Editor-in-Chief
Anna writes at the crossroads of science and the sublime, cyborgs and the surreal. The Development Director for the Poetry Society of New York, she was formerly the Journal Coordinator for Oxford Public Philosophy, and she won Ninth Letter's 2020 literary award in Literary Nonfiction for a "notable" essay in Best American Essays 2021. Anna writes and performs with PSNY, moonlighting as Velvet Envy in The Poetry Brothel.
Her prose appears in We'll Have to Pass, Brooklyn Magazine, The Oxford Review of Books, Grist Journal, Meetinghouse Magazine online, and others. You can find her poetry in New York Quarterly, Wild Roof Journal, High Shelf Press, Cathexis Northwest Press, and others. While attending Dartmouth College (which was the pits), she won the Stanley Prize for experimental essay and the Kaminsky Family Fund Award. She can be reached at passengersliterary@gmail.com.
Charles Fleming, Assistant Editor-in-Chief
After spending a decade in corporate retail, Charles returned to academia in search of a more fulfilling career. He now holds a BA with Honors in English Education and an MFA in Poetry from North Carolina State University. In his spare time, Charles agonizes over line breaks and collects rejections in his Submittable account. He also enjoys watching trashy horror movies with his wife and screaming at his TV while playing video games. For work, he teaches English at local colleges and runs the occasional poetry workshop. He can be reached at passengersliterary@gmail.com and followed @CharFlem37.
Poetry
Molly Zhu, Poetry Editor
Molly Zhu is a Chinese American poet and attorney. She likes to write about alter egos, chasms, dreams, tears, rage, translation and the women in her life. She was twice nominated for Pushcart prizes and has been published in both print and online journals including Hobart Pulp, the Ghost City Press, and Bodega Magazine, among others. She is the winner of the 2021 Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Prize awarded by the Cordella Press. Her debut chapbook, Asian American Translations, is now available for purchase. Find out more at MollyZhu.com. She can be reached at poetry.passengers@gmail.com.
Syd Shaw, Assistant Poetry Editor and Workshop Coodinator
Syd Shaw is a queer poet from the San Fernando Valley who writes about love, witchcraft, and body horror. She has a degree in creative writing from Northwestern University, and is currently a member of the Pride Poets typewriter poetry group. Syd has previously been published in Cathexis Northwest, Wild Roof Journal, Ember Chasm, Waxing & Waning, Eclectica Magazine, and Coffin Bell Journal, among others. She has forthcoming work in Under Her Eye, an anthology by Black Spot Books. Her passions include tarot, guitar, and aerial silks. Syd's work can be found on her website.
Dilys Wyndham Thomas, Assistant Poetry Editor
Dilys Wyndham Thomas [she/her/hers] grew up in Saudi Arabia and Belgium, studied in France, and has since lived in Germany, Jordan, the UK and The Netherlands. Her poems and short stories have appeared in journals including Prometheus Dreaming, Rust and Moth, Treehouse Literary Review, and Wild Roof Journal. She is currently working on a poetry pamphlet, Breakwater, which was longlisted for the Mslexia Women’s Pamphlet Competition 2022. Dilys also hosts writers’ workshops for Strange Birds Migratory Writing Collective. Find her online at dilyswt.com.
Kelly Jones (they/she) is the author of two out of print chapbooks (Worry the Dead and Pull the Blinds) and a lot of poems about life in the anthropocene, toxic masculinity, dead animals, and dreams. Some of their poems have recently appeared in Hymn for the Living Poet Vol. III, Peauxdunque Review, Ghost City Review, Dead Mule School, and Bone Parade, and their essay on why the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer film is actually great recently appeared in Drunk Monkeys. Kelly currently lives in New Orleans, earns their living as a librarian and freelance editor, serves on the Operations team for TELEPHONE (an international arts experiment), and spends their free time trying to keep houseplants alive, acquiescing to most of their cat's demands, and reading aloud to said cat (plus their spouse). Prior to working in libraries, they worked a variety of positions within the service industry, academia, the nonprofit sector, and were a web content ghostwriter. Some of Kelly's favorite things are manatees, glitter, and drinks with crushed ice in them. You can find them on Instagram @glitter.feast, where they feed the algorithms by posting photos of graffiti, good light, street cats, and other random scenes.
Will Freeney, Poetry Reader
Will Freeney (he/him/his) is a dabbler in poetry and a writer of creative nonfiction, with an MA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing from Sacramento State University (2008) and an MFA in Creative Writing (CNF) from Fresno State University (2022). He has been published in Blue Mountain Review; Kithe; and Flies, Cockroaches and Poets. Besides writing (and reading, the prerequisite) he enjoys cycling, jogging, and hot yoga. Will practices Nichiren Buddhism (since 1985) and an innate worship of the Sun.
Felix Torres, Poetry Reader
Felix Torres is a writer living in Brooklyn, NY. His work has previously been supported by the Parlamentarisches-Patentschafts Programm, during which he was based in Dresden, Germany. He has previously studied with the Institute for American Literature at the Technische Universität Dresden and with the Berlin Writers Workshop.
