Kara Cutruzzula

Ran my first 50-mile ultramarathon this weekend!!! It was a RIDE. The beautiful @rocktheridge50miler had it all: heat, humidity, a sudden thunderstorm with lightning and a shelter in place order, fab aid stations (the pickle brought me back to life at mile 26), super nice racers — I can’t count how many “good jobs” and “nice work” we all exchanged during the day — and gorgeous views of the Mohonk Preserve. Despite being nauseous and blerghy for the back half of the race, I crossed that finish line. (Swipe to see my soul literally leave my body.) I run to clear my mind and to find out what I can do, on and off the trail. This showed me there’s always a little bit more to give. Oh and it’s all fodder for my new musical, Marathon!! I wrote a bigger recap in my newsletter today, for those interested in what 50 miles in the woods feels like…it’s wild, is what it is. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. #rocktheridge #ultrarunner #rocktheridge2025

FUN NEWS AHEAD. 🎩 Over the summer, Colin and I looked at where we spend our time (the theater), what we like to do (talk about theater), and what we want more of in our lives (more theater) — and asked: Why not make something ourselves? So we did something retro and made a digital magazine. Media is alive and well?! Meet @readthehat ! We cover the people, process, and culture of Off-Broadway theater. The first issue features some of our favorite writers and artists: The great @teemantim writing on the precarious and vibrant state of Off-Broadway theater. The insightful @jengushue spotlighting Severance star @surefineokay ahead of her new solo play. Multi-hyphenate @alldurra interviews @thezoekim , whose new show Did You Eat? (밥 먹었니?) is at @publictheaterny . And the incomparable @gwonster on the intimacy found in small spaces — and how we need it more than ever. It’s been so fun to work with Colin — Lula is no help whatsoever — and to put on my editor hat (lol) once again to help spotlight the artists putting brave and truthful work in the world. We need them and we need the arts. We need to start and finish our hats. I hope you might join us! Link in bio and all the hats @readthehat we will see you at the theater ❤️ #offbroadway #theater #readthehat

We’re making a show! Did I manifest a dream cast, dream director, and dream collaborators for our new musical? Because that’s how it feels. So excited to spend this week working on our new musical MARATHON (book and lyrics by me, music by the great Kristoffer Bjarke) with these wonderful people: Director: @tyronelrobinson Cast: @lizgoeson @thsesma @stephbacastow @curiousandrare @theethancarlson @yummyyaeli @leanarae Musical director: @simoneallen26 Stage manager: @elizabeth.allen.sm General management: Mix & Match Productions @maxdangerbeer @mitchm109 Shoutout to my artistic home base @bmi_mt_workshop and all the friends who answer my questions, show up, and continually let me borrow their giant brains. Also thankful for the first marathon I ran 10 years ago, which probably helped plant this seed. All I want do is hang out with great people and make something new. Lucky lucky lucky life.

Wild times over here 🐢

What does it actually take to perform a five-hour play? Well, snacks. And naps. And a massive color-coded binder. Greg Cuellar talks to The Hat to talk about Initiative’s seven years of development, learning 9,000 words of text, and the endurance — physical, emotional, logistical — required to bring a millennial epic to the @publictheaterny stage. Where are my actor friends and Initiative heads? This one goes deep on process. Read the full piece at the link in bio. 🎩 📸: Jackie Abbott, Joan Marcus, Greg Cuellar. #readthehat #theater #initiative #offbroadway

Kara Cutruzzula - Episode 36 You know what you want to do. You’ve made the lists, set the goals, maybe even started a few times. But somehow you keep getting stuck between dreaming and doing. What if the secret isn’t finding more motivation - it’s giving yourself permission to say no to everything that doesn’t matter? Meet Kara Cutruzzula - bestselling author of “Do It (or Don’t): A Boundary-Creating Journal” who transformed from struggling with paralysis to becoming an expert at taking action through her VFTR (Virtual Friday Therapy Run) system. Her action-taking strategies: * Breaks down overwhelming tasks into manageable first steps * Closes “open loops” in her mind for focused thinking * Works with natural rhythms to create deep work blocks * Builds supportive community around goals * Embraces challenges as growth opportunities “Say no more often and reclaim your time for what matters most,” Kara explains. When you stop saying yes to everything and start protecting your priorities, something powerful happens. You discover that boundaries aren’t limitations - they’re freedom. In this episode, you’ll learn how to overcome paralysis of inaction, why closing mental loops creates clarity, and how to align your schedule with your priorities. Listen to this energizing conversation and 100+ other stories of women over 40 doing big, brave things on The Uplifters Podcast, wherever you get your podcasts. #UpliftersPodcast #KaraCutruzzula #DoItOrDont #BoundaryCreating #VFTR #SayNo #Priorities #ActionTaking

Another day of celebrity news, another episode of Colin did you hear…

the best energiser 🌊✨ what or where helps you get inspired? ↓ #contentcreation #freelancelife #remoteworking #intentionsetting #freelancetips

Omg. Colin.

Super honored to share my latest piece for Harvard’s @NiemanFoundation on my journalism to musical theater trajectory. After being an editor for so long, it took me years to even call myself a “writer,” much less one who writes lyrics, plays, poetry, screenplays…it all seemed so out of reach. Ridiculous, really. And it’s so much easier to cling to the familiar identity of a job title. But I’m reminded again and again: there are no rules, there are no boxes, and joy, creativity, and growth can flourish in multi-hyphenate careers. (It’s taken me more years to write a bio that seems to fit it all in -- but I’m getting there, in the last slide!) If a new endeavor is calling you right now, I hope you might find some inspiration and strategies in this piece to explore whatever is next. Essential mentions throughout to @adamgwon all my pals at @bmi_mt_workshop and the inspiring Marathon team I’m grateful to know and learn from every day. And thanks to my friend and editor @markarmsmusic for creating and encouraging art in every form. Onward! #journalism #musicaltheater #lyrics #creativity

Colin said it was his lifelong dream to see wolves in the wild. So I said, why don’t we do that? Two weeks later, we were in Yellowstone. I can’t even describe the magic of this trip -- of our national parks -- and the incredible wildlife and peace in the Lamar Valley in February. Perfect days seeing gray wolves (Rescue Creek pack!!), bison, foxes, moose, pronghorn, elk, bald eagles, great horned owls, coyotes and much more (shoutout to our wonderful guide @grant.t.johnson ). We got back last week and already earmarked a trip for next winter. Btw toe warmers really work!! #yellowstone #wolves #wildlife

Idk anyone else feel the need to chronicle these days because February is inarguably the weirdest month?! Moments of peace and quiet today: Colin in his rightful place, in the stacks at @nysoclib A nighttime reset run on the snow-covered path, only a handful of people in the park. One giant black cat keep watch on the hill. One medium-sized white cat-slash-possum, who’s too scared to watch Severance because Helena might be the most terrifying villain television has ever seen. We all screamed “no no no” when she interrupted Mark’s Chinese food dinner. I didn’t realize these were moments of peace and quiet until recounting them to you now. Where were yours this week?