Cristina Pla-Guzman - Page 2

Cristina Pla-Guzman is a Miami based theatre critic, writer, teaching artist, director, and actress. Cristina is a 2019 fellow of the O’Neill Theatre Center’s National Critics Institute. She was also honored as a 2016 Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher. She is incredibly proud to be in Theatre Communications Group’s Rising Leaders of Color cohort 4 for Theatre Journalism. She is a freelance writer and has worked with American Theatre Magazine.

Cristina has been working in the theatre for the last sixteen years. She has her Masters in Special Education, a Bachelor in Fine Arts, and graduated Magna cum Laude in Acting from Florida International University. She studied Dialects and Voice with Lesley-Ann Timlick, Music Theatre with Elise Augenblick, and Movement with Katherine Kramer. She has taken part in the Collaboration Workshop with Allison Bergman from Carnegie Mellon, and a Performance Art Workshop with Sayda Trujillo from Dell’ Arte. She has attended CityWrights and the Broadway Teacher’s Workshop.

She has performed in several productions. Her favorites include her one women show, Sex with Mae West, “Cabaret” where she played Fräulein Kost, “Urinetown” where she played Penelope Pennywise, “Tartuffe” where she played Madame Pernelle, and “Hair”: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical where she played Sunshine.

She is a member of the American Theatre Critic's Association where she serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Her educational theatre credits include membership in the Theatre Education Association and International Thespian Society Troupe Sponsor. She is also a member of the South Florida Theatre League, Florida Association of Theatre Educators as well as Dade Association of Theatre Educators.

Cristina received Teacher of the Year 2012- 2013, Nova Southeastern University’s Cervantes Educator Award, and an Award for Outstanding Service in Theatre from Florida International University. Cristina was also awarded the 2016 Top-Notch teacher by the national Varsity Brands' School Spirit Awards as well as a Dedication and Achievement award by the Miami Lakes Town Council in 2016.

Cristina is currently the Upper School Theatre teacher and director for Miami Country Day School. Besides being a Drama Mama, her most important roles are as a mom to her daughters and a being a loving wife.