​PlayBuilders Board of Directors

Paul Kuehn, Immediate Past President
During his 28 year career in teaching and administration in both elementary and higher education in California, Paul and his wife LuAnn caught the Community Theatre bug from a friend who encouraged them to join her in volunteering in local theatres. After retiring from the State of California and moving to Hawaii, Paul found himself working at Leeward Community College as Dean of Academic Services, where one of his responsibilities was oversight of the Leeward Theatre. During this time, he was introduced to a relatively new Theatre Company, PlayBuilders, and soon they became Artists in Residence at Leeward Theatre. Paul has since retired, again, and enjoys spending time with his three grandchildren, working with PlayBuilders and enjoying his new home, Hawaii. If you look hard enough, you might catch him very early on Saturday mornings kayaking near Ala Moana.

Deanna Espinas, Secretary
Deanna Espinas was born and raised in Honolulu and currently resides in Palolo Valley. She worked for the Department of Public Safety for over 31 years as a correctional librarian, and retired in January 2014. She serves on the board of directors for Hawaii's Plantation Village, the Filipino-American Historical Society of Hawaii, and Friends of the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.  She enjoys participating in a variety of cultural activities which celebrate people's experiences growing up in Hawaii. She is a member of Keolumana United Methodist Church, Faith Action for Community Equity, and just began her term on the Hawaii District Board of United Methodist Women.

Espinas believes that stories of family and friends who were born in the Philippines and struggled to make a new home for themselves here and elsewhere are fascinating. All stories shared become movies for the mind. There is an opportunity to imagine the actors, hear their voices, see what they wore, ate, and feel their emotions; these are memories to be passed on to our children.

Mary Pat Ashby, Treasurer
Mary Pat grew up in California and attended UC Berkeley in the mid60s for her BA.  She lived the next eight years in New York City, first working for the welfare department and then for Pan American Airways.  Hawaii was the next home in order to attend graduate school in international public health and in business.  As much as she wanted to stay, the need to find employment in her chosen field meant she had to return to the mainland.  The next twenty-eight years were spent in the Washington, DC metro area working in hospital financial management and administration.  She married her husband Jack and they raised a son.  In 2007, with their son through college, the Ashby’s looked to move back to Hawaii.  It was settled when she was offered a job at The Queen’s Medical Center in the Quality Department.  Now retired, the Ashby’s spend their time volunteering, travelling, and enjoying community theatre and Hawaiian music.  
 
While living in the DC area, Mary Pat was the volunteer bookkeeper for their small church.  In Hawaii, after joining Calvary by the Sea Lutheran Church, she served as the treasurer of Angel Network Charities for three years and then as church treasurer for an additional three years.  

'Robert Yokoyama​, Public Relations Specialist
Robert Yokoyama studied English at the University of Hawaii, and has been employed at Abilities Unlimited as a direct support worker since 2010.  Robert joined the PlayBuilders Ensemble in 2011 and has acted in many of our community based plays including, "Wahiawa, Remembah Wen", "Houseless in Paradise", "The Waipahu Project", and "Dragonfly, The Story of a Young Local Girl's Journey Through Foster Care."
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Robert received a "Volunteer of the Year" Poʻokela award from the Hawaii State Theater Council for his work with PlayBuilders in 2013 and he became a member of Playbuilders Board of Directors in 2018. Robert focuses on pitching PlayBuilders theater projects to local news outlets and successfully connected with Hawaii News Now to have our "Bursting Bubbles Project" featured  with reporter Jim Mendoza in October of 2019 and 2020. 

  Terri Madden, Founder, Producing Executive Director
Terri Madden is founder and Artistic director of PlayBuilders. She holds a BA in Political Science and an MFA in Theatre from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She has produced all of PlayBuilders’ productions since itʻs inception in 2011 and has written or devised and directed several plays for PlayBuilders including Wahiawa Remembah Wen, Yes I Am, Leeward Edition, and Dragonfly, The Story of a Young Local Girlʻs Journey Through Foster Care.

As a community organizer and grant writer, Terri has collaborated with dozens of schools and non-profits over the years and has obtained grants from many sources for our projects including the Atherton, Cooke, and Victoria S. and Bradly L. Geist Foundations through the Hawaii Community Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

As a theater maker, she has been acknowledge by the Hawaii State Theater Council for excellence in writing Dragonfly and for directing Houseless in Paradise. Both plays also received Po'okela awards for "Best Play".   Terri is currently working with play devisor, Catherine Restivo- Romito, and co-director, Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak, on our Caregivers project which is schedule to be produced in November of 2023.

Personally, Terri has lived in Hawaii (on and off) for almost 50 years and raised her 2 children here. Her Army officer father (who was also interested in community involvement here in Hawaiʻi) brought his family here on orders in 1973 and Terri has considered Hawaiʻi home since. She lives with her husband of 46 years (Dan Madden), 2 doxies, one aquatic turtle and 7 chickens in Hawaii Kai. Her father passed away during Covid to service related Parkinsonism, and the experience of helping him navigate his illness inspired Terri to organize "The Caregivers Project."

​Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak, Vice President
Elizabeth first visited Hawai‘i in 1959 as a child, and then moved here in 1971 to attend graduate school and then to teach in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa; she retired from UHM in 2018, after serving as Director of the Asian Theatre Program for 33 years.  Asian theatre is therefore very close to her heart, especially Chinese theatre, her specialty.  But perhaps even more important to her is theatre that aims to make a difference, especially theatre involving community groups in the unpacking of social issues and the confrontation of inequities.  For instance, before her career at UHM became too time consuming, she was a frequent director and actor with Kumu Kahua Theatre, taught a long-term “drama workshop” at OCCC with Dando Kluever, and worked with him, Tremaine Tamayose, and Carol Honda on several devised theatre projects with and for Hawai‘i public school students.
 
As soon as possible after she retired, Elizabeth therefore contacted PlayBuilders Executive Director Terri Madden, and asked about contributing to PlayBuilders.  She is honored to be serving in this special capacity of Ensemble Advisor, and is delighted to be a member of the Board of Directors, and one of the playwrights and directors for the PlayBuilders “Bursting Bubbles Project” video series, as well.

​Charles M. Kaʻaiai, President
Charles wrote plays and acted in community theater in the 70s and 80s.  His last theatre gig took place back in 1993 when he produced the first centennial re-enactment of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893. It was done over three days (January 15, 16, and 17) at or near the sites where the original action occurred. Vicky Kneubuhl wrote the play and Dallas Mossman Vogeler directed. Charles produced the re-enactment as part of the Hui Na’auao, the sovereignty education project. After that intense 3 years of work he swore that he would not do another theatrical production again, until now, and PlayBuilders is very excited to have him on board.

Prior to Covid-19, Charles was  contracted by Hawaii Seafood Council to do the Fish Auction tours on Saturdays.  He also consulted on the Seafood Council’s current Fish 101 S-K education grant for Guam, CNMI and American Samoa. He was a reviewer for Saltonstall-Kennedy Grants program in 2017 where he learned a lot of stories about the fisheries on the dock. He worked for the Fishery Council for 18 years as their community and indigenous program coordinator. 

 
James LaBrie
 A former foster youth, James LaBrie experiences include working for Family Programs Hawaii as a volunteer and speaker. He also worked with Symour Kazimikiʻs "Kids Hurt Too Hawaii" program. Jameʻs life story was depected in the PlayBuilderʻs and Nanakuli High Schoolʻs  production of “Dragonfly, the Story of a Young Local Girlʻs Journey Through Foster Care.” 

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__Jl1KSVtjE

Dr. Elaine Valdov
Elaine Valdov is a representative to the United Nations, a peace and human rights activist and conflict resolution specialist. She is the Founder and President of International Young Leaders’ Vision Summits, Yoga Peace Ambassadors and Yogis Beyond Borders. Dr. Valdov has held many NGO positions at the UN, including Chair – Executive Committee of NGOs Affiliated with the Dept. of Global Communications; Secretary General – Youth Assembly at the UN; Chair – NGO Committee for the University of Peace. She lectures internationally and is best known for her champion of causes and creation of peace initiatives for the UN Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World – and – the UN Sustainable Development Goals: working on issues from eradication of poverty and hunger, empowering women, providing for a sustainable environment, and health and education for all. She is also a practicing psychotherapist in NYC and a professional coach focused on “Finding Your Role in Creating a Culture of Peace”.

Elaine lives part time in Kailua, Hawaiʻi and has used her experience and expertise in assisting PlayBuilders work with domestic abuse survivors for almost a year. A former opera singer, Elaine is also involved creatively in PlayBuilders "Bursting Bubbles Project" video series as a director.

Carol Polcovar, PlayFest Chair
Carol is a published poet and writer; a prize-winning playwright whose plays have been produced Off Broadway, in Hawaii and Italy; a director of more than thirty cabaret and Off-Broadway shows; a producer whose best-known production Raymond Fox’s musical, Take It Easy had 103 Off-Broadway performances, an Interfaith Minister and a teacher of American History, Civil Law, and writing, teaching students from pre-school to college. She holds a certificate in mediation.  Ms. Polcovar has been active in the LGBT and the Women’s Civil Rights Movement.  She is the Founder and Artistic Director of the All Out Arts Fresh Fruit Festival, a yearly NYC multi-genre arts festival dedicated to fighting prejudice and homophobia through the arts. Her mystery novel, A Murder on Allen Street, examines issues of justice, class, and immigrant life in 19th century NY. She is now completing a memoir of her earliest years growing up in Coney Island, NY, Hello My Coney Island Baby. She has lived in Hawaii now for seven years and before her retirement she taught at Hawaii Pacific University. Her plays have been presented at Play Builders’ short play festivals in Hawaii.
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Ke'ala Ford, Youth Rep is a senior at UH West O'ahu majoring in psychology and plans to enroll into graduate school to receive a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) in the near future. She  is currently participating in two honor societies at her institution, The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) and Psi Chi.  She spends her spare time volunteering for her school and harmonizing Hawaiian music with her mother Georgette Stevens. Ke'ala has been acting for 11 years, and first became acquainted with PlayBuilders when she was cast by Robin Kitsu in "Dragonfly, the Story of a Young Local Girl's Journey through Foster Care" which was presented at Nānākuli High and Intermediate School Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in 2018. She is currently working with Catherine Restivo-Romito, Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak, and Terri Madden on PlayBuilder's "Malama The CareGivers Project."