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Migdalia Cruz

Migdalia Cruz is a dramatist of Puerto Rican descent who hails from the Bronx, New York. From an early age, she had an interest in plays. When she was a young child during the 60s, she would often put on puppet shows that centered on civil rights. Today, much of her work delves into similar themes.

Cruz channels the themes of oppression and Latin American issues in her body of work. Cruz originally used writing as an emotional release after the traumatic death of a childhood friend when she was eight. At sixteen, she graduated from high school and attended Queens College as a math major. At the time, she did not realize she could do something in playwrighting. In 1984, Cruz went on to Columbia University where she obtained her masters in playwrighting. In 1991 and 1995, she was the Playwrighting Fellow for the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1996, Cruz received the Kennedy Center's Fund for New American Plays for Another Part of the House. She has taught playwrighting at Princeton and Amherst College. In addition to this, she has also guest lectured at Columbia and Yale.

Cruz has contributed award-winning work to society, but more importantly, she has attempted to reach those who have been disenfranchised. She hopes to use theater to get in touch with those groups that may be alienated. These groups may range from Latinos to other people of color. Through her work, Cruz hopes to make theater more accessible to regular people and not just those who frequent the theater. The talent of Migdalia Cruz is undeniable, but it is the message behind her work that is truly inspirational.

(Sources are listed in my bibliography section)