First-ever Fil-Am theatre festival in Chicago looking for playwrights

Circa Pintig is organizing the first-ever Chicago Filipino American Theatre Festival. CONTRIBUTED

CHICAGO — Submissions for plays are now being accepted for the inaugural Chicago Filipino American Theatre Festival, which will be held in October.

The festival is organized by Fil-Am theatre and community arts organization Circa Pintig.

Selected submissions will receive a staged reading at the festival. Talkback sessions will be held after each performance with the artists involved in the play.

“The theme of the festival is ‘Kapwa,” says Ginger Leopoldo, the group’s executive director. “It is the same theme of our season this year.”

The theme is about “connecting with kapwang Pilipino” through new theater works “focusing on the Filipino experience.”

“This is our first festival for new works. We are accepting works from playwrights here in the US and globally.”

In addition to providing a venue for new plays, the Chicago Filipino American Theatre Festival will also showcase readings and performances of the following plays: “Leaving Mother: Anak ni Tapia” by Lani Montreal; “The Butterfly of Chula Vista” by Giovanni Ortega; “Daryo’s All-American Diner” by Conrad Panganiban; “Crossroads” by Foline Roos; and “Hail Mary/Maria” by RJ Silva.

Action through arts

The organization began its activities in 1986 and became Pintig Cultural Group in 1991. Pintig means “pulse” in Tagalog. Circa, which eventually became part of the group’s name as its goals and ethos broadened, is an acronym for Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts.

Circa-Pintig prides itself on not just existing simply for entertainment or ‘art-for-art’s’ sake. It sees itself as a theater group that engages community members in collective action through the arts.

For more than 30 years now, Circa-Pintig has been immersing its volunteers and students in using theater as a tool to tackle difficult topics that affect their communities. The group has touched on issues such as internalized racism, homophobia, economic exploitation and youth trafficking, in “creative and engaging ways.”

Submission Information

Playwrights who identify as Filipino American, Filipino or with Filipino heritage “are deeply encouraged” to submit.

The submission must be an original 10 to 15-minute play or excerpts from full-length pieces. Submissions that have been previously produced or published will not be accepted.

Submissions must note if the play includes non-English languages (Tagalog, Bisaya, Spanish, etc.) and must include English translations.

The submission must begin with a front page that includes the work’s title followed by the playwright’s name, email and a 200-250 word playwright’s bio.

A playwright may submit up to two plays but only one entry will be accepted. A script may have more than one author.

Include a character list not to exceed a cast of seven performers (who can play multiple roles if necessary).

The manuscript must be typed in at least font size 12 and pages must be numbered.

“We encourage you to send your best work that would enhance and amplify the Filipino narrative in the diaspora.” Playwrights whose works will be selected will receive a small stipend.

The judges selecting works will be comprised of a panel of Circa Pintig playwrights and artistic associates, including Lani Montreal, Conrad Panganiban, Larry Leopoldo, Myra Kalaw, Giovanni Ortega and Luis Pascasio.

Submissions are due on July 31, 2024. Selections will be notified by August 31, 2024.

Email [email protected] or visit circapintig.org. Circa Pintig is included in the book Barangay to Broadway: Filipino American Theater. Available at Amazon, Bookshop and other online booksellers.