Our mission:
PlayBuilders gathers and shares Hawaiʻi’s stories through community-based theatre, honoring lived experiences and helping build stronger relationships among Hawaiʻi’s culturally rich and diverse communities.
We partner with communities throughout Hawaiʻi to gather personal stories through outreach, story circles, and one-on-one interviews. With the permission and participation of the people who share them, these stories are developed into original plays that celebrate culture, illuminate lived experience, and invite audiences to see one another with greater understanding.
Our work is community-rooted and professionally supported. PlayBuilders volunteers collect stories through story circles and one-on- one interviews, we commission playwrights to shape collected stories into original scripts and hire professional directors to guide the work through rehearsal, and performance. Throughout the process, community members remain connected to the work and have opportunities to help shape how their stories and experiences are represented.
PlayBuilders practices slow, community-based theatre. We take the time needed to build relationships, listen deeply, and allow each project to grow from the community itself. A play may take two to three years to move from an initial idea through community outreach, story gathering, writing, development, rehearsal, and finally to the stage. This extended process allows trust to develop and gives community members meaningful opportunities to participate in the creation of the work.
When the play reaches production, PlayBuilders casts community members alongside experienced actors who serve as ensemble anchors. This gives people connected to the stories an opportunity to participate in bringing them to the stage and in telling stories drawn from their own lives, cultures, and shared experiences.
We partner with communities throughout Hawaiʻi to gather personal stories through outreach, story circles, and one-on-one interviews. With the permission and participation of the people who share them, these stories are developed into original plays that celebrate culture, illuminate lived experience, and invite audiences to see one another with greater understanding.
Our work is community-rooted and professionally supported. PlayBuilders volunteers collect stories through story circles and one-on- one interviews, we commission playwrights to shape collected stories into original scripts and hire professional directors to guide the work through rehearsal, and performance. Throughout the process, community members remain connected to the work and have opportunities to help shape how their stories and experiences are represented.
PlayBuilders practices slow, community-based theatre. We take the time needed to build relationships, listen deeply, and allow each project to grow from the community itself. A play may take two to three years to move from an initial idea through community outreach, story gathering, writing, development, rehearsal, and finally to the stage. This extended process allows trust to develop and gives community members meaningful opportunities to participate in the creation of the work.
When the play reaches production, PlayBuilders casts community members alongside experienced actors who serve as ensemble anchors. This gives people connected to the stories an opportunity to participate in bringing them to the stage and in telling stories drawn from their own lives, cultures, and shared experiences.
Our current production
|
Our Okinawan ʻOhana
Stories We Share from Hawaiʻi’s Uchinānchu Community Written by Lee A. Tonouchi Based on stories gathered by PlayBuilders Volunteers Directed by Harry Wong III and Terri Madden Born from story circles and interviews with members of Hawaiʻi’s Okinawan community, Our Okinawan ʻOhana brings stories of family, immigration, culture, humor, resilience, and belonging to the stage. Preview Show Hawaii United Okinawan Ballroom Sunday, September 27 at 5 pm (Free) Please register on line so we know how many to expect. Click the purple button above and it will take you to the ticketing sight. United Church of Christ-Judd Street Thursday, October 15 Invited Dress rehearsal (Invitation Only) Paliku Theatre, Windward Community College October 17, 2026 (6 p.m.) October 18, 2026 (2 p.m. ) (A possible 3rd performance on Oct. 17 may be added at 2 pm if we sell out) |
Playbuilders welcomes Harry wong III
PlayBuilders is delighted to welcome Harry Wong III as director of Our Okinawan ʻOhana. Harry has served as Artistic Director of Kumu Kahua Theatre since 1997 and has directed more than 100 productions throughout his distinguished career. We are honored to have him bring his extraordinary experience, artistry, and commitment to Hawaiʻi’s stories to this community-rooted production.
Announcing playBuilders' next community-based theatre project: Chinatown O'ahu rising
Following Our Okinawan ʻOhana, PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company will begin Chinatown Oʻahu Rising, a new community-based theatre project developed in collaboration with people who live, work, worship, create, and have roots in Honolulu’s Chinatown.
We are honored to announce that the project has been approved for funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. This support will help PlayBuilders bring community members together to share stories, build relationships, and create an original theatrical work reflecting Chinatown’s histories, challenges, resilience, and hopes for the future.
We look forward to sharing more information about community participation, story circles, partnerships, and upcoming activities as the project develops.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
We are honored to announce that the project has been approved for funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. This support will help PlayBuilders bring community members together to share stories, build relationships, and create an original theatrical work reflecting Chinatown’s histories, challenges, resilience, and hopes for the future.
We look forward to sharing more information about community participation, story circles, partnerships, and upcoming activities as the project develops.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
