ABOUT
Jaime Alejandro Cruz writes and records. He produces the Arts Calling Podcast and founded the Coalition for Digital Narratives, a collaborative space for independent creatives, showcasing short-form literary works and audio projects. cruzfolio.com.
Longer Bio
Jaime Alejandro Cruz (he/him) is a Mexican-American, award-winning playwright, podcaster, and multimedia creative raised in Wyoming. He writes and records stuff.
His plays have been produced at the Las Vegas Little Theater, the University of Wyoming, and Rain City Projects, among others. Jaime has created educational plays for young audiences for the Casper Children’s Theater, Pine Bluffs High School, and more. His supernatural coming-of-age screenplay, The Inherited, was a Screamcraft International Semifinalist, as well as a ScriptLab International Quarterfinalist. Jaime’s work has been workshopped and developed at The American College Theater Festival at the Kennedy Center, Last Frontier Theater Conference, University of Las Vegas, Relative Theatrics, Northwest Playwrights, and others. He was recently invited to serve as panelist for the Ohio Arts Council Excellence Award for play/screenwriting.
As a performer, Jaime focuses on voiceover work for indie projects and is the singing half of the acoustic duo Cruz & Jonez. In a rare offline performance, Jaime was recently onstage as a University of Wyoming visiting artist, in Robert Con David-Undiano’s Bless Me, Coatlicue, the first play about the great Chicano writer Rudolfo Anaya.
To serve fellow independent creatives, Jaime hosts and produces the Arts Calling Podcast, a showcase of artists in the literary, visual, and performing arts. He is also the founder of the Coalition for Digital Narratives, a gathering place committed to short-form storytelling, audio projects, and home of the coalitionworks literary journal. Through an absurdist immigrant lens, Jaime creates stories about family, working-class people, and outsiders. Jaime studied theater performance at Casper College, and playwriting/directing at the University of Wyoming.
Alongside his creative career, Jaime has worn many hats, including those of small business owner, employment specialist, case manager, business representative, and multimedia creative. His work experience in the human services field influences his projects tremendously.
PLAY / SCREENWRITING
Semi-Finalist, Screamcraft Int’l Horror Contest (The Inherited)
Quarter-Finalist, The Script Lab Screenplay Comp. (The Inherited, Top 7% of 13,000 entries)
Winner, NAPAT National Playwriting Competition (Cuarto # Cuatro)
Winner, NWDC/NPA Regional Playwriting Competition (Videotape)
Finalist, John Cauble National One Act Award (Dead in the Kitchen)
2X Winner KCACTF Region VII One Act Award
VIDEO / FILMMAKING BACKGROUND + HONORS
J. CRUZ VIDEO
Once upon a time, my wife and I provided video production services as Jaime Cruz Videography, LLC. We captured everything: Weddings, recitals, and special events, as well as custom video solutions such as corporate projects, testimonials, and so on. Notable highlights include capturing Olympic medalist Adam Rippon’s figure skating routine in Casper, as well as Grammy Winners The Steeldrivers performing at Oyster Ridge Music Festival. There’s a few samples from that era on my old YouTube channel.
Short. Sweet. Film Fest Official Selection (SEEK, w/ Anthony Stengel)
307 Film Festival, Official Selection (SEEK, w/ Anthony Stengel)
Spotlight Film Awards, Gold Winner (SEEK, w/ Anthony Stengel)
Sheridan Filmmaker’s Festival (At a Distance, writer + director)
The Tumble: In Pieces (writer + director, a web series)
Nowhere People: A Music Video Film (writer + director, student feature)
SKILLS + ABILITIES
Audio/Video Production
Extensive script writing experience
Voice Over performance and production
Adobe Creative Suite
Advanced English and Spanish proficiency
Experience leading creative workshops
At ease problem-solving independently or in collaboration