Kumu Kahua Theatre and Bamboo Ridge Press Announce The Winner of the September 2023 Go Try PlayWrite Contest
For Immediate Release 10.15.2023
Kumu Kahua Theatre and Bamboo Ridge Press Announce
The Winner of the September 2023 Go Try PlayWrite Contest
Where: Kumu Kahua Theatre, 46 Merchant Street, Honolulu
Contact: Sara Ward, officemanager@kumukahua.org, 536-4441
HONOLULU HI – The September Go Try PlayWrite winner is Randy Otaka for his piece K.App.A.Ch.I.N.O.
September 2023 prompt: A Karen vs. Karen prompt. Write a ten (10) page maximum scene about a conflict between at least two (2) “Karens.” The two “Karens” are both perpetrator and victim. All the usual “Karen” tropes apply, but for the purposes of this a prompt, a “Karen” is defined loosely as a person who demands civility for themselves from someone, but goes about it in the most uncivil way.
This is Randyʻs third time winning our Go Try Playwrite Contest!
Born and raised in Mililani, Randy Otaka is completely bereft of any super powers. He can't even fly. He does have a persistent habit of trying to do things that he has no business (i.e. expertise / experience / natural talent) doing. Take writing plays, for example. After all, what does a lowly middle school special education teacher, robotics coach, acupuncturist, and former (almost) monk know about writing plays? Nothing at all. But still he tries his hand at it, with spare thoughts and spare moments. Occasionally, he produces something (almost) meaningful. In doing so, he secretly hopes that his efforts will inspire other "super powerless" people to do ridiculous, impractical, unrealistic, and impossible things... like "go try playwrite!"
Each month Kumu Kahua Theatre co-sponsors this playwriting contest with Bamboo Ridge Press in their combined effort to nurture local playwrights and authors. Each month a different judge is pulled from amongst the theatre practitioners in the Hawaii theatre community. All plays submitted are read by Kumu Kahua Theatre Artistic Director, Harry Wong III.
Kumu Kahua Theatre is now accepting entries for the
October 2023 Go Try PlayWrite Contest.
October Prompt: A Trick or Treat prompt. Write a ten (10) page maximum scene about a group of kids who retaliate with a trick against a house and someone that didn’t give them a treat on Halloween night. As always, have fun with this. Act out your childhood revenge fantasies, but don’t forget about the consequences.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT
Contest Rules: Each entrant must write a 5-page monologue and/or a 10-page scene based on monthly requirements. Each month a new prompt will be chosen by Kumu Kahua Theatre’s Artistic Director. The prompt will be given on or by the 1st of the month and the due date will always be the last day of the month. All entries must be written in traditional play format; instructions on this format can be found here: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/script-formats courtesy of the Dramatists Guild.
There will be one winner each month. Scripts will be submitted to the judges anonymously. So please do not put your name on the cover of your script. Winners will receive $100.00 and a subscription to Bamboo Ridge Press.
Kumu Kahua productions are supported in part by the NME Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, the Island Insurance Foundation, The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaiʻi, The AAPI Community Fund, The Richard Aadland Fund, The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, The John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, Spectrum/Charter Communications, ABC Stores, the Gloria Kosasa Gainsley Fund, Hawaiʻi Public Radio, H. Hawaii Media, Simply Storage, The Kim Coco Fund for Justice of the Iwamoto Family Foundation, Vacations Hawaiʻi, Zippy’s Restaurants, Highway Inn, Generations Magazine, CVS/Longs Drugs, HMSA, Hawaiian Electric, MonkeyPod, Ron and Rachel Heller, Leonard and Charlotte Chow, and other foundations, businesses, and loyal patrons.