Cristina Pla-Guzman

Cristina Pla-Guzman

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. 






MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

BWW Review: LONG DISTANCE AFFAIR presented by Juggerknot Theatre Company And PopUP Theatrics
BWW Review: LONG DISTANCE AFFAIR presented by Juggerknot Theatre Company And PopUP Theatrics
May 27, 2020

'Long Distance Affair'. Intense! Super Fun. Immersive theatre that is fresh and exciting from the comfort of your living room. Long Distance Affair is a web-based virtual and personal experience where each guest, either by themselves or with a small group, is a participant in their own theatrical experience.

BWW Review: HAMILTON at the Adrienne Arsht Center
BWW Review: HAMILTON at the Adrienne Arsht Center
February 25, 2020

Hamilton is a masterpiece - one that miraculously delivers despite all the hype that surrounds it. It really is that good! But with a cast on Broadway, many in cities in the U.S. and London, you may wonder is it worth seeing the touring cast? I have one short answer- YES!

BWW Review: AMERICAN SON at the Adrienne Arsht Center
BWW Review: AMERICAN SON at the Adrienne Arsht Center
January 20, 2020

AMERICAN SON is masterfully written and has a relevant topic. It's a story that we should be discussing. With the Black Lives Matter movement, it is the perfect time to discuss implicit bias.

BWW Interview: Christopher Demos-Brown on AMERICAN SON at the Adrienne Arsht Center
BWW Interview: Christopher Demos-Brown on AMERICAN SON at the Adrienne Arsht Center
January 9, 2020

It was a point of pride to interview celebrated local playwright, Christopher Demos-Brown, about his play, American Son, which opened on Broadway last November and starred Kerry Washington. South Florida's theater community celebrated one of our own as the play had a wildly successful run on Broadway. American Son will have its Florida premiere at the Arsht Center as a co-presentation with Zoetic Stage of which Demos-Brown is Zoetic Stage's founding artistic director.

BWW Review: RING OF FIRE at Actor's Playhouse At The Miracle Mile Theatre
BWW Review: RING OF FIRE at Actor's Playhouse At The Miracle Mile Theatre
November 14, 2019

Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre kicks off its 2019-2020 Mainstage Season with Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash, celebration of the legendary Man in Black which plays until December 8, 2019.

BWW Review: THE WOLVES at Adrienne Arsht Center
BWW Review: THE WOLVES at Adrienne Arsht Center
November 7, 2019

The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe, directed by Stuart Meltzer is making its South Florida premiere October 31 through November 17, 2019 at Zoetic Stage at Adrienne Arsht Center.

BWW Review: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Adrienne Arsht Center-Exquisite! Breathtaking! Wonderful!
BWW Review: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Adrienne Arsht Center-Exquisite! Breathtaking! Wonderful!
November 6, 2019

Exquisite! Breathtaking! Wonderful! There are no better words to describe the North American tour of the Tony Award ®-nominated Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof, which came to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County from October 29 to November 3, 2019.

BWW Feature: BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY at Colony Theatre
BWW Feature: BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY at Colony Theatre
October 29, 2019

Miami New Drama presents The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder adapted for the stage by David Greenspan- October 24-25, 2019 a?" Preview October 26, 2019 a?" Opening Night through November 17, 2019 Tickets starting at $39. Miami New Drama at the Colony Theatre is proud to present THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY, an adventurous adaptation of Thorton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winning novel written and starring six-time Obie Award winning playwright, David Greenspan. The multi-faceted tale is turned into a wryly lyrical fable of fate, love, and the transformative magic of theater.

BWW Interview: Kelly Gabrielle Murphy And Bennett J. Leeds of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Adrienne Arsht Center
BWW Interview: Kelly Gabrielle Murphy And Bennett J. Leeds of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Adrienne Arsht Center
October 29, 2019

Fiddler on the Roof Cast members and University of Miami alums, Kelly Gabrielle Murphy and Bennett J. Leeds return to the Arsht Center stage The North American tour of the Tony Award ®-nominated Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof is coming to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County from October 29 to November 3, 2019.