Daniel Mills, Poetry Reader
Daniel Mills is a poet and writer from Phoenix, AZ. He works as a wine professional and sommelier by trade and frequently writes about food and wine. He has received awards from and worked in collaboration with the Arizona Commission on the Arts, the Phoenix Art Museum, and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University. In addition to poetry and writing, he enjoys being outdoors in nature and studying Spanish as a second language. You can view his work at danielmills.co.
Mila Rae Mancuso, Poetry Reader
Mila Rae Mancuso is a Brooklyn-based poet, screenwriter, and experimental filmmaker. She is haunted by girlhood, Antonin Artaud's theatrical scenarios, and a white rabbit with a monocle. She received her BA from Emerson College in Creative Writing, Analog Filmmaking, and Photography. Her work has been featured in Hobart Pulp, Revolutions Per Minute Film Fest, Old Pal Magazine, Inferno, and Millennial Pulp, among others. Find more of her world at milaraemancuso.com.
Prose
Maxwell Suzuki, Prose Editor
Maxwell Suzuki is a queer writer who lives in Los Angeles. He is on the staff of The Rumpus and has read for Guernica, Split/Lip Press, JMWW, Counterclock, and Sepia Journal. Maxwell is the author of the fiction chapbook, 'Voyager 2, This is Voyager 1, Over' (Gold Line Press, 2024) and the poetry chapbook, 'Bust of an Athlete' (Iron Horse Literary Review, 2024). He was a finalist for the Tin House 2023 Winter Residency and a semi-finalist for the 2024 American Short Fiction Halifax Ranch Prize. Maxwell's work has appeared in Craft Literary, Lunch Ticket, The Normal School, and South Dakota Review. You can find him on Twitter @papasuzuki or his website www.maxwellsuzuki.com. He can be reached at prose.passengers@gmail.com.
Holly Allen, Assistant Prose Editor
Holly Eva Allen is a writer currently living in California. She has an undergraduate degree in linguistics and English from the University of California and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in English with Claremont Graduate University. Her prose has been previously published in magazines and sites such as Farside Review, Obelus Journal, and Storgy. Her poetry has been published in a variety of sources, such as Levee Magazine, Funicular, Snarl, and Dunes Review. She has presented at and actively assists with various academic and writing community conferences, including those of the PCA (Popular Culture Association) and the AWP. Holly’s English specialization is Postmodern American Literature, though she also studies Queer Literature, Women’s Literature, and Disability Studies. Holly is a member of the American Studies Association and The Emily Dickinson International Society.
Maya Afilalo, Assistant Prose Editor
Maya Afilalo is a queer writer based in Philadelphia. The recipient of the 2022 James Hurst Prize for Fiction, her stories and essays have appeared or are forthcoming in the New Ohio Review, Lilith Magazine, the anthology queerbook, the Pennsylvania Gazette, and elsewhere. She attended a residency with Sundress Publications and was a Tin House Summer Workshop 2023 participant. Maya completed her MFA in fiction at North Carolina State University. She is working on a short story collection and a novel, which explore themes of Middle Eastern Jewish identity, family, sexuality, and friendship. Find out more about her on her website.
Mickey sells software to Wall Street. She is a poet, writing a memoir. Her work appears in Please See Me, Cagibi, Poydras Review, Passengers Journal, Poets’ Choice, and Cross Cultural Poetics. She has read in downtown New York venues St. Mark’s Church, Zinc Bar, and Poets & Writers. Follow her on Instagram @mickeygreaves, Twitter @xyzmickey, and see more writing on www.mickeygreaves.xyz.
Andrew, Prose Reader
Andrew is a recovering scientist based out of Los Angeles. He holds a B.S. in English Literature from Caltech and is currently working on a collection of minimalist short stories focused on life and the experience of growing up in America. Andrew is originally from Denver, Colorado, and spends his free time fencing, taking photos, and exploring LA for its best diners, drive-ins, and dives. He lives by the quote: “a writer is the sum of their experiences. Go get some.”
Corley Longmire, Prose Reader
Corley Longmire spent her childhood fending off mosquitoes and sipping honeysuckle. She holds an MA from the Center for Writers at the University of Southern Mississippi and is an associate project editor with University Press of Mississippi. Her fiction has appeared in journals such as West Trade Review, KAIROS, Little Patuxent Review, Passengers, The Westchester Review, and Brink, among others. Recently, her story "No Good Grief" was selected as an honorable mention in the 2023 Phyllis Grant Zellmer Prize for Fiction. She can be found on Twitter @Corley_Longmire and online at writercorleylongmire.weebly.com.
Amelia Mwale Eilertsen, Prose Reader
Amelia Mwale Eilertsen (pronouns: she/they) is a queer, Zambian-Norwegian mixed-race writer with a BA in Creative and Professional Writing from Bangor University. Currently enrolled in an MA program at the University of Oslo, her life is a cosmic swirl of insomnia, travel, and the brief spaces between the makings of a moment and watching it pass by. She has had poems published with Landlocked Journal, High Shelf Press, Passengers Journal, Temenos and Poetry Wales, among others. She can be reached at @ameliaconny on Instagram.
