My name is Trey Cruz, and I’m a New York-born artist, writer, and performer — shaped by foster care, incarceration, and art that saved my life.
I’m raising funds to produce my original play “You’re Still Watching” — a powerful piece of theatre that calls out complicity, breaks the fourth wall, and confronts what it means to witness pain without acting on it.
It’s about a man trapped in a play he can’t escape — and the doctor who tries to cure him, only to fall into the same cycle. It ends with a direct plea to the audience: “Why are you still watching?”
This is more than entertainment. It’s a wake-up call.
Fundraising Goal Breakdown
Total Goal: $8,500
A solid mid-level budget for a small independent run in the Lower East Side, NYC.
1. Venue & Rehearsal – $2,200
Performance space rental (3–5 nights): $1,800
Rehearsal space (15–20 hrs): $400
“Securing a creative home to bring the story to life.”
2. Cast & Crew – $3,000
Actor stipends (4–5 actors): $1,500
Stage manager & tech support: $700
Director stipend (or creative consultant): $500
Lighting/sound design: $300
“Paying the artists who give this story breath.”
3. Design & Production – $1,200
Set design & props: $500
Costumes: $200
Lighting/sound equipment rental (if needed): $300
Insurance/event fees: $200
“Building the world of the play — with honesty and intention.”
4. Marketing & Media – $500
Posters, flyers: $150
Photographer/videographer (promo or show doc): $200
Social media boosts & ads: $150
“Making sure the right people see it — and show up.”
5. Personal/Creative Labor – $1,000
Creator/producer stipend (you): $800
Transportation & food for tech/show week: $200
“Caring for the artist behind the vision — full-time.”
Stretch Goals (If Overfunded):
If we raise above $8.5K, you could:
Extend the show run by 1–2 more nights
Increase actor stipends
Pay for a professionally recorded version
Invest in future festival submissions or remounts
Organizer
Trey Cruz
Organizer
New York, NY