FOX FOUNDATION RESIDENT ACTOR FELLOWSHIPS Applications Now Available
FOX FOUNDATION RESIDENT ACTOR FELLOWSHIPS Applications Now Available
October 8, 2019

FOX FOUNDATION RESIDENT ACTOR FELLOWSHIPS:NEW APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE GRANTS FOR ACTORS RANGING FROM $15,000 TO $25,000 GRANTS TO HOST THEATRES OF $7,500 APPLICATION AND RECOMMENDER DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 19, 2019, NOON ET

BWW Review: GENTE OCIOSA at Colony Theatre
BWW Review: GENTE OCIOSA at Colony Theatre
August 26, 2019

The Colony Theatre once again showcases exceptional work with 'Gente Ociosa' based on the classic text 'Uncle Vanya' by renown Russian writer and playwright Antón Chekhov. 'Gente Ociosa' is adapted by Venezuelan playwright Karin Valecillos, directed by Michel Hausmann.

BWW Review: COME FROM AWAY at The Adrienne Arsht Center- Unapologetically Kind
BWW Review: COME FROM AWAY at The Adrienne Arsht Center- Unapologetically Kind
June 23, 2019

The roar of the audience's appreciation at the curtain call still rings loudly in my ear. Although I alternated between laughing and crying while watching the national tour of COME FROM AWAY at the Adrienne Arsht Center, what I remember feeling once the curtain came down was joy. I may have discovered for myself why this show is such a hit on Broadway and on tour because while it talks about a challenging time in our history, it also reminds us of how kind people were in the aftermath of 911. (Something that feels lacking in our current political climate.) It is easy to be kind to those you love, but the unquestionable kindness people can have for strangers - inspires. COME FROM AWAY is a story we need to keep telling. It's a story we should continue to tell to remind us that people can and should genuinely care for one another even and especially when they have nothing to gain. 

BWW Interview: Nick Duckart of COME FROM AWAY at the Adrienne Arsht Center- Welcoming Home One of Our Own
BWW Interview: Nick Duckart of COME FROM AWAY at the Adrienne Arsht Center- Welcoming Home One of Our Own
June 14, 2019

Miami is thrilled to welcome one of our own Nick Duckart performing in the national tour of COME FROM AWAY, a Broadway musical about the true story of the small town that welcomed the world after 9/11 when the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all. COME FROM AWAY will make its Miami debut at the Center's Ziff Ballet Opera House for a limited engagement on June 18 - 23, 2019. Nick Duckart was born and raised in Hialeah, FL, attended Hialeah High School, New World School of the Arts and the University of Florida and still has family in the area. Nick reminisces as we talk about his humble beginnings in Hialeah that shaped him into who he is today.

BWW Review: BRONX TALE at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Has Heart!
BWW Review: BRONX TALE at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Has Heart!
June 14, 2019

Set on the stoops of the Bronx in the socially turbulent 1960s a young man, Calogero, is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he would love to be. As he grows into a teenager on the streets of the Bronx, Calogero "C" gets taken under the wing of neighborhood mobster Sonny. Despite the warning from his straight-arrow bus driver father, Lorenzo, Sonny initiates the boy into the ways of gang life after "C" covers up a murder for Sonny. The story gets kicked up a notch when "C" falls for his African-American classmate, Jane, and the repercussions threaten the entire neighborhood. Featuring an original doo-wop score, this is a tale about respect, loyalty, love, and above all else: family.

BWW Review: SUMMER SHORTS at Adrienne Arsht Center
BWW Review: SUMMER SHORTS at Adrienne Arsht Center
June 3, 2019

Miamians pride themselves in living in the city where everyone vacations. If there is a list of cities that know how to party, Miami would be at the top. And there is no greater time to celebrate being in the Magic City than in Summer. Summer in Miami means schools out, trips to the beach, tan lines, and SUMMER SHORTS! SUMMER SHORTS has been the official start to the theatre summer season for twenty-four years and last night's opening night was no exception. While the Arsht Center was celebrating National Pride Month outside with all kinds of fun events from Drag Shows to live music, inside the opening night of SUMMER SHORTS was in full swing. The who's who of Miami Theatre gathered in a packed house. Stepping into what felt like a Beach Party film of the 1960s, the party was underway. Images of typical summer fun from Surfboards and flipflops found everywhere along with palm tree cutouts and a photo opt right at the entrance. City Theatre and Adrienne Arsht Center's SUMMER SHORTS 2019 runs May 30 through June 23 at Carnival Studio Theater on the Susan Westfall Stage (named after City Theatre's Co-Founder). America's Short Play Festival is here with an all-new SUMMER SHORTS lineup for 2019. Featuring exciting, funny, provocative and always original 10-minute comedies, dramas, and mini-musicals, SUMMER SHORTS is Miami's favorite fun-filled summer theatrical experience!

