Santiago Guzmán (he/they) is an award-winning playwright, dramaturge, performer, and director originally from Metepec, Mexico. He is the Artistic Director of TODOS Productions in St. John’s, NL, and the Artistic Director for the pan-Atlantic organization Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre.
In 2019, Santiago was listed as an innovator in Atlantic Business Magazine’s edition of 30 under 30: Newfoundland and Labrador. He was awarded the inaugural John Palmer Award in 2022 through the PGC for being a change-maker in the theatre industry with their advocacy in the arts regarding equity, diversity, and anti-racism. In 2023, he was inducted into the YWCA’s St. John’s Circle of Distinction with the Inspired Innovation Award for the same values.
As a playwright, their writing has been supported, developed and/or produced by theatre companies and festivals such as TODOS Productions (NL), RCA Theatre Company (NL), White Rooster Theatre (NL), Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland (NL), Poverty Cove Theatre Company (NL), Rising Tide Theatre (NL), Neighbourhood Dance Works (NL), Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Eastern Front Theatre (NS), PARC (pan-Atlantic), Ship’s Company Theatre (NS), Theatre New Brunswick (NB), Paprika Festival (ON), Stratford Festival (ON), Lemontree Creations (ON), Boca Del Lupo (BC), Banff Playwrights Lab (AB) and the National Theatre School of Canada’s Art Apart Program (QC). He is a member of Playwrights Canada Press’s inaugural editorial committee.
Santiago’s play Urn received the Senior Dramatic Script Award of the Newfoundland and Labrador 2022 Arts and Letters Awards & was shortlisted for the NLCU Fresh Fish Award 2022. Santiago was the inaugural recipient of the John Palmer Award 2022 through the Playwrights Guild of Canada for being a change-maker in the theatre industry with his advocacy in the arts regarding equity, diversity, and anti-racism. In 2023, they were inducted into the YWCA’s St. John’s Circle of Distinction with the Inspired Innovation Award. Most recently, Santiago received the Senior Dramatic Script Award at the Newfoundland and Labrador 2024 Arts and Letters Awards for their newest play Seis Grados en Mayo, which will premiere at the Neptune Theatre in 2027.
He is a member of Playwrights Canada Press’s inaugural editorial committee.
Santiago’s work is very gay, very brown, and very real.
www.santiagoguzman.ca
