Brian Sonia-Wallace he/they (Poet, Curator) has written over 10,000 poems for strangers across the country since 2011 as RENT Poet, and founded Pride Poets in 2019. Each year Pride Poets works with 10-20 LGBTQ+ writers to create over 500 original poems for participants at Pride, celebrating their love, their identities, and their activism. This work has garnered a City of West Hollywood Rainbow Key Award for LGBTQ+ activism and been featured on KTLA and Spectrum 1, as well as creating activations for Pepsi and the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles to uplift queer voices.

The poets joining Brian to write for the public this year are:

Syd Shaw
Valerie, darling.
Victor Yates
Timothy Nang
Pastiche Queen
Jose Rios
Jen Cheng
Socks Whitmore
Jeffrey McCray
Frankie Tan
Hank Henderson

Syd Shaw is a queer poet from the San Fernando Valley. She is Workshop Coordinator at Passengers Journal, and studied poetry and journalism at Northwestern University. Syd first joined Pride Poets in 2021, and fell in love with the community and the practice of telling the stories of strangers. When not writing or teaching writing workshops,  she is an amateur aerialist & burlesque performer. More info can be found at https://sydshaw.carrd.co/

Pastiche Queen (they/them) is a non-binary Latindigenous performance artist from Denver, now based in Hollywood. With degrees in Politics (Queer Theory) and Theater (Playwriting/Directing) from Whitman College, and an MFA from The Stella Adler Art of Acting Conservatory, their work centers marginalized voices and reimagines texts through a transformative lens. A decorated slam poet, Pastiche has won titles across the U.S. and competes with the champion West Hollywood Slam Team. They regularly perform at Da Poetry Lounge and are the author of Trans Velociraptors, available from The Los Angeles Press. Their artistry bridges identity, activism, and performance.

Victor Yates is a writer, storyteller, and content creator on YouTube with 95k subscribers. He was selected for the Fire Island Artist Residency and won the 2020 George Floyd Honorarium for Poetry from the Los Angeles Press. He also won the 2017 Judith A. Markowitz Award for Emerging LGBTQ Writers and the 2016 Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Debut Fiction for his book, A Love Like Blood.

Hank Henderson, a 2018 Lambda Literary Poetry Fellow, curated the LGBTQ+ writers series homo-centric for 11 years at Stories Books & Cafe, WeHo Book Fair, Lambda Literary LitFest, and WeHo Arts Festival.  His solo show Fugue State was featured at Highway’s Ecce Lesbo-Ecce Homo Festival and the WeHo Arts Festival.  Runner-up in the Nebraska Poetry Society’s 2023 Spoken Poetry Contest, his work has appeared in the anthologies Under the Belly Of the Beast and Los Angeles Press Volumes 9 and 10. He lives in Glassell Park with a guy named Joe and three cats.

Jeffrey McCray is APLA Health’s Long Beach Program Coordinator for HIVE (the HIV+ Elders program) and is a Co-Chair of the Long Beach Comprehensive HIV Planning Group. He is a member of Pride Poets and has had writing featured at Greystone Mansion and as a conference keynote, bringing his unique perspective as a gay black man.

Socks Whitmore is a neuroqueer performer, creative, educator, producer, and otherwise professional overachiever. As a crossdisciplinary artist rooted in voice and text, their work spans from live performance to digital media to print — including theater, film, music, VO, games, poetry, essays, & more. They have been produced by New Musicals Inc., Overtone Industries, & Femini==ytales, and published by American Composers Forum, Translash Media, & Queer Quarterly magazine, among others. They are a co-founder & company manager of 8TPS (an all-trans polystylistic vocal collective), a staff member at Bolero Game Studio & CIPA (the Creative & Independent Producers Alliance), and the 2024 recipient of Celebration Theatre’s Vibrant Voice Award.

Frankie Tan is the queer multicultural spawn of three worlds. Former Artistic Director of the Poetry Brothel literary cabaret & an official West Hollywood Pride Poet, their writing has been published by Foglifter Press, the Los Angeles Press, and others. They have performed poetry & typewritten custom poems for people nationwide. When not writing, reading, or wrangling performers, Frankie can be found in the air as a circus showgirl. Their first book, A Jungle Refuses To Give Up, was nominated for a Pushcart prize.

