Educator, raised in Los Angeles, Pasadena, California. Planted and Rooted in Siguatepeque, Honduras.
Jae Egge is a queer non-binary student and writer. They attend Moravian University where they are studying Sociology in hopes
James Edward Becton, a USA Veteran, is a multi-unionized, National/international performance artist with over thirty years of accredited experience. His
James P. Stanton is a 2014 graduate of the Hunter College Department of Theatre's Master of Arts and Baruch College's
Jan Barry is an award-winning journalist and poet whose books include A Citizen's Guide to Grassroots Campaigns, Life after War
Janelle Lawrence received their B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Manhattanville College. As a writer, composer, and lyricist Janelle has had their musicals SUBLIMINAL, ‘TIS THE SEASON, and GROUP THERAPY at various Theaters in the NYC area such as Club Cumming, Teatro La Tea, and Joe's Pub. Their operetta GOD KILLER (formerly MIXING MARX WITH MADNESS) and Semi-Immersive Musical, GROUP THERAPY have been presented at Dixon Place on the Main Stage. Janelle Lawrence is the Artistic Director of Broad Views on Broadway, a non-profit Theatre Company dedicated to providing equal opportunity and representation of new theatre pieces. They have been a resident of the 2017-2018 92nd St Y Musical Theatre Development Lab: Collective, 2019 Greenhouse Residency SPACE on Ryder Farm resident and a 2019 Barn Arts Hamilton Project Resident. They are the Co-Moderator of Musical Theatre Factory's Women/Trans/Gender Non-Conforming Roundtable. They are at www.janellelawrence.com and on Instagram at @janellemaire
Janet Noh is a NYC-based songwriter, singer, musical theatre writer, and classical pianist originally from Seattle. Her recent musical works include THE ISLAND
Jason Bayani is the author of Amulet (2013 Write Bloody Publishing). He's an MFA graduate from Saint Mary's College, a
Grammy nominated music veteran reed player . innovator -Jay Rodriguez has been an important artist in the NYC's sonic and
Jen Hinst-White is a fiction writer and essayist whose work has appeared in The Common, The Missouri Review, The Southampton
Jennie West is a creative polymath, establishing compound connections between fine art, intuitive empathy, music and performance. Exploring themes of
Jennifer Cendaña Armas is a performer, writer, and community worker. Her work has been performed in places such as the
Jennifer McGrath is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts who currently serves as the Stage Manager for
Jenny Pacanowski is Poetic Theater Productions' Veteran Voices Program Director. She is also the Founder and Director of Women Veterans Empowered
Jerome Brooks, Jr. is a South Carolina native and is known for his work on Art= (Love)2 as Josh McKee.
Jerome Jordan, singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, born and raised in Brooklyn, has played and sang with New York City powerhouse
Job Titles:
- Managing Editor for O - Dark - Thirty
Jerri Bell is the Managing Editor for O-Dark-Thirty, the literary journal of the Veterans Writing Project. She retired from the
Jesse Goolsby is the author of the novel I'd Walk with My Friends If I Could Find Them (Houghton Mifflin
Jessica Barnhill is a New York based director, stage manager, and producer. She was the Associate Producer of Poetic Theater
Jevon is a New York based actor, lover and hugger. Born in Harlem, raised in Brooklyn, He received his acting
Jimmy White IV is a South Philadelphia native who passionately seeks to make a positive impact for youths and veterans
Joanna Hoffman (www.joannahoffman.com) is a spoken word poet and teaching artist based in Brooklyn, NY. She is a 15 year veteran of slam, or
Joell Jackson has performed with the off Broadway show STOMP on tour and in New York for five years. Immediately
Major John D. Manley, US Marine Corps Reserve (retired) is an Army civilian currently serving as the Director, US Army
John M. Meyer is an artist studying at the University of Texas at Austin. His work as a playwright-performer has
Village Orpheus is Josh's first production with Poetic Theatre Productions. He has appeared in a number of plays and musicals in
Joshuah was thrilled to debut in Poetic Theater Productions in such a queertastic piece as Breaking Our Silence: Shaping Our
