Our Staff and Board

John Marks
Artistic Director

John Marks (he/him) has loved strange stories and weird characters his whole entire life. He has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Theater Production, and since joining the Pulp Stage in 2016, he has begun to seriously pursue script writing. He currently moderates and writes for the Pulp Stage Writer’s Room, and also writes and acts in That Damned Hotel. He and his wife Julie live in Portland with a cheeky terrier. They enjoy eating, walking, belching, and other normal human activities.

Colleen Socha
Managing Director

Colleen Socha (she/her) first started engaging with Pulp Stage in 2019 through their Tuesday Reads programs. Once 2020 hit she became more involved with Pulp by leading and coordinating the Tuesday Reads virtually, joining the Board, and contributing to DEIB meetings and training. Now she is the President of the Board and organizes various meetings for Pulp Stage. When she can she performs as well. Her biggest role with the company was PASSENGER in The Beaten Path by William Thomas Berk. When she is not engaged in Pulp activity she is working in childcare, journaling, or snuggling her cat Nala.

Anne Berk
Board Member

Anne Berk (she/her) was a theater kid. Although she eventually became many other things (Mom, eye doctor, business owner, knitting designer/teacher/writer), performing and supporting performers has always been part of her life. Now she uses her business experience to maintain and manage the money for Pulp Stage so that performers will be supported financially.

Quanna Brisbane
Board Member

Quanna Brisbane is an officer on the Board. She joined in November 2021 and was officially voted onto the Board in January 2022. She provides good insight that takes into account how other individuals may view our operational and instructional writing. She is a mother to one son and two fur-babies.

Johnathan Hernandez
Interim VIce President/Board Member

Jonathan Hernandez (he/him/his) is an actor, writer, and podcaster. You may have seen him performing alongside Colleen Socha in William Thomas Berk’s play, The Beaten Path, or co-starring in the terrific series That Damned Hotel written by John Marks. Currently he’s serving on the board as Interim Vice President where his duties are to be on the DEIB committee. 

“I love being part of this organization and working with a vast community of artists. Everyone is talented, considerate, and imaginative. Being on the DEIB team has been incredibly rewarding to me, I get to learn how an organization can bring a higher sense of community and belonging; and together we are developing a concrete plan of action where we can demonstrate empathy, warmth, and effective communication.” 

The Pulp Stage has fostered the writing of many writers, either in the Writer's Workshop or The Pulp Factor. Here are the writers who have participate in The Pulp Stage's development process.

The Pulp Writer's Workshop

Starting in the pandemic, the Pulp Writer's Workshop met regularly to face the dastardly prompts of The Writer's Nightmare, a writing challenge in which writers are presented mismatched prompts which they must incorporate into new short plays in the Pulp style. Here are the writers who have been a part of The Writers' Workshop (so far).

The Pulp Factor

The Pulp Factor features playwrights workshopping new work in the Pulp style. Here are the playwrights who have taken part in the Factor.