Born and raised in Canada's Okanagan Valley, Krystal Kiran is a multifaceted and internationally renowned performing artist, choreographer and arts educator. A first generation Canadian born to immigrant parents from India, Krystal is the youngest South Asian woman to perform on the Broadway stage.
Growing up in the small Canadian town of Penticton, Krystal studied ballet, jazz, tap, musical theatre and vocal studies as a youth, while simultaneously studying classical Indian voice and dance on family visits to India. She began teaching at her hometown dance studio (where she was also a student) at the age of 15. Having made the decision to pursue a professional career as a performer, Krystal auditioned for and was accepted into the Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto where she attended for a semester before successfully auditioning for a Broadway show by attending an open call in New York City. At the age of 19, Krystal made her Broadway debut in the original cast of the Andrew Lloyd Webber produced musical BOMBAY DREAMS in New York City where she was in the dance ensemble and understudy for the lead female role. Since then, Krystal's career as an actor, singer, dancer and choreographer, or "quadruple-threat", has spanned theatre, film, television and performing in some of the biggest stadiums and arenas around the world. Select live performance and theatre credits include lead singer/soloist on Academy & Grammy Award-winning composer AR Rahman's JAI HO WORLD TOUR, LORD OF THE RINGS, WEST SIDE STORY, and most recently, originating the role of SAROJ RAI in Mira Nair's stage adaptation of MONSOON WEDDING (based on the hit film) at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. Select As an actor and dancer, TV/film credits include: PRIVATE EYES, MINORITY REPORT, WORKIN' MOMS, HEMLOCK GROVE, HAIRSPRAY, HELLCATS, THE LOVE GURU, MTV LIVE 'DANCING WITH THE HOSTS', RICK MERCER REPORT and REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA.
Krystal's other major stage performances include being a featured headlining performer for major charity events including MAC FASHION CARES in Toronto (hosted by Pamela Anderson), MACY'S PASSPORT in LA/San Francisco (hosted by Jennifer Lopez and Sharon Stone), BROADWAY IN BRYANT PARK and as an opening act dancer for artists such as ALICIA KEYS and JAY SEAN. Other industrial performances include the televised VANCOUVER OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONIES, NEW BALANCE, SEARS AND PACIFIC NATIONAL EXHIBITION (PNE).
As a choreographer and former dance studio director, Krystal is an award-winning choreographer and has created choreography and movement for various commercials, music videos, industrials and dance studios. Select choreography credits include ONTARIO TOURISM, THE TENORS, MTV LIVE, CBC and films including SUICIDE SQUAD and THE LOVE GURU. As a creative, Krystal received a grant from bravoFACT to write, choreograph, direct, produce and star in the award-winning short film THY BEAUTY'S DOOM. Her expertise has led her to being a judge on India's first and longest running reality dance television show BOOGIE WOOGIE for Sony Asia, and she has served as a juror for the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television's CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS.
Passionate about teaching and in addition to her skills as a performer, Krystal is a registered yoga teacher (RYT 200) from Rishikesh Yog Peeth in India. She is an established artist with organizations such as VIBE ARTS in Toronto where she mentors emerging artists and and teaches dance/movement/yoga in marginalized communities to a range of students from children to the elderly, including to those with disabilities. She also regularly guest teaches across Canada, USA, UK, Spain and India at world class institutions and schools such as THE JOFFREY BALLET (NYC), STEPS ON BROADWAY (NYC), PINEAPPLE STUDIOS (London), PERFORMANCE EAD (Madrid) and FUTURE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS (Mumbai). She is the founder of the Maple Batalia Memorial Scholarship for the Arts (click for page) at Emily Carr University in Vancouver and produces her own projects and ventures through her company HOUSE OF KIRAN.
In 2016, Krystal was presented with an honorary graduate diploma in Musical Theatre from the Randolph College for the Performing Arts. She is also a graduate of the Professional Theatre Training Program from the Banff Centre (in association with Citadel Theatre).
Krystal currently makes her home in Toronto. In 2018, she will be joining the company of THE SHAW FESTIVAL, one of North America's leading theatre festivals located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, in the productions OF MARRIAGE & MEN (directed by Philip Akin) and THE ORCHARD (directed by Ravi Jain). Get your tickets HERE!