HONOLULU, HI–Kumu Kahua Theatre presents, as part of its Dark Night Series, The PlayFestival 2016, an annual event organized by PlayBuilders of Hawai’i Theater Company.
Formerly known as the Festival of Original Plays, PlayBuilders first started The PlayFestival in 2011, as a way to meet their mission of “gathering and sharing real stories that resonate, empower and connect” the people of Hawai’i.
The PlayFestival serves as an outlet for new plays and playwrights, and participants have enjoyed many successes as a result. Founding executive director, Terri Madden explains, “An open call for original plays by local playwrights went last fall and only the best plays were selected. The PlayFestival has developed into an incredible opportunity for local playwrights who wish to have their works seen and possibly produced.” PlayBuilders has commissioned past PlayFestival participants, including Kristen Trombetta (The Waipahu Project,) and Mark Tjarks (Houseless in Paradise,) to write full-length, community-collaborative plays to further serve their mission. Other theatre companies have chosen several PlayFestival plays as part of their regular seasons. Such examples include Nancy Moss’ Will the Real Charlie Chan Please Stand Up, Marion Lyman-Mersereau’s Eddie Wen Go: The Story of the Upside Down Canoe, and Jan Shiarella McGrath’s Outage, which were produced at Kumu Kahua Theatre, The Hawai’i Theatre, and TAG respectively.
The PlayFestival 2016 will be held at Kumu Kahua Theatre on April 3rd, 4th, and 5th. The festival will consist of rehearsed readings of original, one-act plays by local playwrights, in two divisions, youth and adults. Plays from the Youth Division will be presented on Sunday afternoon, April 3rd, from 4pm-6pm. Plays from the Adult division will be presented on Monday and Tuesday evenings, April 5th and 6th, from 6pm-9pm. Awards in each category will be announced at the festival’s closing. Each festival night will include a special “Meet the Playwrights” ice cream social during intermission.
The following plays and playwrights have been selected from a record number of submissions this year and will be presented on dates indicated:
Sunday, April 3, 2016, 4 pm to 6 pm (Youth Division)
The Tumble by Daisy Sprenger
The He Man Play by Emilee Mcdonald
Kansas City Pet Store Christmas by Sarah Wong
The New Sink by Ben Cook
(Intermission. Playwrights Gathering and Ice Cream Social.)
The Dead Man by Callum Bessinger
Make It Home by Maddie Matthews
The One-Year Victim by Hannah Kurosu
Monday, April 4, 2016: 6pm to 9 pm (Adult Division)
Da Play by Lee A. Tonouchi
In Transit by Jan McGrath
(Intermission. Playwrights Gathering and Ice Cream Social.)
Playing the S Line by Mark Tjarks
Shipment Day by Lorenzo DeStefano
Tuesday, April 5, 2016: 6 pm to 9 pm (Adult Division)
Aloha, Mahu by SH Murakoshi
Houdini– Kirby Wright
(Intermission. Playwrights Gathering and Ice Cream Social.)
Ahiwela.- by Marion Lyman-Mersereau
Kumu Kahua Theatre’s Dark Night Series was created to offer other theatre groups, playwrights, and performance artists the opportunity to present their work to the community. The PlayFestival 2016 is being presented during dark nights, evenings when Kumu Kahua’s regular season shows are not being performed. To be part of the Dark Night Series artists must submit a proposal, which is reviewed by the Board of Directors of Kumu Kahua. From these proposals, projects are chosen that Kumu Kahua feels will promote the development of the theatrical arts and benefit local artists. Kumu Kahua sees this as another way to enhance and enrich the cultural diversity and artistic climate of Honolulu.
PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company gathers and shares real stories that resonate with, empower, and connect individuals throughout the culturally rich and diverse communities of Hawai’i.
TICKETS: $5. Go to www.playfestival.org/tickets. Tickets may also be purchased at the door 45 minutes prior to the event.
PROMOTIONAL IMAGES: www.playfestival.org/media/
For additional information please contact Terri Madden at terri.madden@playbuilders.org.
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