Jedah Mayberry, Prose Reader
Jedah Mayberry was raised in southeastern CT, the backdrop for his fiction debut. The Unheralded King of Preston Plains Middle won Grand Prize in Red City Review’s 2015 Book Awards and was named 1st in Multi-Cultural Fiction for 2014 by the Texas Association of Authors. In 2018, he completed a Hurston-Wright Foundation Workshop in Fiction resulting in a second book, Sun Is Sky, due from Jacaranda Books. His work has appeared at Linden Avenue, Brittle Paper, Black Elephant, Passengers Journal, Akashic Fri-SciFi Series, Solstice Magazine, A Gathering Together, Mosaic Literary Magazine, and Permission to Write. Jedah resides with his wife and daughters in Austin, TX.
Jacqueline Parker, Prose Reader
Jacqueline Parker studied words at Queens University in Charlotte, NC where she currently resides with her boyfriend and dog. Her fiction often explores broken family structures and female identity, but occasionally she writes something funny. She is prose editor for The Dawn Review, and her work has been featured in Prime Number Magazine, Flash Fiction Online, MacQueen’s Quinterly, After Dinner Conversation, and elsewhere. She can be found on Instagram/Twitter @onmytangent.
Kassie Sarkar, Prose Reader
Kassie Sarkar is an emerging multi-genre writer, artist, and community organizer who specializes in prose, poetry, visual art, and hybrid forms of storytelling, such as performative and nongenre writing and visual poetry collage. As a multiracial queer Dalit feminist committed to intersectional liberation, she seeks to center marginalized voices in order to resist oppressive societal structures and to reimagine a more just and liberatory world. She has studied creative writing through her Master’s in Humanities from the University of Chicago and her Bachelor’s from Emory University. Within the literary world, Kassie is actively reading, writing, and seeking publication for her work and acting as a freelance editor in addition to reading for Passengers Journal. Outside of the literary world, she wears hats as a preschool director, oral historian, and independent researcher. She currently lives on the colonized lands of the Munsee Lenape peoples, what is known as New Jersey at the moment.
Brenda Covarrubias, Prose Reader
Brenda Covarrubias is a freelance writer and editor from Southern California. Her work is influenced by culture, community and the hardships people overcome. Her work can be found in Modern Women, ZU Media, and Beyond Words Literary Magazine. When she is not working, she enjoys visits to botanical gardens and a good book.
Emilio Cabral, Prose Reader
Emilio is a Dominican-American writer, student, and bird watching enthusiast from League City, Texas currently living in Evanston, Illinois. He writes fiction and creative nonfiction. His fiction is forthcoming in Miscellany and Sand Hills Literary Magazine. His work explores the intersection of queerness and the speculative, focusing on the way they complicate stories of boyhood and adolescence. He can be reached at emilioandrescabral@gmail.com.
Visual Arts
Lauren Viar, Visual Arts Editor and Social Media Specialist
Lauren Viar is a Virginia native turned Floridian who currently works as an Admissions Coordinator at the University of North Florida. She has earned her Master of Arts in Art History from American University where she concentrated her studies in European Modernism while focusing on issues of gender, social history, and media studies. She also has earned a Bachelor of Science in Humanities with minors in English and Art History from Jacksonville University. She is fueled by art that questions how we see the world, desserts, and French Reds. Lauren currently lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her cat Dobby. You can find her on Twitter @laurenmviar and reach her at visualarts.passengers@gmail.com.
Audio
John oversees both the narrated pieces for every issue of Passengers Journal, as well as produces each audiobook for Passengers Press. He has been performing for close to four decades all over the world including on Broadway and National Tours, in Film and TV, in industrials, in regional theaters, on cruise ships, in arenas, in amphitheaters, on cruise ships, and as an improvisor. He has been seen and heard in over 100 radio and TV commercials and won several audiobook awards. Favorite role? Dad. Find out more about his work at https://johnebrady.wixsite.com/mysite. He can be reached at audio.passengers@gmail.com.
Joe Cusimano, Assistant Audio Editor
Joe Cusimano has done a bit of everything. Hailing from Buffalo New York, then Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, he has worked in computers, and cafes, broadcasting, and property management, studio recording, and parenting, and (quite briefly) (without training or skill) as a lumberjack. Enjoying audio engineering now, having been mostly in front of the microphone as a morning DJ for years at radio stations, his favorite pastimes are hanging out with his kids and their kids, reading, hiking, biking, and diving. Also very happy to be hanging out, as an Assistant Audio Editor for Passengers Journal, with definitely his best, medium height, male, friend from High School, who is Irish (John Brady).
Glory! Theater:The Wiz, Arkansas Repertory, The Color Purple, West Coast Black Theater Troupe, Hairspray, Royal Caribbean. She would like to Thank God, family, and mentors for all of their love and support. Psalm 23.
