CONTACT - paulwkruse@gmail.com

PLAYS

  • Chickens in the Yard, included on The Mix from Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago, IL; Vortex Theatre, May 2019 in Austin, TX; Adjusted Realists, July 2017 in Brooklyn, NY; Quantum Theatre, November 2015 in Pittsburgh PA, inaugural production of the Gerri Kay New Voices Program; and Hatch Arts Collective, June 2013 in Pittsburgh, PA

  • Boundary Layer, in development, collaboration with poet Jenny Johnson, developed through residencies at Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, NY, December 2016 and Crosshatch Center for Art + Ecology’s Hill House in Mancelona, MI, May 2016

  • Driftless, Hatch Arts Collective, August 2016 in Pittsburgh, PA, part of a residency at the New Hazlett Theater

  • Webs, Dreams of Hope, written in collaboration with a performance ensemble for queer and allied youth, January 2016 at Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s Alloy Studios in Pittsburgh, PA

  • Reasonable Assurance, Hatch Arts Collective, written in collaboration with ensemble of Point Park University undergrads, March 2015 at Bricolage Theater in Pittsburgh, PA

  • Terms of Contract, ten-minute, selected for the February 2015 Theater Festival in Black and White: Multicultural Edition at Pittsburgh Playwright Theatre Company

  • The Lavender Spell, Dreams of Hope, written in collaboration with a performance ensemble for queer and allied youth, December 2014 at Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s Alloy Studios in Pittsburgh, PA

  • Walldogs, Hatch Arts Collective, July 2014 in Pittsburgh, PA

  • Before Pride, Dreams of Hope, written in collaboration with a performance ensemble for queer and allied youth, January 2014 at Kelly Strayhorn Theater’s Alloy Studios in Pittsburgh, PA, touring throughout 2014

  • Kiss, Actors Theatre of Louisville, selected in 2011 for an Actors Theatre Apprentice Showcase, published in the May 2011 issue of Dramatics magazine

Videos

  • Kairos Dirt, (2016, co-writer and producer) feature narrative, Best Feature award at Indie Memphis Film Festival 2016 in Memphis, TN

  • Memory Keep(h)er, (2016) series of dance shorts, collaboration with dancer/choreographer Jasmine Hearn, the CURRENT SESSIONS Volume VI, Issue II: Movement Currency, August 2016 in New York City, NY; On site /In site 2016 in Winston Salem, NC; Barnstorm Dance Festival 2016 in Houston, TX; and Afronaut(a) 2016 in Pittsburgh, PA

  • Home, (2016) music video created in collaboration with the Dreams of Hope, a performance ensemble for queer and allied youth, distributed online

  • Parallel, (2016, director of photography) short narrative, written and directed by Mia McCullough, The Midwest Independent Film Festival 2016 in Chicago, IL

  • Jasmine+Paul, (2014–2015) series of dance shorts, collaboration with dancer/choreographer Jasmine Hearn, The Outlet Dance Project 2015 in Hamilton, NJ, and Pittsburgh Filmmakers March 2016 Film Kitchen

  • Diq, (2012) short experimental, CNKY Scene Film Festival 2012 in Cincinnati, OH

  • The Year I Broke My Voice, (2011, director of photography) short narrative, Richard Hoggart Cinema at Goldsmiths University in London, UK, 2014; Why Marriage? Arts Festival at Darst Center in Chicago, IL, 2014; De Cavia Filmhuis in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2013; Fringe! Film Festival in London, UK, 2013; TranScreen Amsterdam in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2013; Bangalore Queer Film Festival in Bangalore, India, 2013; and The Block Theatre in Evanston, IL, 2013

  • Hold, (2009) short narrative, recipient of a Braff Grant 2008, Chicago, IL

  • Oops, I Missed, (2008) short experimental, Darryl’s HLP Festival 2008 in London/Toronto/New York and Bearded Child Film Festival 2008 in Grand Rapids, MN

  • Cello Lessons, (2006) short narrative, Cannes Film Festival 2006 in France

GRANTS, RESIDENCIES, and Awards

  • 2017–2020 fellow at the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin

  • 2017 residency at Middlebury College in collaboration with Andrew W. Mellon Interdisciplinary Choreographer Maree ReMalia’s Movement Matters project, Middlebury, VT

  • 2016 nominee for Carol R. Brown Creative Achievement Award, from The Pittsburgh Foundation in Pittsburgh, PA

  • 2016 residency at Yaddo through the 2016 NEA Residency for Collaborative Teams to develop new play Boundary Layer, Saratoga Springs, NY

