My name is Leandra Torres Santiago. I’m an Afro-Boricua from the Bronx.

My journey with theater is quite unique, I grew up with to mime parents who showed my sister and I how to be driven to what you love regardless of hardship.

Hey girl, hey!

After watching my parents journey, it inspired me to pursue my dreams. That’s when I tapped into my love for acting. I fell in love with playing pretend and creating something beautiful with my fellow artist.

Shortly after that I participated in RYE ( Roundabout’s Youth Ensemble), there I discovered the intricacies of what the world of backstage in theater entailed. I quickly wanted to unearth costume design, lighting design, scenic design and sound.

But everything changed when I discovered directing.

    • The Monsters (AD), Marisol (Dir), Bernada's Daughter (Observer), The Credibility Gap (Observer), Death to Masculinity (Dir), Pirandello Project (AD), Purgatorio Wonderland (AD)

    • Loved & Lost (1st AD), Tough Call (Dir), Adulting (Dir), No Child (Dir).

    • Checkmark Production's Reading (PA), SheNYC Festival's Mud; or when things get messy and how to live with it (PSM), Prism's Lottie and the Deep Blue Sea (PSM), Miscast 2024 (PA), Playfest with Maker’s Ensemble (PSM), Roundabout’s Directing Fellowship Reading of Emergency (PSM), Sorry! We’re Closed! (PSM), Festival of the Arts (PSM), Primary Trust (PA), The Refuge Plays (PA).

    • The Silent Observer (Director), Death to Masculinity (Director), Tough Call (Director), Our Truth Collective (Director), The Pirandello Project (AD), Purgatorio Wonderland (AD), Adulting (Director). 

I was giving the opportunity to direct the Spring Musical Pippin where I was challenged and pushed as an artist in ways I hadn’t before. After directing Pippin I knew I wanted to study directing in it’s entirely.

I graduated from SUNY Purchase with a B.A in Directing and a minor in Film. 

You can view my college credits on this page under Suny Purchase College Credits.

Following my time at Purchase, I interned at Spotco, a marketing agency for Broadway shows, where I worked on KPOP, Life of Pi, Fat Ham, and Dancin’.

I was crucial in creating the first partnership between Life of Pi and the World Wildlife Fund. I also worked as an associate on Between Riverside and Crazy and MisCast 24 alongside Broadcasting Director Jess Ryan for their live recordings.

RECENTLY

I directed the development of Angel J. Rivas’ most recent commission with The Makers’ Ensemble. Where we both collaborated in storytelling and staging. This past July, I assistant directed alongside Ngozi Anyanwu, the director and writer of Monsters, in a reading presented by New York Stage and Film.

November 2024 I will be collaborating with two amazing artists; Lorena Peralta and Angel J. Rivas on a Workshop of a new rendition of The Silent Observer.