Learn more at rentpoet.com/community

CAST:
Elodie Azoulay (they/them)
Kyla McCracken (they/them)
Danny Moreno (they/them)
Jeff Roy (they/them)
Lars Toler (he/they)

Projection Designer: Sarah Holder (she/they)

BIOS:
Elodie Azoulay (they/them) is a multi-disciplinary performance artist who has appeared in sold-out shows across LA in theaters like The Yard, The Elysian, Lyric Hyperion and more. Elodie is a masterclass in the creation of unique characters from drag king Soif Boi French to viral Tiktok sensations like The Slimelier. They perform regularly with their astrological clown troupe Planets, Planets, Planets and have trained under Aitor, John Gilkey, and The Groundlings, perfecting their unique style of inspired and vulnerable play with their audiences. Elodie is performing their solo show FEELINGS this June at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Follow on IG: @elodieeznuts

Kyla McCracken (they/them) is a multi-disciplinary artist, performer, and educator. They began working with Coeurage and the LA LGBT Center in 2023 doing wardrobe design for Frozen Fluid, while their monthly variety show Smoochin Cuties ran for 7 years in both Los Angeles and Brooklyn. Kyla has gone on to host dozens of other live shows, bingo games, showcases, and cabarets around the city. Their directorial debut Feelings will premiere at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. Kyla works as a private chef and preschool teacher and lives in Glendale with their sweet perfect dog, Gayle Weathers.

Amanda McRaven (she/her, Coeurage Ensemble Artistic Director) directs and produces collaborative, feminist, queer, socially-conscious events. She is extremely proud of building a collaboration with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, alongside Nicki Monet, the world’s greatest Executive Director. She is also the founder and co-producer of Los Angeles Lady Arm Wrestlers, a social justice, community-based performance series that fundraises for local non-profits; an educator and facilitator of theater with people who are systems-impacted and incarcerated; and the Director of Community Programs at the Shakespeare Center. She believes in joy and showing up as you are—that’s why she loves cabarets.

Nicole Monet (she/her, Coeurage Ensemble Executive Director) is a founding member of Coeurage and was initially responsible for managing finances. In 2010, she was promoted to General Manager, head of the administrative wing of the company. As she gained valuable knowledge of theatre administration, both inside and outside the organization, she began taking a more creative role in shaping the company’s operation. She now leads Coeurage Ensemble as their executive director. She appears regularly on stage for Coeurage, as well as acting professionally in Film and Television. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from California State University, Fullerton.

Danny Moreno (they/them) is grateful to be back on the Center stage! A lifelong singer, Danny has performed in musicals like Reefer Madness, Avenue Q, The Wild Party, and more. Danny has sung and choreographed for the NYC Gay Men’s Chorus, where they were an original member of the pop a cappella ensemble TONEWALL. The chorus streak continued with el Coro de Hombres Gays de Madrid, and most recently, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles.

Jeff Roy (they/them) is a multidisciplinary artist and educator who uses music, sound, and moving images to travel in time. A violinist and vocalist, Roy creates original compositions that swim in the cinematic soundscapes of classical post/minimalism, folk, and indie pop. Their work has been featured on international radio charts and editorial playlists in the streaming universe. @jeffroymusic

Lars Toler (he/they) is a multi-hyphenate theatre maker based in Long Beach. He graduated from CSULB in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Theatre minor. Throughout his time at CSULB, he wrote two original short plays that were produced at the college, and directed multiple shows through the student run theatre company. Credits include Jane Doe in Ride the Cyclone.Through their art, Lars aims to be as vocal and forward as possible about trans rights, disability rights, mental health advocacy, and the rights of all. He loves his partner, Jane, and their 13-year-old calico cat. @larslarzlars

https://www.coeurage.org/donate

Hank Henderson, curator
Francesca Lia Block, author
Jason Jenn, writer/performer
Allison Lee, guest speaker
Abdi Nazemian, author
Steven Reigns, author

BIOS:
Hank Henderson curated the LGBTQ+ writers series homo-centric for 11 years at Stories Books and at events for Lambda Literary LitFest and WeHo Arts Festival. He is a 2018 Lambda Literary Poetry Fellow. His solo show Fugue State was featured at Highway’s Ecce Lesbo-Ecce Homo Festival and the WeHo Arts Festival. His work has appeared in the anthologies Under the Belly Of the Beast and Los Angeles Press Volumes 9 and 10. He was a finalist in the Nebraska Poetry Society’s 2023 Spoken Poetry Contest. He lives in Glassell Park with a guy named Joe and three cats.