Julie Geisler splits her time between Manhattan and a small town in the Catskills with her husband Philip Milio. She works
Job Titles:
- Advisory Board Member of Poetic Theater Productions' Veteran Voices Program
Karen Alvarado is an Advisory Board Member of Poetic Theater Productions' Veteran Voices Program. Karen is a Latinx actor, director,
Job Titles:
- Co - Artistic Director and Resident Director
Kat Yen is the Co-Artistic Director and Resident Director of Spookfish Theatre Company. Recent NYC productions she directed and set
Katelyn Sheehan spent 4 years active duty in the US Air Force repeatedly deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Katherine George is an Afro-Latina performer, director, writer, and educator from the Bronx, NY by the way of the Dominican
Katherine is a fan of writing but has never done so professionally. After receiving a BA in English with an
Kay Ulanday Barrett is a poet, performer, and educator, navigating life as a disabled pilipinx amerikan transgender queer in the
Keelay Gipson is a multi-disciplinary artist including work as an actor, filmmaker, director and award-winning playwright. His play What I Tell
Kelly Teaford is a queer actor, producer, stage manager, and the Program Manager of Poetic Theater Productions' Veteran Voices Program.
Kenya Lewis is an actor, playwright and choreographer. She is a drama student at the New School. She lives in New York
San Diego native, and Brooklyn transplant, Keomi Tarver is a dancer, writer, lover, teacher and friend. She began training at
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York and the proud daughter of Dominican immigrants, Keren Abreu is a singer-songwriter
Kevin Kantor (They/Them) is a genderqueer actor, director, and spoken word poet. As a poet Kevin's writing has been featured in Button Poetry, Buzzfeed, The Huffington
Artists often give brief acknowledgement to the assistance the Divine energies may provide in their creativity. For Khadijah Boney, 25,
For the last 20 years, Kim Holmes has emerged as one of the premiere, influential luminaries of the urban dance
Kim Jinhyoung, is a writer and composer based in New York. Kim started his career as a composer from Seoul,
Kim Yaged is an award-winning writer and photographer whose work frequently addresses issues of identity and stereotyping with a focus on using art for social
Kryssy Wright is a lighting designer in Brooklyn. Since relocating to Brooklyn she has designed and built sets, designed and
Lauren Whitehead is a writer, performer and MFA recipient in Dramaturgy (Columbia University). Recent performances include a workshop of We
Layla Diaz is a performance poet whose work has been done at Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam, Rebel
Leah Cooper has been directing, producing, and managing in theater for over 30 years. Based in Minneapolis, she has directed
Léah is a freelance stage manager and a technical collaborator with the New York Neo-Futurists. They run the lights and
Leo Farley is a United States Army Veteran. He served as a Communications Specialist with the 52nd Signal Battalion in
Leslie Lissaint is a world traveler and international performance artist, actress, dancer, and writer. A graduate of the University of
Lisa graduated from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2015 and has since been working as
Liz Hensel served in the United States Marine Corps for 5 years on active duty and continues to serve in
MARCUS SCOTT is a journalist, playwright and musical theater writer whose work has appeared in Out, Elle, Trace, Essence, Playbill,
Margaret McCarthy was named among the "Best of the Best Emerging Fine Art Photographers 2016" by BW GALLERIST. ARTZEALOUS named
Maria Mia Salazar is Poetic Theater Productions' Veteran Voices Visual Artist in Residence Maria Mia Salazar is a Sculptor and
Mariela Andrade-Angel is a multitalented first-generation Mexican immigrant. She is a singer, poet, actress, stage manager and has also dipped
Originally from Brooklyn, Mario began acting in 2013. Since then he's been seen in "Blues for Mister Charlie", "Ring Round
Mary Jo McConnell is an Advisory Board Member of Poetic Theater Productions' Veteran Voices Program. Mary Jo McConnell is a
Mateo d'Amato was born in Providence, R.I. His mother is from Argentina and his father is from New York City.