Angelica Allen is a lifelong bookworm who dedicates her days to storytelling across multiple mediums. A writer, musician, actress, and educator, Angelica hails from California, where she currently resides with her rescue cat, Quentin (although they both love to travel as much as possible). She graduated summa cum laude from UC Berkeley with a BA in Peace & Conflict Studies and English Literature, studied Creative Writing and International Affairs at the University of Cambridge, completed her MPhil in International Relations at the University of Oxford, and spent a decade researching and writing about sexual violence in conflict zones. She’s also taught classrooms full of high school students, UC Berkeley undergrads, and inmates at San Quentin State Prison. Angelica’s photography has garnered multiple IPPAWARDS Honorable Mentions, and she’s currently writing a book based on her grandmother’s life. Classically trained in piano and voice, Angelica taught herself guitar in college and has been songwriting ever since—stay tuned for her forthcoming EP. Although Angelica worked in the West Wing of the Obama White House for two years, she’s perhaps most proud of playing Beatrice in her high school English class production of Much Ado About Nothing. When Angelica later taught 10th grade English, one of her students admitted she had “the best poetry reading voice [she’d] ever heard,” inspiring her to become a narrator. Follow her on Instagram (@quigglescrumpets) if you enjoy scrolling through thousands of cat photos (Quentin is really, really, ridiculously good looking).
Eilish loves all things arts and is thrilled to be exploring the wonderful world of voice acting. By day Eilish is an experienced Athletic Trainer with a demonstrated history of working in the health, wellness, and fitness of performing artists and athletes.
Diana Angelo has always been interested in how the use and evolution of language influence thought and behavior. She's a writer, editor, teacher, and now an audio narrator who enjoys crossing genres and forms in her writing; she believes there oughtn’t be borders. In language and literature, she has taught English to speakers of other languages in the food and hospitality industry in the New York City metro area, edited and written for The 12th Street Journal published by The New School’s Riggio Honors Program: Writing and Democracy, and edited and written for Jersey City Writers 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Iman Ayana is a performing artist that has been recording, acting, dancing, and singing for years. She loves telling a story, whether it be through her voice or expressed with movement. Ultimately, she wants to connect with her audience and “feel the feels.”
Christin Balan is an aspiring screenwriter, ex-medical researcher, and accidental voice actor. Inspired by the scientists and writers she admires most, Christin writes dark comedic screenplays with a SciFi twist. She's currently traveling with Disney’s The Lion King (Rafiki Tour), capturing the humor and tragedy of everyday life in every new FinalDraft doc.
Samantha is enjoying her new experience with voiceover work aside from her usual role in Disney’s The Lion King Rafiki Tour. She is from Queens, NY and has performed with Ailey II, Step One Dance Company on Holland America Cruise line, and was a featured artist with BESE Media Company.
Katie Bausler is a writer and podcaster. Published written work includes columns, poems and essays in literary magazines, journals and articles in publications including the Alaska Dispatch, Edible Alaska, Stoneboat, Tidal Echoes, Cape, Cirque, and Insider. She also hosts and produces the 49 Writers Active Voice podcast with writers and artists on these pivotal times, writes a newsletter focused on alpine skiing, and is a volunteer public radio DJ and host. She worked as a public media host, reporter and producer and then in marketing specializing in radio spots. Her first work as a professional voiceover artist put her through college in San Francisco. She is working on a collection of essays and poems, working title: Live Like You’re Dying. Katie and her husband Karl live near their children and grandchildren on Douglas Island along a saltwater alpine fjord in Juneau, Alaska’s capital
Rosina Baxter is a multi-disciplinary creative, hailing from Aotearoa, New Zealand. She has written poetry as a way to understand the world since her early years and is an active member of the live poetry scene in her homeland. Other strings to her bow include song-writing and singing, and she also holds an Honours degree in Textile Design. She spends most of her afternoons hanging out with her Gran, gossiping, drinking tea, and spinning woolen yarn from her mother’s sheep. To follow her writing head to @rosinaandtheweavers, or for textile work you can find her under @annarosecarpenter.
Originally from the island of Bermuda, Eric Bean Jr received his formal training at University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA). Graduating with distinction and a degree in Dance Education & Choreography, he joined the world-renowned Koresh Dance Company where he served as a soloist and principal dancer for six seasons. Now a resident of Las Vegas he has become a sought-after performer, choreographer, and artistic director with credits that include Don Arden's Jubilee, Cirque du Soleil, Viking Cruise lines, & the touring cast of Disney's The Lion King.
Chiara Bertrand (alias Berta) is a versatile queer artist whose educational training includes acting, music, and writing. A deep regard for the voice, perceived by the UK-based creator as an inner instrument of expression, enlightens her freelance career. She is currently seeking talent representation while giving birth to her first novel, A Gap. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram @bertamusician
Sue (she/her) is an actress, producer, director, and a mom. (She is also, coincidentally, married to PJ’s audio editor.) An actor for forty years, her resume is extensive - as she has acted across the globe in every venue imaginable. A breast cancer survivor, Sue has always been an advocate for women’s causes. She created, and was the Artistic Director of, THE NO FRILLS COMPANY - a company whose mission was to create theater for women over 40. That said, she believes her greatest accomplishment has been her son, Donovan.
TyNia René Brandon is an NYC-based performance artist. A Charlotte, NC native whose performance experience has taken her across the world with Disney, to the Broadway stage, and most recently voice acting. Represented by Clear Talent Group, TyNia enjoys collaborating with artists of all types to bring their work to life. IG: @thetybrand.
bio pending
Bio pending…
Christin Byrdsong was born in Los Angeles, CA, and resides in New York City. He is a graduate of OKCU where he studied with Dr. Florence Birdwell and Dr. William Christensen. Credits include: HBO: Euphoria - AmazonPrime: Conframa. Off Broadway: FIGARO! 90210 (Lil’ B-Man). Regional: Shout Sister, Shout! (Little Richard), Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus). Christin is represented by UIA Talent and is also a Diveristy, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant.
