Born an army brat in west Texas town of El Paso, but raised in northern Westchester, New York, Jonathan Kruk grew up on tall tales and daydreams. He drove a 1968 Volkswagen cross country, acted a teen travel camp counselor, worked as a union laborer and watered Henry Kissinger’s office plants. Telling tales to his kid brothers, lead to an epiphany; children love live stories. Thus, Jonathan turned the oral tradition into a career.
Studying English, and educational theater, Mr. Kruk earned a B.A. from Holy Cross College, and an M.A. from New York University. He performed Ritual Urban Theater with Gabrielle Roth, Now, he enchants children every year at hundreds of schools, libraries, historic sites and festivals with finger fables, story theater and Hudson River lore.
Jonathan is best known for solo performances of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and A Christmas Carol. for Historic Hudson Valley. He has been featured on The TODAY Show, ABC Good Morning America, CBS Sunday Morning, BBC Great Train Adventures, Mysteries at the Museum -The Travel Channel / National Geographic & History Channels. Recently he starred in the Dann/Cruz Production of “The Misadventures of Ichabod Crane” a short film screening in the IMAGINARIUM 2021 Film Festival.
He’s performed at Pete Seeger’s Great Hudson River Revival Clearwater Festival New-York Historical Society, NYC / Mark Twain House, Hartford, CT Albany Institute of History and Art / Sinterklaas Festival, Rhinebeck, NY His eight recordings for children and adults garnered awards from Parents Choice, and the National Association of Parents Publications. Hudson Valley Magazine selected Jonathan Kruk, as “Best Storyteller in the Hudson Valley.” A BOCES approved artist /educator, he was a teaching artist for Early Stages, Inc.
He’s written two books for The History Press; “Legends and Lore of Sleepy Hollow and the Hudson Valley” and Legends and Lore of the Hudson Highlands. He’s keynoted for New York State Reading Teachers, NYS PTA Conference, environmental educators, national native plants conference, the Archdiocese of NY, Greater Hudson Heritage Network, NYS P.A.R.P., the Hudson River Quadricentennial, and Putnam County’s 200th.
Currently, Jonathan’s working another book, “Supernatural on the Hudson,” and a pilot show on ghosts and history. He’s been storyteller for the the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, New-York Historical Society, NYC.