Matt Park is a songwriter, guitarist, poet, and actor. He co-wrote music for Ma-Yi's production of Peer Gynt and the
Matthew Thomas Burda is an Actor and Producer. Theater Producer credits include Comfort Women: A New Musical (Off-Broadway, Summer '15),
Maurisa Li-A-Ping is a writer and educator raised by an Afro-Caribbean Blaxk Womxn in Brooklyn, New York. She has work
Maya Carter (they/them/theirs/Maya) Maya is a multi-hyphenate maker/performer, teaching artist + cultivator of joy- living and working on the land
Mei Ann Teo is a theatre/film maker whose work has toured globally, including Belgium's Festival de Liege (Lyrics From Lockdown,
Job Titles:
- Naval Intelligence Officer
As a Naval Intelligence Officer, Melissa Milich was deployed to more than sixty locations overseas in support of counterterrorism operations
Originally from Barnegat, NJ, Melody is native to the shore and pine trees scattered throughout her poetry. Her life has
Mercy Viola is a 22 year old Black and Native American nonbinary femme from Brooklyn, New York. They are passionate
Mia McClinton is an artist born and raised in New York with a lifelong dedication to the arts. Mia's vibrantly
Mickey Bolmer, a New York City playwright now living in California, works weaving sewing sometimes seemingly disparate nodes of experiences,
Miguel was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He was inspired to join the Army
Monique is a shape shifter, poet, playwright, screenwriter, big kid, and a master of make believe. Robinson was born and
With Poetic Theater Productions: Actor in Love, Redefined 2019 in Poetic License 2019: Resilience Actress in GOLIATH in the Planet Connections Festival where Monique's
Ms. Tammy Barlet served for over 8 years in the United States Coast Guard, beginning in 1995. As an Operations
Nabil Viñas is an award-winning actor born, raised, and based in NYC. He'll appear at the 55th New York Film
Natalie Lovejoy is a composer, lyricist, and author from Annapolis, MD whose work has been heard in New York at
Nathaniel Isiah Swanson is a 19 year old artist hailing from Brooklyn, New York. In 2018, Nathaniel competed in the
Neil Totton is an emerging singer/songwriter, dancer, choreographer and performance artist. His work blends music, video, fitness, storytelling and dance.
Nia Calloway is a multi-disciplinary artist from Texas who traverses the worlds of theatre, poetry, music, and dance. Her background
Nicole Goodwin is a veteran, author, performance artist, and award-winning poet. Her book Warcries is a collection of poems inspired
Nicole Ventura is an actor and kickboxer from New Jersey. She has had the pleasure of collaborating with a number
Nkosi Nkululeko is a poetry, music, and chess instructor from Harlem. Some of his work is published or forthcoming in places
Olivia Clari first worked with Poetic Theater Productions playing Cookie Mueller in Mickey Bolmer's BACK Back: A Tragedy Party. Other
Job Titles:
- Advisory Board Member of Poetic Theater Productions' Veteran Voices Program
Omar Columbus is an Advisory Board Member of Poetic Theater Productions' Veteran Voices Program. Omar is a photographer, poet, curator,
Pam Campos-Palma is an impactful political strategist, campaigner, and leader serving on the front lines of democracy and change with
Pamela Enz is presently describing herself as a Hybrid Collagist. Her work in overlapping multiple mediums have as their foundation,
Patrice Miller is a director-choreographer and writer currently directing Mad Jenny's Love und Greed in residence at Pangea. Her work
Peter Molin is a retired US Army infantry officer who served in the 2nd Infantry, 10th Mountain, and 82nd Airborne
Philip Milio has pursued the art of photography all of his life. He worked for DoD with satellite imagery for
Phillip Pineo is a NYC performer who's worked in multiple artistic disciplines. Recently seen in "The Dick and Anita Holiday
Phobe Dupont is a 12th grade student at Millennium Brooklyn High School. As an artist they are most inspired by the
Pooya Mohseni is an Iranian/American actor, Transgender activist and writer. Pooya appeared in an award winning one woman show, titled "One