Devon Capizzi (they/them) is a writer based in Boston, MA. Their work has been supported by the Tin House Writers Workshop, a fellowship from the Emerson College MFA program, and their fiction is forthcoming in Foglifter Journal (Spring 2021). They write about grieving, queerness, and sports. Devon is originally from rural Pennsylvania.
Sasha Caicedo is first generation Colombian-American. She studied for both high school and college at New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida. Now a broadway performer, she is a professional dancer, singer, model, and voice over actress. She very much enjoys bringing other artists work to life, wether that be through reading poetry or performing on stage. Sasha has had the opportunity of dancing on many stages and continues to travel with The Lion King
Thembelihle (Thembe) Cele, Voice
Born in Durban, South Africa. Credits Include: The Nat & Natalie Show with Colin Penn, Mary Zimmerman’s Metamorphoses, Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, Disney’s The Lion King (Broadway, U.K., Ireland Tour and US Nat’l Tour), #D23EXPO 2017. TV Appearance: “ETV Popstars 2010.” She gives thanks to God and family. Instagram: lihlecele91 Twitter: cele_lihle
Nina’s exploration of voice started on stage, while singing in London’s West End revival of "The King & I" in 2000. This was followed by brief TV work in Seoul and cliché auditions in Los Angeles—until her professional interests started shifting toward public relations. Nina is currently based in Southern California, working in communications, practicing yoga and making slow but hopeful strides in her own nonfiction writing practice.
Daniela is a graduate of Alabama State University. She has shared her artistry and love for theatre in many places. Other Theatres: Melantho and Ensemble in The Odyssey; Swing in Disney’s Beauty and The Beast; Alto Pit Singer in The Wiz. Understudy: Dorothy/Lion in The Wiz; Dorcas in The Winter’s Tale; Uma and Ensemble in Roe (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Kassidy in These Three Words (Montgomery Performing Arts Center); Gabriel in Black Nativity, Lady in Orange in For Colored Girls…, Deena in Dreamgirls, Whitney Houston in One Moment in Time (also Cloverdale Playhouse), Shug Avery/Church Ladies in The Color Purple (Alabama State University)
Kayla Cyphers is an actress who is from Riverside, California. She trained at AMDA (The American Musical and Dramatic Academy) in Los Angeles . She started her career with the North American Tour and Bat Out Of Hell, and returned for the New York run. She also played the role of Aida in Aida (John W. Engeman Theatre). She played Nala in the North American tour of The Lion King.
Lyric is a graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA program and her favorite credits include The Bodyguard, Oscar At The Crown, and the NBA Boston Celtics. She is excited to be part of the Passengers family as she loves recording and all kinds of new challenges. She can be found at @lyricdan
Lucy has been a poet (more or less) since she was 9. What started as simple, slapdash rhymes evolved into more meditated, free verse. Lucy is an ardent enthusiast of poetic movements like Romanticism and Surrealism. She is a crossword and comedy aficionado and a rock music zealot, but most of all, she loves cake. Lucy’s poetry anthology “Sub Rosa” is available on Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc. Follow her on Instagram @lucy-dhr.
Joshua Dickson is an egg who gained sentience in February of 2021 after a heavily botched attempt at making Tiramisu. Since then, he has gone on to lead a war against the existence of potato salad, claiming it to be "of nefarious origin". No one is certain of Joshua's goals, but we are sure of one thing: he is very egg-centric.
Scarlett London Diviney, Voice
Scarlett London Diviney is 10 years old who can be seen as Young Nala in the Broadway National tour of the Lion King. Scarlett also appeared in the Tribeca Film Festival in the film CUPIDS, a part of the 8:46 project meant to widen the screen for diversity. Other stage credits include Annie and Fame Jr. She is also a concert singer who most recently performed with Dionne Warwick for the Bergen Performing Arts Center Gala. She is the Co Founder of Voices to End Hunger, an organization that has raised thousands of dollars and supported New Yorkers suffering from food insecurity in NYC. Most importantly she loves to be with her friends and family.
Liz Eichler has been building and developing theatre audiences, and designing costumes for over 30 years. Her background includes marketing for Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and University of Delaware’s Professional Theatre Training Program. Also costuming for the University of South Carolina Upstate, The Warehouse Theatre in Greenville, SC, and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. With an MBA from Wright State and a Masters in Theatre Education from Rutgers’ Mason Gross School for the Arts, she teaches marketing and digital marketing at the University of Dayton. She is past president and current Stage Insights chair (aka reviewer) of the League of Cincinnati Theatres.Tony Freeman, Voice
Played Zazu on Broadway and across the country for over 3,000 performances. Now he loves also getting to play Scar, Timon, and Pumbaa. He did Tony Kushner’s musical Caroline, or Change in Los Angeles and San Francisco with the original Broadway cast. Tony has performed guest roles on both “Law and Order” (twice) and “Law and Order, SVU.”
