CIRCA Pintig's 33rd SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT
Chicago Filipino American Theatre Festival
The debut festival year will share in CIRCA Pintig’s season theme of KAPWA, or kindred, as the festival seeks to connect our Kapwang Pilipino through new writing centered around the Filipino and Filipino American experience. The festival will present up to four evenings of theatrical works from, up-and-coming and established Filipino playwrights.
Sama Sama: Solidarity in the Fields
The play centers around students who want to learn more about the shared experiences and plight of Mexican and Filipino farmworkers, specifically during the Delano grape strike of 1965. This touring show originally commissioned by East West Players Theatre will be presented in libraries, schools, and community organizations.
Daryo’s All American Diner
Daryo’s All American Diner is back by popular demand after its BroadwayWorld Best Play win in Chicago, including 8 nominations as well as Chicago Reader’s Best of Chicago 2023 including Best Established Theater Company. Written by Conrad A. Panganiban, Daryo’s All-American Diner is about the resilience seen through the lens of a Filipino family who struggles to keep a business open at the height of the pandemic. The play sets the tone for how a traumatic act of violence can lead to an act of grace as family and friends come together during a time of crisis.
The Butterfly of Chula Vista
Libertad Batungbakal Espinosa is a Mexi-Pino (Mexican-Filipino American) who works at Barona Resort and Casino. He is socially awkward, unlucky in love and when the casino cuts his hours, he studies to become a nurse per his mother Luningning’s suggestion, a career that is far from his mind but is fiscally responsible and the right thing to do. Meanwhile, his friend Mitchie who works at Scripps Mercy hospital by day invites him to Divina’s BaranGay and Grill in Chula Vista. Mitchie tricks Libertad to a join Karaoke contest where they have to dress up in drag. He wins and eventually discovers that he is the right fit for the role. His drag persona becomes a hit at the bar but endangers his nurse education. This is a witty and fast-paced screwball comedy that has a lot of heart and powerful themes about familial duty, identity and acceptance.
The Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts, also known as CIRCA Pintig is a Chicago-based
organization whose mission is to engage community members in addressing the critical needs of immigrant and
marginalized communities in theatrical, creative, and empowering ways. A proud new member of the League of
Chicago Theatres
CIRCA Pintig is supported in part by the Asian Giving Circle, Crossroads Fund, DCASE City Arts and
Neighborhood Access Program Grant, Illinois Arts Council, an agency of the National Endowment for the
Arts, and RESIST. For more information, visit www.circapintig.org.
Previous Events
33rd Anniversary Celebration & Benefit
The 33rd Anniversary Gala in March will showcase excerpts from the KAPWA Season as well as continuous programming of Monthly Beat & Film Screening.
The world premiere of Panther in the Sky by Lani T. Montreal, a co-production with Chicago
Danztheatre Ensemble opens this Spring. This poignant and powerful piece delves into the narratives of four mothers and their sons who deal with poverty, violence, and racism in the city of Chicago.
Hail Mary/Maria Incubator Workshop
On August 23rd and 24th, CIRCA Pintig and The Ampliverse will be co-producing a workshop performance of the exciting new play HAIL MARY/MARIA. The workshop will consist of a weeklong process of the playwright, director, and actors as they actively rehearse and revise, culminating in two workshop performances, including talkbacks with the team, and a gala to celebrate.
