Ginger Leopoldo, RJ Silva, and Giovanni Ortega from CIRCA Pintig had a vision to create a festival of Filipino theater with the hopes of expanding their community base. What started as a modest idea for a two-night festival quickly grew into a much larger event with over 20 readings spanning three weekends in October. The festival will now take place at PrideArts and Rizal Center, rather than the originally planned Bramble Arts Loft.
The festival will kick off on October 11, which is National Coming Out Day, with a focus on queer stories in collaboration with PrideArts. The following weekends will explore themes of homecoming and emerging voices, all tied together by the concept of kapwa, or kindred, which is the season theme for CIRCA. The lineup includes plays like Daryo’s All-American Diner and Lani Montreal’s Leaving Mother: Anak ni Tapia, which offer poignant reflections on cross-cultural resilience and personal growth.
In addition to showcasing a variety of perspectives within the Filipino diaspora, the festival also highlights the significant role that Filipino nurses have played in the U.S. health-care system. The festival coincides with Filipino American History Month and aims to honor the rich history and contributions of Filipino Americans to society.
The festival is a culmination of CIRCA Pintig’s commitment to education, organization, and mobilization. The company’s pintig, or heartbeat, has been pulsing since 1991, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and representation. The grassroots spirit of the festival has attracted a diverse range of participants, from seasoned professionals to first-time writers, all eager to share their stories.
As Filipino culture gains more visibility in mainstream media and pop culture, the festival serves as a platform for Filipino voices to be heard and celebrated. The hunger for Filipino culture and representation is growing, and the festival aims to fill that void in the theater industry. By providing a space for Filipino stories to be told in their own words, the festival hopes to spark conversations, inspire change, and build a stronger sense of community among Filipino Americans in Chicago.
