Meet the team
Our passion is to share God’s love through live performance– and none of it happens without the people behind the scenes. Get to know the handful of dedicated artists and administrators who pour their gifts into every show.
Oksana Horton
President/ Artistic Director
Oksana received her education from the Fairmount Center for Creative and Performing Arts in Cleveland Ohio, the Boston Conservatory of Music, the American Music Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City, and studied under the world-renowned director, Terry Schreiber, at the Terry Schreiber’s Studio in New York City. Oksana has an extensive and diverse acting portfolio. She performed in summer stock, Off-Broadway in New York, television and commercials in Los Angeles.
Oksana shifted her focus to ministry over 25 years ago in Alaska by using dance to interpret the Gospel. After her time in Alaska, she moved to Seattle where she was the artistic director for Eastridge Church, directing major productions.
After fifteen years in Seattle, Oksana and her husband, Starr, moved to Florida where God divinely connected her with Revelation Ministries. She has no greater joy than using 40 years of education and experience to advance the Kingdom of God and see souls saved through the performing arts.
Merle Stewart
Costume Designer
Educated at the prestigious London School of Fashion, Merle Stewart began her career working with a top designer in London before setting sail across the Atlantic with her husband. Her journey eventually brought her to Fort Lauderdale, where she built a thriving interior design business for luxury yachts. Today, she brings decades of fashion expertise to Torch & Trumpet, elevating every period piece with her signature eye for detail and elegance.
Mark Wendel
Set Construction & Lighting Engineer
Mark has been voted Torch & Trumpet’s most likely to say “yes” to acting, singing tenor, writing, set design, all the while being a very active board member. When not overseeing his own plumbing business of 8 employees, he is the chief engineer for Torch & Trumpet.
His ministry work began at the age of 18 when he joined a touring singing group that traveled on two wheels from Seattle to Washington, D.C.
He is the only Torch & Trumpet member who was very involved in building sets and performing in theatre while serving in the Army. Mark has been heavily involved in his church theater group, working on sets, building stages, and working lighting design.
Gloria Thompson
Music Director
Gloria is a lyric coloratura soprano who has been professionally singing since 2005, performing solos in cabarets, and in musicals such as “My Fair Lady”, “Oklahoma”, “Hello Dolly” and other venues throughout south Florida as well as in nationally televised shows.
A native Floridian and a graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a degree in vocal performance, Gloria currently runs JM Holiday Lighting with her husband, is a vocal coach, and a mother of three beautiful children.
Monica Berovides-Hidalgo
Music Director
Monica Berovides-Hidalgo, mezzo-soprano, is currently Director of Worship at First Church of Coral Springs and adjunct professor of voice at Florida Atlantic University. Ms. Berovides-Hidalgo is also assistant conductor and artist in residence with Schola Cantorum of Florida and Director/Instructor for the SCOF Music Academy at FAU since 2009.
Ms. Berovides-Hidalgo has performed and recorded throughout South Florida and the United States and she is an accomplished and sought-after soloist with experience in studio recording and cross-over styles including opera, musical theater, recital repertoire, Contemporary Commercial Music, Contemporary and Traditional Christian music and Latin American popular songs.
She is certified in Somatic Voicework; The LoVetri Method, and also certified with The Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah University and she has completed the Lyric Diction Workshop at Vanderbilt University.She is currently Music Director with Torch and Trumpet Theater Company and was with Palm Beach Opera Chorus for five seasons (2009-2014). Ms. Berovides-Hidalgo is also an active coach, clinician, and private voice instructor.
Kathy Shashaty
Director of Choreography
Kathy was the director and choreographer for the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders from 1990 –1997. In addition to game day performances, she was also the creative director. She headed up all marketing and personal appearances for the group. They performed all over South Florida as well as London, Germany, and Japan.
She directed and choreographed dance routines for local music videos and commercials as well as choreographed opening numbers and videos for the Miss Florida USA pageant for several
Years.
She trained under the famed choreographer June Taylor of the June Taylor dancers.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Florida International University. She runs a Financial Services Company with her husband Guy. She has three children and three grandchildren. After raising her family her love for dance and performing brought her to Torch & Trumpet theatre company where she now uses her gifts to serve the Lord.
Travis Johnson
Founder
Born in Liberty, Texas on June 23, 1944, Travis Johnson was the fifth child of Minnie Ola Cain and James Alvie Johnson. After serving in the Air Force during Vietnam, he met Sara while stationed in Panama City, Florida, and together they settled in Fort Lauderdale, where Travis built a thriving excavation business.
Deeply devoted to Christ, Travis poured his heart into Revelation Ministries—helping create seven original productions (from “It’s Never Gonna Rain” to “The Scarlet Thread”) that reached churches, universities, correctional facilities, shelters, and retirement homes.
He also served the Fort Lauderdale Christmas Pageant from 1984 to 1997 (the last eight years as Production Manager), and in 1995 he felt God’s call to bring drama and music overseas—sharing the gospel in Ukraine, Russia, England, and Israel.
Travis passed away unexpectedly on October 2, 2017, and these performances are lovingly dedicated to his memory and to the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he served faithfully.