Krystal Ortiz

Krystal Ortiz

Krystal is a Cuban-American playwright and librettist based in Chicago, IL. Krystal's full-length, bilingual, historical punk-rock musical, LOS FRIKIS, is currently seeking its world premiere production. Krystal is also co-producing a documentary about the history of the frikis cubanos. Originally from Miami, FL, Krystal attended New World School of the Arts High School for Music Theatre before moving to...
Krystal is a Cuban-American playwright and librettist based in Chicago, IL. Krystal's full-length, bilingual, historical punk-rock musical, LOS FRIKIS, is currently seeking its world premiere production. Krystal is also co-producing a documentary about the history of the frikis cubanos. Originally from Miami, FL, Krystal attended New World School of the Arts High School for Music Theatre before moving to Chicago to earn a BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University.

Plays

  • LOS FRIKIS by Krystal Ortiz
    Cast: 
    6–8
    ·
    Genre: docudrama/historic, musical
    ·
    Keyword: punk rock, Cuban History + 5 more
    Genre: docudrama/historic, musical
    Keyword: punk rock, Cuban History, HIV/AIDS, play with music, Jukebox Musical, actor musicians, queer love
    LOS FRIKIS tells the true story of a community of young punks in Cuba in the late 80s and early 90s who faced so much adversity at the hands of the Cuban government that they self-injected with HIV-positive blood to access a higher quality of life living in the government-sanctioned quarantined sanitariums. Using music from a Cuban punk band called EsKoria, the story follows a tight-knit group of friends trying...
    LOS FRIKIS tells the true story of a community of young punks in Cuba in the late 80s and early 90s who faced so much adversity at the hands of the Cuban government that they self-injected with HIV-positive blood to access a higher quality of life living in the government-sanctioned quarantined sanitariums. Using music from a Cuban punk band called EsKoria, the story follows a tight-knit group of friends trying to thrive in an oppressive regime. They fall in love and laugh and thrash while considering a liberated path to death as an actual alternative to being stifled at every turn.
  • Maintaining by Krystal Ortiz
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: political, romantic comedy
    Genre: political, romantic comedy
    Mai just moved into a new apartment and serendipitously gets intertwined with Nico who works as maintenance in the building. After another tenant is faced with a wrongful eviction, Mai and Nico have to navigate their different approaches to being a good neighbor, inspiring debates about community solidarity, integrity, and privilege.
  • With Baited Breath (music & lyrics by Nygel D. Robinson) by Krystal Ortiz
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, musical + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: 10-minute musical, queer + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, musical, romantic comedy
    Keyword: 10-minute musical, queer, a short comedy
    Two people on a third date where one cooks dinner for the other for the first time. The cook intentionally bombs the meal as a test to see how their date will react: be honest or be polite. The fish being cooked for dinner is also a personified character.