Krystal Ortiz (they/she) is a Cuban-American playwright and performer based in both Chicago and NYC.

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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 with Carlos Lopez Estrada. Krystal is a playwright-in-residence with the Goodman Theatre's 2024-2025 New Stages Residency (in collaboration with Satya Jnani Chavez) to develop their new musical, Fruition.

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As an actor, Krystal was nominated for a Colorado Theatre Guild Henry Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2023, and a Non-Equity Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Performer in a Supporting Role in 2020. They were featured as one of Chicago Tribune's 2019 Hot New Faces​ of Chicago Theater and nominated for a 3Arts Award in Theater in 2021.

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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.​

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Check out this featured shoutout from the Chicago Latino Theatre Alliance in 2020!

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Krystal is proudly represented by Stewart Talent Chicago.

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