kanishk pandey
(he/him/his)
is a writer, director, and producer. He considers himself an exile, a label he uses to describe a relationship with nationalism and identity that is forever nomadic and critical, one reflecting his immigrant background as well as his own complex ethnic identity within South Asia. His writing is informed by the belief that consciousness can only exist through dialogue, and his work strives to create constellations out of disparate ideas to form a shadow of truth. He prefers theater because he doesn't like to be alone.
His work has been recognized by various institutions at various levels including: honorable mention for The Relentless Play Award (The Fate of the Online Cow, 2024), semifinalist for the Austin Film Festival Playwriting Competition (The Fate of the Online Cow, 2021), semifinalist for the Princess Grace Fellowship (PRISONCORE!, 2025),four times finalist for the O’Neill National Playwriting Competition (COLONY, 2018; Let Me Let Me Rot, 2023; Caretake of Her, 2025; IDLE EYES, 2026) as well as twice semifinalist (The Fate of the Online Cow, 2021; Gardens @ Glennshead, 2024), finalist for the FMM Fellowship at Synecdoche Works (The Fate of the Online Cow, 2021). He was awarded the Rattlestick Van Lier New Voices Fellowship for 2024-2025, and is an alum of the Pipeline PlayLab Fellowship (2026), Ma-Yi Theater Company's Writers Lab (2025), Clubbed Thumb's Early Career Writers Group (2022-2023) and more.
His playwriting has been supported and presented by companies such as Ars Nova, Rattlestick Theater, Clubbed Thumb, Pipeline Theatre, The Barn at Lee, Exponential Festival, Invulnerable Nothings, The Brick, LPAC's Rough Draft Festival, The Lark, Sanguine Theater, and Boomerang Theater. He has been an artistic resident with The Barn at Lee, Fresh Ground Pepper, Invulnerable Nothing’s Barn Lab, and SPACE on Ryder Farm.
More at kanishkpandey.com
More at kanishkpandey.com
View CV ︎︎︎
View Artistic Statement Here ︎︎︎
Press
Broadway World ︎︎︎
The Brick to Present GESTATING BABY Volume 7 in MayApril 3, 2024
LaGuardia Performing Arts College ︎︎︎
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center Presents 11th Annual Rough Draft Festival, March 4-23March 2024
Layar Project ︎︎︎
kanishk pandey Goes Back To His Roots With “On My Way! Home”January 9, 2024
Staff Picks ︎︎︎
“If you’re tired of internet plays, I promise this will restore your faith in them.”August 23, 2023
Boomerang Theatre ︎︎︎
A conversation about kanishk's Baton Project reading of his award-winning play LET ME LET ME ROTJune 11, 2023
Clubbed Thumb ︎︎︎
Announces Summerworks #26Spring 2023
Sanguine Theater ︎︎︎
What’s On: Caretake of Her, At God’s Back & Can’t Ignore the RatApril 22, 2023
SPACE on Ryder Farm ︎︎︎
Alumni Archive: 2022 Greenhouse ResidencyNovember 2022
The North Salem Post ︎︎︎
SPACE on Ryder Farm announces artist residents for 2022 seasonJune 6, 2022
Playbill ︎︎︎
SPACE on Ryder Farm Announces 2022 Residents Sanaz Toossi, Terrie Samundra, Jamila Woods, More by Leah PutnamMay 31, 2022
Workshop Theater ︎︎︎
Announces Workshop Intensive Spring 2022Spring 2022
Synecdoche Works ︎︎︎
Announces Finalists’ Prize2022
Workshop Theater ︎︎︎
Announces Workshop Intensive Spring 2021Spring 2021
NYU Dramatic Writing ︎︎︎
Announces O’Neill Finalist for Summer 2018April 26, 2018
The Sacramento Bee ︎︎︎
Applause: Kanishk Pandey, Dr. Michael Rogawski, Roger Beachy & Pamela Ronald by Bill LindelofJuly 19, 2015
Davis Enterprise ︎︎︎
Davis High student wins first prizein Princeton play writing contest
by Jeff Hudson
July 6, 2015