The Staff

connections for Rhea Carmon, Marcus Carmon, and Elijah Cruise

the fifth woman - the 5th woman

executive director

Rhea Carmon, also known by her stage moniker, RheaSunshine, has been writing and performing spoken word poetry and slam for 20 years.  Her poems are powerfully motivating with an emphasis on her own personal struggles and how others can overcome.  She is the director of the annual 5th Woman On Stage (2014 - 2018), a producer for Carmon Sense Productions, coordinator for the 5th Woman Workshops, Executive Producer for Beyond the Spark, and the Poet Laureate for the city of Knoxville.  Rhea has self-published 4 chapbooks, released 3 spokenword CDs and is currently working creating a series of workshops for youth, married couples, and individuals wanting poetic therapy. 

WEBSITE: http://rheacarmon.com

INSTAGRAM: @rheasunshinepoetry


Assistant director/music production

Elijah Cruise is a professional musician, producer and vocalist who is working on his next project. He has played keys for multiple projects, such as The Fifth Woman at Bonnaroo and Erick Baker at The Bijou in Knoxville.

INSTAGRAM @elijahcruise

Hold On - Music Video

Where Did All My Friends Go? - Music Video

Tired of Feeling This Way - Music Video

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carmon sense_photo.jpg

marketing director/producer

Marcus Carmon is the Executive Director of Carmon Sense Productions. He has been producing videos, plays, internet content and more for over 6 years. Marcus has produced content for East Tennessee PBS, Blackberry Farms, the Knoxville Arts & Culture Alliance, and many more. He is the reigning Haiku champion for Knoxville Poetry Slam and he has released a book of haikus. Most recently, Marcus, whose goes by the stage moniker Carmon Sense, hosted the 2019 How Stage at Bonnaroo. There is nothing this artist cannot accomplish and he is making his space and letting his light shine in venues all over the country.

INSTAGRAM @carmon_sense

How the West Was One - documentary

Secretary of Education Visits ORS - information video