Making Space for Our Stories: CIRCA Pintig Celebrates Two Theatre Festivals at the Rizal Center

CIRCA Pintig | November 2026

Six Filipino American plays, four Asian American solo performances, and a community united through storytelling.

What happens when artists are given the space to tell their stories, celebrate their identities, and connect with their communities?

For CIRCA Pintig, the answer came alive this fall through two celebrations of Asian American theatre at Chicago’s Rizal Center: the Third Annual Chicago Filipino American Theatre Festival (PASABOG) in September and Not Alone Anymore: Asian American Solo Show Festival in October.

Both festivals were part of CIRCA Pintig’s 35th anniversary season, reflecting the organization’s commitment to nurturing artists, developing new works, and creating spaces for cultural expression, dialogue, and belonging.

PASABOG: Six Plays, Countless Connections

Presented September 10–13 and 24–27, the Third Annual Chicago Filipino American Theatre Festival embraced the theme PASABOG, a Filipino expression suggesting something bold, spectacular, and bursting with energy.

The festival featured six works by Filipino and Filipino American playwrights: The Missing Sister by Annemarie Andaleon, The Karaoke Stress Test by Tim Pintado, We Will Ride by Conrad A. Panganiban, Boy Bawang by Allison E. Crisostomo, Intermission Number by Angel Salvador Chiuteña, and Criers for Hire (sa Chicago) by Giovanni Ortega.

From humor and family relationships to cultural identity, historical memory, and migration, the plays offered diverse perspectives on Filipino American life. The festival also provided meaningful opportunities for playwrights, directors, actors, and production artists to collaborate and develop their creative voices.

Across eight festival dates, 216 attendees participated, and 154 audience surveys were collected, offering valuable insight into the festival’s reach.

Among respondents, approximately 63% identified as Asian and/or Filipino. Half of those who reported their age were between 18 and 34, while nearly 24% were 55 or older, demonstrating the festival’s intergenerational appeal. Survey participants represented 62 distinct ZIP codes, reflecting a broad geographic reach.

The 73 written audience comments revealed appreciation for the performances’ humor, emotional depth, and cultural authenticity. One audience member shared:

“I laughed, cried, and saw myself.”

Others expressed enthusiasm for seeing the shorter works developed into full-length productions, affirming the importance of continued investment in Filipino American playwrights and performers.

Not Alone Anymore: Celebrating the Power of One Voice

Building on the momentum of PASABOG, CIRCA Pintig partnered with Asian American Arts Chicago (AAAC) to present Not Alone Anymore: Asian American Solo Show Festival, October 17–18, during Filipino American History Month.

The inaugural festival showcased four artists whose deeply personal performances explored identity, family, immigration, relationships, and belonging.

Lauren Kee presented Dealbreaker, a humorous and vulnerable exploration of dating, stigma, and self-acceptance. Huy Nguyen performed Three Horse Men, reflecting on family relationships and intergenerational experiences. CIRCA Pintig Artistic Director RJ Silva presented You Eat So Well!, weaving food, family, immigration, and identity into a personal theatrical journey. Lani T. Montreal performed Anak ni Tapia: Leaving Mother, an intimate reflection on her relationship with her mother, the beloved Filipina actress Mely Tagasa.

The festival also offered a How to Make a Solo Show workshop and opportunities for audiences to engage directly with the artists.

This collaboration was made possible through the shared vision of CIRCA Pintig and Asian American Arts Chicago, with AAAC Artistic Director Mia Park helping guide the partnership and Aimee Algas Alker supporting artist coordination and festival planning.

Audience feedback reflected the significance of this new platform. Among 60 survey respondents, approximately 56% were between ages 25 and 44, 70% identified as women, and 32 identified as Asian or Asian American. Participants represented diverse cultural backgrounds and communities across Chicago and its surrounding suburbs.

Comments celebrated the performances, welcoming atmosphere, and collaboration between the organizations. The response reinforced the importance of providing opportunities for Asian American artists to share stories that are rarely given space on mainstream stages.

The Rizal Center: More Than a Performance Space

At the heart of both festivals was the Rizal Center, a longstanding home for Chicago’s Filipino American community.

For CIRCA Pintig and the participating artists, the Center offered more than a stage. It provided a welcoming environment where creativity could flourish, emerging artists could find encouragement, and audiences could gather not only for performances but also for conversation, fellowship, and shared meals.

The laughter around tables, conversations after performances, and friendships formed throughout the festivals were as meaningful as the work presented onstage.

We are deeply grateful to the Rizal Center and its leadership for continuing to make room for our artists, our stories, and our community. Their generosity reminds us that cultural spaces are essential to sustaining the creative and collective life of our communities.

As CIRCA Pintig looks toward its 36th season, these festivals reaffirm our commitment to community-rooted theatre that celebrates our histories, amplifies underrepresented voices, and nurtures the next generation of storytellers.

Because when we make space for our stories, we make space for one another. And together, we create a stronger sense of belonging.

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CIRCA Pintig, founded in 1991, is a Chicago-based community arts organization rooted in Kapwa, the Filipino ethic of shared humanity. Through theatre, storytelling, and community engagement, CIRCA Pintig advances its mission to Educate, Organize, and Mobilize.