Francesca Lia Block, M.F.A., is the award-winning and best-selling author of more than thirty books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry, and has written screenplay adaptations of her work. She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award. Currently she teaches at UCLA Extension, Antioch University and privately in Los Angeles. Her latest novel is House of Hearts. Francesca edits the Lit Angels journal on Substack.

Abdi Nazemian is the author of Only This Beautiful Moment—winner of a 2024 Stonewall Award and 2024 Lambda Literary Award—and Like a Love Story, one of Time magazine’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time. He also authored the YA novels Desert Echoes, The Chandler Legacies, The Authentics and the upcoming Exquisite Things. His novel The Walk-In Closet won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Debut Fiction. His screenwriting credits include the films The Artist’s Wife, The Quiet, and Menendez: Blood Brothers. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband, their two children, and their dog, Disco.

Jason Jenn is an interdisciplinary artist who works in various roles, including performer, writer, visual artist, director, producer, filmmaker, designer, consultant, and curator. His works are designed for exhibition on stage, screen, page, galleries, and special environments. He is the Technical Director for This Way Out Radio and Co-Founder of L.A. Art Documents. He is producing the upcoming Stuart Timmons West Hollywood LGBTQ History Tour for the city’s 40th Anniversary and curating the visual art exhibition Bird Circuit, opening May 31 at Cal State LA, based on historic LGBTQ bar venues with bird-inspired names. www.jasonjenn.com

Allison Lee currently serves as the managing director for PEN America Los Angeles. Lee has over thirty years of experience working with progressive social justice organizations. Lee previously served as Chief Development Office of TIME’S UP, Vice President of External Affairs at Bet Tzedek Legal Services, and was the founding Executive Director of American Jewish World Service – Southern California. Lee graduated with honors with a degree in Political Science and American Studies from Tufts University.

Steven Reigns is a Los Angeles poet and educator and was appointed the first Poet Laureate of West Hollywood. Alongside over a dozen chapbooks, he has published the collections Inheritance, Your Dead Body is My Welcome Mat, and A Quilt for David. Reigns holds a BA in Creative Writing, a Masters of Clinical Psychology, and edited My Life is Poetry, showcasing his students’ work from the first-ever autobiographical poetry workshop for LGBT seniors. Currently he is touring The Gay Rub, an exhibition of rubbings from LGBT landmarks. His forthcoming collection Outliving Michael will be out in fall of 2025.

Program Note:
homo-centric is proud to have partnered with PEN America for this evening’s event. Many thanks to Allison Lee, Ayana O’Brien, and the folks at PEN for their help, support, and enthusiasm with BANNED Camp. PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. The organization champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Their mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.

To donate, visit pen.org/donate.  

Models:
Shadia Elise (She/Her/They), Actor/Model IG: @shadia_elise
Matt Teng (He/Him) IG: @tengy

FEATURING:
Kai Choyce
Raye Schiller
Charlie James
Hosted by Marval Rex

CREATIVE TEAM:
Marval Rex (Producer/Performer, he/him)
Jett Fink (Producer, they/them)

MARVAL REX is a transmasculine, Catalan-American actor, comedian, director, and professional astrologer. Raised in Mormon-dominated Utah, he has been creating genre-bending live artworks and films for over a decade. Rex is the creator of “Big Dad Energy,” the world’s first exclusively transmasculine comedy night. His solo show, REXODUS: Out of the Closet and Into the Tribe, intertwines his personal journey of gender transition and spiritual discovery. He has appeared in television and film projects such as the Emmy winning Book of Queer, House of Abraham and Airplane 2025.

JETT FINK (They/Them) is an LA-based producer, director, and writer. During the pandemic, Jett wrote, directed, and produced MISS JORDAN’S SPRING 2020 PRODUCTION which is now streaming on Broad.stream. Jett’s play TERMINAL: A PLAY ABOUT 0 PLANES, 1 PERSON, AND A 6-HOUR DELAY which they wrote, directed, and produced alongside their frequent collaborator Samantha Vita premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2023 to rave reviews. Most recently, Jett produced the short film OH CHRISTMAS TREE starring Mark Duplass and Directed by Katie Aselton. Jett is a graduate of NYU Tisch. They currently work at Duplass Brothers Productions.

@bigdadenergyshow // @marvalrex // @officialjettfink

To donate, visit venmo.com/u/marval-rex

More info at jencvoice.com

by Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj
Directed by Camille A. Brown

A West Coast Premiere Reading Presentation

Run time: 95 mins

To donate, visit https://celebrationtheatre.org/give