Ralph B. Peña, a Philippine playwright, director, actor is a Founding Member and Artistic Director of Ma-Yi Theater Company. Ma-Yi, created in 1989, currently produces Philippine playwrights nurtured from its membership.  Among his plays are: ALAMAT, CINEMA VERITE, FLIPZOIDS, LOOSE LEAF BINDINGS, PROJECT: BALANGIGA  and, THIS END UP. In New York his work has been seen at Lincoln Center, NAATCO, La Mama E.S.T., NYSF/The Public, across the country and the Philippines and Romania. He received an OBIE for directing Lonnie Carter’s THE ROMANCE OF MAGNO RUBIO. He is a member of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab, and Ensemble Studio Theatre.

Peña, born in Manila, grew up during the Marcos regime. While in Catholic school he questioned the doctrines of the church, leading him to seek like-minded people outside of school. He helped found a street performance group called Bodabil [renamed Peryante] with Chris Millado. They did ‘relevant theatre’ using the news headlines or classical playwrights whose work reflected on the times, like Jarry and Brecht. Fritz Bennewitz, of the Berliner Ensemble was teaching in the Philippines at this time, and worked with the company.  Pena now saw theatre as a social instrument mobilizing the audience. He witnessed the assassinated body of Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. being brought into the Aquino home and realized his life as an activist put him in peril. In 1984 he moved permanently to California, where his father already lived.