Meet Christian St. Croix | Playwright

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christian St. Croix and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christian, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I wasn’t seeing myself reflected in the American Theatre. I was seeing the stories of my people, but I wasn’t seeing my story. I wanted to pursue a career where I could use my imagination to build worlds of magic, myth, and boundless possibility for queer Black people who also don’t see their stories reflected from the stage.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a playwright currently living in San Diego, California. My works include new play, “The Forgotten Beasts”, “Zack”, winner of the 2021 Young-Howze Theatre Award for Best Comedic Writing; “And All the Birds Loved Her”, an audio play commissioned by Blindspot Collective and the La Jolla Playhouse and “Follow the Fireflies”, a monologue published in New World Theatre’s “08:46” collection celebrating Black writers. My play, “Monsters of the American Cinema”, is the winner of the 2021 Carlo Annoni International Drama Award. It will be making its world premiere at Seattle WA’s ArtsWest Playhouse in January 2022. I’m inspired by the art of traditional storytelling. I like to present worlds as seen through the eyes and spoken from the lips of LGBTQ people of color.

Through my journey as a playwright, I’ve learned to appreciate my story and the stories of other LGBTQ people of color who live on the fringe of society. Black queer people can live incredibly difficult lives. But there are times where we laugh. We can crack the skies open with our laughs. We fall in love, we fall out of love. We dream. I want to share those beautiful things with the American stage.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a dive bar aficionado. I love a cool, dark corner spot, maybe some karaoke, maybe a couple of pool tables. You’ll meet some of the most incredible people in a dive bar. Here’s some places I can recommend:

THE HOLE IN THE WALL. Point Loma. One of San Diego’s historical bars. They do karaoke on the weekends and have an incredible grill with some of the best hamburgers and hot dogs in the city. They also have incredible drink specials. Sundays are a must.

ROSIE O’GRADYS. Normal Heights. If you’re looking for an awesome selection of beer on tap and a wide range of entertainment from live music to karaoke, this is the spot. A home for everyone from the locals and college kids to off-duty military buddies and sports fans.

TIME OUT TAVERN. Downtown San Diego. This is one of my favorite sports bars. They have a collection of high-res TVs that play all of the major sports events. The staff is friendly and they have an amazing menu. I’d recommend the pork belly sliders.

STOUT PUBLIC HOUSE. Downtown San Diego. This Irish pub is the best after-work stop. Their day menu boasts all of the classic Irish pub offerings like Guinness Stew, Shepherd’s Pie and Bangers and Mash. If you’re looking to make some chill, new friends, this is where you go.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to send a shoutout to the Black LGBTQ playwrights of the world. Our journeys aren’t easy, but we can’t stray from the Yellow Brick Road. We’re only just beginning.

Website: http://www.saintscrossing.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/saintscrossing

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/saintscrossing

Other: New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/16217/christian-st-croix

Image Credits
Christian St. Croix, Daren Scott, Sue Brenner, Know Theatre of Cincinnati