BWW Feature: A BRONX TALE at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, June 11-23, 2019
BWW Feature: A BRONX TALE at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, June 11-23, 2019
May 31, 2019

I don't wanna be a snitch but I can tell you A BRONX TALE is based on the one-man show that inspired the now classic film, this streetwise musical takes audiences to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s-where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he'd love to be. Featuring an original doo-wop score, this is a tale about respect, loyalty, love, and above all else: family. I have great news for you, mafiosos. Bronx Tale will play the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on June 11 through 23, 2019 and you don't need to wack anyone to see it!

BWW Interview: City Theatre's Artistic Director, Margaret Ledford, Talks SUMMER SHORTS at the Adrienne Arsht Center
BWW Interview: City Theatre's Artistic Director, Margaret Ledford, Talks SUMMER SHORTS at the Adrienne Arsht Center
May 28, 2019

City Theatre's Artistic Director, Margaret Ledford, was a joy to interview- as intelligent as she was funny. We talk all things SUMMER SHORTS. City Theatre and the Adrienne Arsht Center present Summer Shorts 2019, May 30 - June 23, at Carnival Studio Theater. The summer theater season starts with a fresh batch of City Theatre's SHORTS at the Arsht Center!

BWW Review: VIVA LA PARRANDA! at The Colony Theatre - A Celebration of Life
BWW Review: VIVA LA PARRANDA! at The Colony Theatre - A Celebration of Life
May 14, 2019

Infectious. Hopeful. A Celebration of Life. Viva La Parranda! Miami New Drama has become the pulse of the Miami Theatre scene; a place where the Magic City's melting pot of cultures, languages and this time even food is celebrated. This isn't just lip service! Their audiences come to see themselves and their neighbors on stage. Miami New Drama's world premiere musical, Viva La Parranda!, was an absolute celebration of life, of our diversity and what makes our society richer. It reveals the story of a small folkloric Afro-Caribbean band, artists Betsayda Machado y La Parranda El Clavo, that emerged from a remote village in Venezuela, the most dangerous country in Latin America, to become New York Times Best Album and captured the world's imagination with their unique sound.

BWW Review: Still Wild About DISNEY'S THE LION KING at The Adrienne Arsht Center
BWW Review: Still Wild About DISNEY'S THE LION KING at The Adrienne Arsht Center
May 12, 2019

Disney's The Lion King at the Adrienne Arsht Center was packed with excitement even before the first song was sung. People flocked to the Arsht Center because of what a Disney musical promises: larger than life characters, lavish costumes, out of this world set design and stories we adore. The Lion King delivers in every aspect. Honestly, what is there not to love? It is still my favorite of all Disney musicals closely tied with Beauty and the Beast because of its ionic status. Lions, Tigers and... Elephants. The opening number, 'Circle of Life', has all the WOW factor I remember when I first watched it years ago. Watching beautifully elaborate costumes, puppetry, makeup and all the spectacle is what you come to expect from Disney's The Lion King. Once the huge elephant was making its way from the house to the stage you can hear audible gasps from the audience from adults and children alike. The Serengeti came alive all around us.

BWW Feature: DISNEY'S THE LION KING at The Adrienne Arsht Center
BWW Feature: DISNEY'S THE LION KING at The Adrienne Arsht Center
May 8, 2019

Nostalgia. The dictionary defines it as a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with a happy personal association. For me, nothing defines it better than the words 'The Lion King'. I still remember how I felt the first time I saw Mufasa hanging on to the cliff for dear life or hearing the words 'Hakuna Matata'. The iconic movie is clearly a part of my childhood memories. I watched over and over again my favorite Disney film on my family's VCR player. I also clearly remember the madness and sheer joy it brought to Broadway when I was just a little girl. That same little girl within me that still loves everything Disney (as a true Floridian does) can't wait to see Disney's The Lion King at The Adrienne Arsht Center, May 8 through the 26. Disney's The Lion King is making its triumphant return to the Arsht Center! With all the magic found in the film, the musical out does itself. Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist.



 1     




Videos