Donna Gentry Birnbach is a writer, actress, producer and comedienne based in New Orleans. Once a long-time resident of NYC, Donna performed stand-up at Carolines, Who’s on First, and ran the open mic of the Duplex for many years, and appeared in productions at Schreiber Studio, Joe Quintero, Westbeth, and West Bank Theaters. Most recently Donna was the founder and artistic director of Chehalem Players Rep, the resident company of the Chehalem Cultural Center’s Black Box Theater in Newberg, Oregon, the very heart of Oregon’s wine country.
Mickey Greaves’ creative non-fiction work will appear in Poydras Review in December. Her writing has appeared online and in Spoonfed, and Cross Cultural Poetics. She has read at downtown New York venues, the open mic at St. Mark’s Church, and by invitation at Zinc Bar and Poets & Writers. Follow Mickey on Instagram at @mickeygreaves and see other work at www.mickeygreaves.xyz.
Dancer/Choreographer: Tituss Burgess, Billboard, Netflix. NYC/Regional Theater: A Chorus Line (Richie), Legally Blonde (Warner), Hairspray (Seaweed), Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Take Me to the World (Carnegie Hall), Silueta: A New Musical (Ian). TV: “POSE.” Founder of TFC Training @thefitcreative__ @tfctraining
Is delighted to be a voice artist for Passnegers. Jolina is an actress, a dancer and a voice artists whose credits include: Broadway/NYC: The Phantom of the Opera, The Light in the Piazza (NYCC), A Chorus Line (NYCC), The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Nixon in China (The Met). Favorite Regional: Little Dancer (The Kennedy Center). @jojolinajavier
Originally from Defiance, Ohio can be found painting faces on Disney’s The Lion King Musical- Rafiki Tour as a Hair/Wig and Makeup Assistant. Danae has designed and ran crews for hair/wigs and makeup on many productions, so stepping out of her comfort zone to record new works is exciting and fun. Thank you for the opportunity. ¡Sígale!
NYC-trained and tested; Texas-born and raised. Proud daughter of immigrant parents. Cheerfully married to Spencer Plachy, her partner off AND (occasionally) on the stage. She loves all things Harry Potter and all kinds of food...except spicy!! Her happy place is always near the ocean. She is an artist, and therefore, a collaborative liaison. Through the arts, whether making it or experiencing it, we truly become alive. We feel. We communicate. We connect.
An Atlanta native, Jane’s first professional credit was in Kenny Leon's True Colors Theater Company production of The Wiz. After high school, Jane moved to NYC to study at The Ailey School in their Fellowship program. There, she took opportunity to perform with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, I HEARD New York and various performances at The Apollo Theater. Ms. King enjoyed sharing the stage in Lustig Dance Theatre, The Princeton Festival, The ZEST Collective, The Metropolitan Opera and The Lion King North American Tour. She is excited to extend her voice over career.
Judy is committed to bringing healing to this world. As an actress, author, singer, and massage therapist, she believes that gently listening to one’s own story and paying close enough attention to truly hear the stories of others, even if they are only whispered, is the greatest privilege we share as humans on the journey together.
Kaitlyn McClung is a musician, photographer, and poet from Huntsville, Alabama. Presently a first-year writing instructor and M.A. candidate in English at The University of Alabama, she holds a B.A. in English from Alabama A&M University. Kaitlyn’s research and writing interests predominantly include womanist queer theory. A Southern poet at heart, she is inspired by her roots in Wilcox County, Alabama, to explore such intersections in Black kinship and the flesh. Her passions include personal narratives, documentary films, and binge-watching TV.
A Native New Yorker who at an early age fell in love with the stage. To further develop his craft, he studied at Harlem School of the Arts and the Institute for American Musical Theatre.
Matthew S. Morgan : Pleased to be back in front of the mic for Passengers Journal. Matthew can be seen on stage with both the touring and Broadway productions of Disney’s The Lion King. Other stage appearances include Seaweed in Hairspray(Toronto/Broadway) and also as Chuck Berry and Screaming Jay Hawkins in the upcoming Rock and Roll Man.
Proud Chicagoan. BA in Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago. Regional theater credits include columbinus 2.0 (ATC), RENT (ATC) and Dreamgirls (Theater 47). Television credits include “Chicago Fire” (NBC), “Unforgettable” (CBS) “The Breaks” (Vh1). Love to his wife, son, daughter, parents and family. Dedicates this performance to his uncle Dr. Larry E. Ross.
KRISTIN NEWHOUSE is a professional Stage Manager who has worked on Broadway, National Tours, and Internationally with "The Lion King,” “Mary Poppins,” “Kinky Boots” and "The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time” to name a few. She has worked on countless Corporate Events for Disney Theatrical Group, NBC, HudsonGrey, cpg agency, Sony, and TD Bank, among others. Kristin began her theatrical training when she won a full ride scholarship in Acting at the University of Michigan-Flint. Additionally, Kristin has Directed over 20 Special Events for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Hannah Newman is an Atlanta-based writer with a master’s in Professional Writing. She likes to write about dark or bittersweet things (big surprise) all in the shapes of short stories, flash fiction, or poetry. Her work can be found in Adelaide Literary Magazine, Nuance Magazine, and The Loch Raven Review. In her free time, she’s probably recording a podcast episode with her sister or staring out of windows.