  • 2016 residency at the New Hazlett Theater to produce the new play Driftless, Pittsburgh, PA

  • 2016 residency at Crosshatch Center for Art + Ecology’s Hill House Artist Residency to develop new play Boundary Layer, Mancelona, MI

  • 2016 grant from Three Rivers Community Foundation for new play Driftless, Pittsburgh, PA ($4,000)

  • 2016 grant from Puffin Foundation, Ltd. for new play Driftless, Teaneck, NJ ($1,250)

  • 2016 grant from the Pittsburgh Foundation for new play Driftless, Pittsburgh, PA ($8,500)

  • 2016 grant from the Opportunity Fund for new play Driftless and other initiatives with Hatch Arts Collective, Pittsburgh, PA ($10,000)

  • 2015 project stream grant from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts for new play Driftless, Pittsburgh, PA ($1,245)

  • 2015 grant from William V. and Catherine A. McKinney Charitable Foundation, managed by PNC Charitable Trusts for new play Driftless, Pittsburgh, PA ($11,500)

  • 2015 the Heinz Endowments’ Small Arts Initiative for new play Driftless, Pittsburgh, PA ($12,400)

  • 2015 artist-in-residence at Colorado State University’s Center for the Study of Academic Labor, Fort Collins, CO

  • 2015 fellow with Quantum Theatre’s Gerri Kay New Voices Program, Pittsburgh, PA

  • 2014 the Heinz Endowments’ Small Arts Initiative for the development and production of a series of new plays, Pittsburgh, PA ($14,000)

  • 2014 residency at PearlArts Studios to develop a new play, Pittsburgh, PA

  • 2014 Spark Fund for Early Learning at the Sprout Fund for First Take: Mobile Media Classroom, for media-based arts education, Pittsburgh, PA ($12,000)

  • 2011–2012 filmmaker-in-residence at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

  • Collaboration in the Arts (ARDV0216) a winter term course at Middlebury College in Vermont exploring collaborative practice through performance-making experiments, culminating in a final showing of student work, Winter 2017

  • Reasonable Assurance performance workshop with Hatch Arts Collective at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO, Summer 2015

  • Breakfast of Champions media workshop with First Take: Mobile Media classroom at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Squirrel Hill, Summer 2015

  • Love Stories media workshop with First Take: Mobile Media classroom and Dreams of Hope at Three Rivers Arts Festival and Pittsburgh Pride, Summer 2015

  • Family Portraits media workshop with First Take: Mobile Media classroom and Dreams of Hope at Cranfest in Cranberry, PA, Spring 2015

  • Video Production 1 at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Spring 2015-present

  • Young Playwrights Festival at City Theatre Company in Pittsburgh, PA, Fall 2014-present

  • Video Production for Photographers at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Fall 2014-present

  • When I Grow Up media workshop with Gateway to the Arts at Benjamin Franklin Elementary school Spring 2014

  • Motion Picture Fundamentals at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Fall 2013-present

  • A Closer Look media workshop with Gateway to the Arts at Benjamin Franklin Elementary school Spring 2013

EDUCATION

University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Candidate for Master of Fine Arts in Writing
Fellow at Michener Center for Writers
Expected graduation May 2020

Gateway to the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
Teaching Artist Learning Lab
Training in arts-integrated teaching artistry, culminating in a five-week residency
Completed April 2013

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Radio/Television/Film
Certificate in Creative Writing for the Media
Graduated June 2008

EMPLOYMENT

Teaching Artist, August 2012–Present
Various Arts Organizations, Pittsburgh, PA
-playwright teaching artist for Dreams of Hope and City Theatre Company
-film/video teaching artist for Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Pittsburgh Filmmakers Youth Media Program, Gateway to the Arts, and The Marilyn G. Rabb Foundation

Communications Specialist (part-time), January, 2013–Present
GALA Choruses, Pittsburgh, PA
-manages communications for international LGBTQ choral organization

Filmmaker-in-Residence/Cinematography Specialist, January, 2011–August, 2012
Northwestern University, Department of Radio/Television/Film, Evanston, IL
-taught and supported production classes for Radio/Television/Film department
-created "Master Class" initiative, bringing working professionals to speak and offer workshops

Communications Specialist, March, 2009–December, 2010
Chicago and Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Chicago, IL
-collaborated with over 50 Jesuit institutions in the region
-served as the managing editor of a quarterly magazine with a circulation of 40,000