James Kriz (Writer)

James Kriz (IG: kriznchips) is a comedy writer/actor, screenwriter, and author. He’s currently a member of a Peoples Improv Theater (PIT) Ensemble Team (2023-2024 season). He’s performed in countless improv shows, including ones at the Magnet Theater, the Brooklyn Comedy Collective, and the PIT, having been trained through the latter theater and the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB). As a UCB-trained comedy scribe, his work has been performed live at NYC Sketchfest, and he’s proud to be a writer on the 2024 season of Boogie Manja! Digital sketch shorts he’s co-written, co-directed, and acted in have been featured in shows at the PIT and 66 Greenpoint, and his work can be seen through the two-person sketch team he co-runs, Fritz and Babs (fritzandbabs - YouTube). As a screenwriter trained through a BA in Creative Writing at Oberlin College and an MFA in Dramatic Writing (Screen, TV, and Play) at NYU Tisch, James has worked with production companies in LA, NYC, and Beijing. He’s had screenplays optioned by a number of companies, including Cassian Elwes’ Elevated (Dallas Buyers Club, Mudbound) and former Disney executive Steve Sahlein’s Empire Media Partners (The Comeback Trail). James’ work has trended and earned awards on Franklin Leonard’s Black List site, scoring in the top one percent of thousands of scripts.