Ran Xia is a Shanghai born, Brooklyn based playwright, theatre director, and sound designer. She is a resident director at
Raquel was born in Madrid - Spain, is also of Costa Rican descent and has lived most of her life
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of Notes to the Soul, Inc
Ray Archie (Executive Director of Notes to the Soul, Inc.) is infinitely the musicians' advocate. It comes from the heart
Rebecca Martínez is a Brooklyn-based director, writer, choreographer, and deviser. She has worked with Manhattan Theatre Club, Signature Theatre, PlayMakers,
Robert Lambert is a director, writer, actor, singer and founder of Trampled Rose Productions. Born in Brockton, Massachusetts and currently living
Román Baca is an artist, a classically trained ballet dancer and choreographer. In 2001, recognizing his desire to defend the
Safiya Martinez Connell is a performer, writer and educator. She is an alumni of the New York Teaching Fellows program
Salomé is an Ecuadorian actor, dancer, artivist and arts educator currently based in Brooklyn, NY. She obtained her B.A. in
Sam LaRoche is a spoken word poet and rap artist out of Brooklyn. In college Sam was signed to an
Samantha is honored to be a part of the Poetic Theater family. With PTP: Goliath (Culture Project, Wild Project, CA
Sandra W. Lee is an 8-year Army combat veteran in the Special Operations Command, having deployed to Baghdad, Iraq from
Sandy joined Art for Vets for the camaraderie. There she learned "the arts " are therapy. She learned to relax
Sarah Cangussu is a multicultural and multi-talented musician born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brasil, she has been traveling the
Sarah Duncan is a cis white chronically ill queer femme, organizer, writer, performer, teacher, Buffy fan, and graduate student
Sarah Livant is a native Alabamian. She attended Sarah Lawrence College and began stage managing in New York City upon
Sarah N. Mess's poetry and art are featured in Warrior Writers' most recent anthology, titled Warrior Writers. Sarah served in
Sean Hagerty is a composer, violinist, and sound designer specializing in music for theater and dance. Previous productions with Poetic
Sentell Harper recently had his one man show Seek and Ye Shall Find premiere in New York City in the
Shanelle Gabriel is a poet, singer, and lupus warrior from Brooklyn, NY who has performed internationally including Africa, Bermuda, Europe,
Sharifa Linton is born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Her love for dancing started at the age of 3 and
Job Titles:
- Retired Computer Support Specialist
Sharon C. Wallace is a retired Computer Support Specialist and Software Tester. Born in Cheyenne, WY, and raised in Kearny,
As a collaborative pianist, Shawn Chang has worked with the Bronx Opera, and Garden State Opera. As a composer his
Shawn Randall is an actor, poet, singer-songwriter, musician, freestyle emcee, and producer. Born and raised in Brooklyn. He is a
Sherri Pullum is a versatile actress with stage, independent film and television credits. She has received positive reviews for her
Sofía is a Boston-raised performance artist, educator, and community organizer. Her work has been featured in a range of literary
Sokunthary Svay was born in a refugee camp in Thailand shortly after her parents fled Cambodia after the fall of
Sophia Medina (she/her) is a queer Puerto Rican-Dominican who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is a
Stacey Bell is a US Army veteran, writer, playwright, and performer originally from Illinois. She has been published in
S.C. Beckner is an MFA candidate at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She is currently working on a book-length
Steph was born and raised in NYC. A lover of many genres of music, Steph has trained in technique and
Stephan Wolfert, Actor/Writer/Director, MFA, (AEA, SAG) (US Army, '86-'93, Medic & Infantry Officer) Stephan left a career in the military
Stephen Funk (he/they) is a queer Pacific & Atlantic islander who has been organizing creative activism for nearly 20 years.
