Hey girl, hey!

Leandra Torres Santiago is an Afro-Boricua theater director from the Bronx whose work is rooted in collaboration, community, and the stories that challenge us to see one another more deeply. A graduate of SUNY Purchase, she earned a B.A. in Directing with a minor in Film.

Her recent directing work includes The Monsters by Ngozi Anyanwu at the Portland Theater Festival, following her work as Associate Director for the Off-Broadway production at Manhattan Theatre Club in association with Two River Theater. Additional directing credits include Pietamima by Lorena Peralta (Pregones Theater and the Latinx Playwrights Writers' Intensive) and Lambs of the Bronx by Angela Reynoso (Brick Theater). She also served as Assistant Director for The Monsters during its development at New York Stage and Film.

Beyond directing, Leandra has worked in theatrical marketing and production, contributing to Broadway campaigns at SpotCo for KPOP, Life of Pi, Fat Ham, and Dancin'. She has also collaborated with Broadcasting Director Jess Ryan on live recordings for Between Riverside and Crazy and MisCast 24.

Leandra's mission as a director is to create theater that leaves audiences feeling seen, challenged, and connected. She is passionate about championing underrepresented voices and telling stories that embrace the complexity of identity, family, culture, and belonging. She believes the rehearsal room should be a space built on trust, curiosity, and generosity—where artists feel empowered to take risks and discover together. Her goal is to create productions that spark conversation long after the curtain falls, inviting audiences to lead with empathy while celebrating the resilience, humor, and humanity that exist within every story.

Upcoming

I'm excited to be directing a staged reading of Hot Seat by Victoria Lino, produced by Checkmark Productions. Join us on August 17 for this special presentation. For more information and event details, click HERE.