A South African native, Nhlanhla has been singing since before he could talk and loves live music and performances. He is grateful to be back onstage and is excited to be traveling across the country with this show. He’s been with The Lion King for over half a decade now and has worked with the Broadway cast, North American tour and the Madrid cast in Spain. God is good all the time. Ayikho Inkomo Yobuthongo
So happy to lend his voice to Passengers Journal! He’s grateful to be back on the stage. Originally from Bucks County, PA. Past credits include: SKELETON CREW (Dez), SISTER ACT (TJ). Ithaca College, BFA MT ‘21. Insta: @Jeremynoel13
After teaching high school and middle school English in Arkansas, Leah Olson is now earning her masters in English Literature at Claremont Graduate University. She also works as a private tutor, providing academic support to individuals ranging from elementary school to adulthood. Her passion is helping others share their stories and work towards achieving their goals. Growing up in Southeast Asia and attending a different school for nearly every year of her secondary education, Leah is enjoying settling down in Southern California with her husband and rambunctious pup.
Xiomara Ossorio (she/her/ella) is a Xicana actor, poet, playwright, director, and storyteller, she has performed in LA & New York. Originally from Southern California, she is currently based in Brooklyn, NY. She is writing and producing her own work including her visual art film "Not All Mothers Are Saints" featured in the Whitney's Westside Exposure Staff Art Show. Most recently she has performed in NYC Poetry Festival, virtual open mics, theatre festivals, and as a featured artist on WhyOpenPandorasBox Creative Showcase. Find her at xiomaraossorio.com and on IG @lilyx_13.
Christina was born in Taegu, South Korea. She attended the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill on a classical piano performance scholarship. While Christina maintains a passion for music, she chose a career in law. She currently splits her time operating a law practice with her husband in Richmond, VA, and spending time with her wonderful family.
Kara Laurene Pernicano is a multidisciplinary artist, performer, and poet-critic. Her multimedia work characterizes auto-fictional stories upon moving to NYC by plane with a tangle of memories. Venturing from a closet-like space, she captures resonances in the porous mind to awaken an interpersonal approach to trauma, grief, healing, and mental health. She revels in the power of art assemblage and musical texture. Through embodied rehearsal, the activation of text and image inspires new signs of movement and patterns of breath. She has an MFA from Queens College CUNY and a MA from the University of Cincinnati. Kara’s writing has been published by Snapdragon, Waccamaw, Rabbit, The Humanities in Transition, Full Stop, the winnow magazine, and ang(st). Her visual art has been on view in the Whitney Staff Art Show and LIC Artists’ Plaxall Gallery. She has performed for New York Theatre Workshop, Poetic Theater Productions, and the Poetry Society of New York. She teaches writing at CUNY. Find out more about her work on her website: http://kara-pernicano.squarespace.com/.
Yael comes from the Philippines and now lives in North Carolina. An actress/singer, she has been a performer for the past 49 years. She has done various TV shows, commercials, and musicals: in the Philippines, in different parts of the world, on the West End, and on Broadway.
Raised in Aunu’u, American Samoa and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Proud graduate of the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Credits: My Name Is Gary Cooper at Kumu Kahua Theatre. Hā: The Breath of Life, Rainbows of Paradise, The Ali’i Luau at The Polynesian Cultural Center. Tupulaga O Samoa Mo A Taeao at The Merrie Monarch Festival. Ever thankful for the support of friends and especially the love of my aiga. Honored to represent the pride that has come before us. Fa’atuatua -Fa’amoemoe – Alofa IG: @ramsey.gt
Muraya Ranieri is a vocalist, actress, artist, dancer with a long career in tech sales and marketing from the San Francisco, Bay Area, CA. Mother of 5 other musicians and actors as well as married to one, being creative is like breathing in her family. She has always been the chosen one to read out loud in front of the class since elementary school. She has used her voice for DJing on radio, children’s stories, short stories, and animated film in addition to acting live in off-broadway productions and independent short films. As a teen of the 80’s, and lead singer for rock bands since the age of 12, she carries a wealth of pop and music culture knowledge and carries it with her in every performance she does. Forever youthful inside and out, hobbies are teaching Zumba, working out, playing the drums, healthy cooking, traveling, and getting lost in her VR games You can find her on IG @muraya5 and on Facebook under Muraya Mamanta Ranieri.
Colette Samman is a Deputy Commissioner with the City of New York. Colette is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience working with immigrant, homeless, and formerly incarcerated New Yorkers. Throughout her career, she has fought for social justice, and most recently led the launch of IDNYC, the nation's largest municipal identification card. Colette taught at Hunter College School of Social Work prior to joining Columbia University as a Faculty Advisor in the School of Social Work. However, these days she is mostly known as Scarlett and Hudson's mom.
Christopher is an actor, singer, and voice artist. Nat’l tours: Lion King, Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker Jr.), Rock of Ages (Mayor/Ja’Keith),The Color Purple (Ensemble/Buster). Regional: Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Drury Lane Theater). Many thanks to Shirley Hamilton Talent and the ever-endearing Lowery-Harts.