Susan Toni is originally from Fargo, ND. Since moving to NYC she was an artist in residence with Vissi Dance
An 80's baby born in New York and raised in the South, Taja Lindley is currently living in Hawaii and
Tamara Geisler is an Actor, Writer, Producer and Teaching Artist. Born in Mexico City, she moved to the United States
Tanaya Winder is an author, singer / songwriter, poet, motivational speaker and educator who comes from an intertribal lineage of
Job Titles:
- Representative at the Veterans Affairs
Tara Barnwell is a rating veterans service representative at the Veterans Affairs regional office. Having served 20 years, she is
Taro Vestøl Cooper is an actor and a spoken word artist. He graduated from Nordic Black Xpress Acting School in 2011.
Teniece Divya Johnson is an activist, capricorn, stunt performer, henna artist and student of life. A MFA graduate of the
Teresa Fazio was a Marine Corps officer from 2002-2006, deploying once to Iraq. Her essays and fiction have been included
Todd Kruse graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1988 and then spent 9 years in the Army Infantry, including
Tom Block is an artist, writer and activist best known for the development and implementation an activist art theory, "Prophetic
Toni Ann DeNoble is a multi-disciplinary artist of the stage & screen, Toni Ann's most recent credits include, Playwright's Realm,
Toni Blackman, a highly respected artist and social entrepreneur, is the first Hip Hop artist selected to work as a
Tony Schwalm is a retired lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Army Special Forces (a.k.a. the Green Berets). A veteran of
Tori Ashley Matos is a writer, performer, and artist based in New York City. They are a graduate of New
Trace Howard DePass is the author of Self-portrait as the space between us (PANK Books, 2018), which was a finalist
Valton Jackson is a southern boy all the way from Columbus, GA and holds a BA in Theatre from Berea
Job Titles:
- Artist / Writer and Director
Vanessa Hidary is an Actress/Spoken Word Artist/ Writer and Director. She started her journey over 20 years ago at Nuyorican
Vanessa Rappa is a poet, playwright, actor, dancer, singer, song-writer, musician, choreographer, performer, artist. Her play in development "Scribbled Lines"
Vesta Walker hails from a family of artists and performers. Inspired by her family's artistry, Vesta developed into a skilled
Victory Chappotín is an Actor/Writer/Historian. At the Wild Project Victory played Olli in Dijla Wal Furat: Between the Tigris and the
Vinny Eden Ortega is a New York City based director/writer/actor. Acting credits include No Entiendo (Pace School of Performing Arts), Gathering Sparks (Theatre Row),
Víctor Hurtado is a Veteran Sergeant of the United States Army. While in the service he often used his talents
Walt Nygard was born in Portland, Oregon, into an Army family. He grew up in various locations stateside and overseas.
Xandra Clark is an actor/writer/documentarian whose work explores multiplicity, ambiguity, and the boundaries of perspective between self and other. Her work
Yadira De La Riva is an artist/educator from El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. She graduated from the University
Yayoi Ikawa (Jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, educator) Born in Tokyo, Japan, but raised musically in New York, pianist/composer Yayoi
Yeldā Ali is a New York City based artist and activist known for women's rights and mental health advocacy. In
Zina served as a Combat Medic. She spent the majority of her adult life caring for others; fellow service members
Zoë Flowers has the power to heal with her hands and words. Her poetry and essays can be found in
Job Titles:
- Member of the Urban Word NYC Youth Board
Zubaida Bello is a poet and member of the Urban Word NYC Youth Board. She has performed her original poetry
Ms. Guevara is a huge fan of Raquel Almazan's work and honored to be collaborating on this production of La