My Story
I wrote my first play in 1995 but didn’t take writing for the stage seriously until 2012 when I applied, and eventually got into San Francisco State University’s MFA Creative Writing Program to study Playwriting. Over the course of many years, and many courses, it took me a long while to eventually grow into the voice I wanted to have as a writer. I’ve made the mistake of trying to write what I thought other people wanted to hear and be told. I thought that was the path toward being a successful playwright, since how can one gain success if their work can’t please the gatekeepers who can actually SHOW work, right? Luckily over the years, I’ve gained enough confidence in my own voice to know that what I like will hopefully be liked by other people since I’m the only one who can write what I like! Thus became a wondrous journey into writing stories that not only help to answer my personal questions about what it’s like to live and explore life as a Filipinx American but ALSO help other theatre artists of Filipinx descent tell our stories to a diverse audience using humor, realness, and heart.
More of my story can be read in my upcoming book, WELGA: A FILIPINO AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHT’S JOURNEY from PAWA, Inc. made possible through the Poeta en SF Publication Fund. Coming in 2026.
The 100 Word Bio
Conrad A. Panganiban (he/him/his) is a Filipino American playwright representing the San Francisco Bay Area. His plays include DARYO’S ALL-AMERICAN DINER, WELGA, RIVER’S MESSAGE and ESPERANZA MEANS HOPE. Conrad’s work has been produced by Bindlestiff Studio, The Chikahan Company, CIRCA Pintig, MaArte Theatre Collective, and the Sinag-tala Filipino Theatrical Performing Arts Association. Awards include: James Milton Highsmith Award Winner (SFSU), National Ten-Minute Play Festival Finalist (Actors Theatre of Louisville), and Bay Area Playwrights Festival Semi-Finalist (Playwrights Foundation). Resident Artist: Bindlestiff Studio. Member: Dramatist Guild of America, and Theatre Bay Area. MFA. San Francisco State University.
The 150 Word Bio
Conrad A. Panganiban (he/him/his) is an award-winning Filipino American playwright representing the San Francisco Bay Area. His plays include Daryo’s All-American Diner, Welga, and River’s Message. Conrad’s work has been presented by Bindlestiff Studio, The Chikahan Company, CIRCA Pintig, the MaArte Theatre Collective, CATS (Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene) as well as with Capital Stage, San Francisco Playhouse. Awards include: Best Play of 2023, Daryo’s All-American Diner (BroadwayWorldAwards Chicago), Best New Play, Daryo’s All-American Diner (Chicago Reader, Best of 2023), Susan Fairbrook Playwright Fund Awardee (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley), 2023 New Voices in Comedy Writing Fellowship (Killing My Lobster), James Milton Highsmith Award Winner (SFSU), National Ten-Minute Play Festival Finalist (Actors Theatre of Louisville), and Bay Area Playwrights Festival Semi-Finalist (Playwrights Foundation). Resident Artist: Bindlestiff Studio. Member: Dramatist Guild of America, and Theatre Bay Area. MFA, San Francisco State University. @consplayspace
The first time I heard an audience laugh at something I wrote, I knew I wanted to write plays.
The first time I heard sniffles after something one of my characters said, that’s when I knew I wanted to write something that connected people to each other.
Contact Info
Email: conradap [at] gmail [dot] com
Twitter/Tumblr/Instagram/YouTube: @consplayspace
Mastodon: https://sfba.social/@consplayspace