Trained as a musician with trumpet, he’s toured internationally as an instrumentalist, conductor, and performer. As an ordained worship pastor, Darian regularly leads worship while on tour. Honor first to Jesus Christ. Endless love to Jessica & Titus, family/friends, & Peggy at The Square Peg Group Inc. Regional Credits: Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus), Songs for a New World (Man One), Hairspray (Seaweed). Film/TV: Someone Worthy, New York Homicide. IG/Twitter: @_DarianSanders_. www.dariansanders.com
It is an honor to join the audio family at Passengers! Training: University of Maryland Baltimore County, BA. Credits: The Met Gala: “In America,” English with An Accent (GALA Hispanic Theatre), The Missing Fruit (Sadler’s Wells Digital Season). Love to her family and friends
Allison Semmes is a Broadway star who specializes in singing & performing. Drawing from her extensive experience, she provides top-tier vocal coaching services tailored to individuals looking to elevate their singing prowess in diverse musical styles. Delve into her Holistic Singing Vocal Coaching Sessions and unlock your own star power, stage presence and vocal mastery.
Paulina loves to tell a good story. Based in NYC, she’ll spend her free time singing a breakup ballad, writing a thrilling crime novel, or narrating an e-book. Since graduating from Boston University, she has studied vocal technique, performance and songwriting. Ater training with Shelly Shenoy, she developed an interest in commercial and narrative voiceover. Follow her on Instagram and possibly a TikTok!
Robbie is honored and excited to contribute to Passengers. Stage credits include Snoopy!, Rumbles, The Red Flower, Water Children, Our Town, Godspell, etc. Film/Television: On The Run (Hyperboy), “Fastlane” (Fox), “Urban Graffiti” (Fox), “Scrubs” (NBC), etc. Many thanks to God, Mom, Dad, The Starting Five, Family and Friends. Special thanks to Barry, Karen and Lois Yvonne. Robbie is a proud member of AEA, SAG and ASCAP. I dedicate this show to my beautiful wife, Lisa. You are my heart, my life, and my inspiration. Thanks for marrying me.
Martina Sykes is a native of St. Petersburg, Fl graduated from Gibbs PCCA High School and received her bachelor’s in Public Relations from the University of Florida (Go Gators). She is currently playing Shenzi in Disney’s The Lion King National Tour. Her favorite credits include Disney’s The Lion King (National Tour), Motown The Musical (Broadway, National Tour), Rent (regional), and Raindogs (US premier). She has performed and recorded with Emmy nominated Tituss Burgees on his gospel album Welcome. She is the featured soloist on the song Stand Back. She founded The heART Mission Inc., a community service-based nonprofit organization to help feed and clothe the homeless, veterans, domestic violence victims, and families in crisis.
Meghan Tanaka is a poet from Jackson, MS. She recently got her MFA in poetry from NC State University and is now living in Raleigh, NC.
Overjoyed to join Passengers. Attended: American Musical and Dramatic Academy NY. Regional credits: Tarzan; Dreamgirls; Hairspray; Little Shop; International: Beauty and the Beast Tour and Disney cruise lines. “I thank my family and friends for their constant and overflowing prayers and support!!”
Courtney Thomas is an Atlanta, Ga Based dancer who is currently on tour with Disney’s The Lion King National tour. He has danced for the tour for 6 years and has understudied the role of Ed for 3. Before dancing for Lion Ling, he has studied dance and theatre in Paris, Italy and other parts of Europe. He continues his growth in the arts by learning voice acting.
bio pending
Forest VanDyke is a recording artist from Austin, Texas. When not sitting in front of a microphone, he can be seen in the Broadway Tour of The Lion King! Off-Broadway: Dog Man: The Musical. Regional: Mystic Pizza: A New Musical, Choir Boy, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Comedy of Errors. He is so pumped to be in front of a microphone again! .
Diamond Essence White is an actor and singer from New York City. She graduated with her BFA in Acting from LIU Post and has worked professionally in Theater and Film since then. She is thrilled to be on this project and thanks Brady for the opportunity to use her voice in a very different way.
Syndee Winters (@syndeewinters) is an American singer, recording artist, and actress. Best known for her role as “Nala.” Syndee’s other credits include lead roles in Motown the Musical, Pippin, Jesus Christ Superstar on NBC, and Hamilton. In 2020, Syndee founded R.O.A.R., a professional development program helping artists hoan their skills, transform their stage presence and navigate the industry. Inspired by the art of storytelling, Syndee’s tours the world with two magical productions. Disney Princess: The Concert and Lessons From A Lady: A Dedication to Lena Horne. Syndee is also an award- winning recording artist and her latest project with GRAMMY® winning producer Ben Williams entitled, “Butterfly Black” is available everywhere now.
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Founder
Zac Furlough
Zac is a poet and the founder of Passengers Literary Press. His poetry has been published in Still: The Journal, Prometheus Dreaming, Hare’s Paw, and Wild Roof Journal, amongst others. He can be found on Twitter and Instagram @furlough43 or reached at passengerspress@gmail.com.
Book Reviews
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