​Our Mission:

​PlayBuilders mission is to gather and share real stories that resonate with, empower and connect individuals within the many culturally rich and diverse communities of Hawai’i.

​What:

​​We are a community-engaged theatre company, rooted in Hawai‘i. Our work centers on collaborating with residential neighborhoods and identity-based groups to co-create original plays drawn from the lived experiences and shared knowledge of community members. While community-engaged theatre exists in many parts of the U.S. and the world, to the best of our knowledge, PlayBuilders was the first to introduce this model in Hawai‘i.

​The PlayBuilders Process is Very Simple:

We consider our process of play development to be more important than the final play itself, because it offers community members a meaningful way to explore their identities, thoughts, and ideas through storytelling. This process provides a platform for participants to share their discoveries with the broader community. It is a community-strengthening approach, and we have found that this kind of theatre can be profoundly healing—especially for those who have experienced significant trauma or disruptive change in their lives.
This is not a process to be rushed. Instead, it unfolds gradually over a period of one to three years and typically follows these phases:

Our Community-Based Play Development Process

• Identify a Community
  We begin by identifying a community we feel called to work with.
• Reach Out to Organizations
  We approach organizations that serve that community. If they are interested in collaborating, we commit to the project, and they become our Community Partners.
• Build Relationships
  Together with our Community Partners, we connect with trusted and knowledgeable community members to begin the collaborative process.
• Gather Stories and Research
  We host story circles and engage in other forms of research to gather stories and insights that will inform the play.
• Develop the Play
  Sometimes, a playwright collects stories and writes the play independently.
• Other times, a director devises the play in collaboration with community members and actors during rehearsals.
• Community Review
  When the first draft is complete, we return to the community to present a private reading. We invite feedback and suggestions.
• Revise with Respect
  The playwright revises the script based on the community’s input—always with care to ensure it remains pono (right and respectful) to those who shared their stories.
• Auditions and Rehearsals
  We hold auditions for community members and begin rehearsals, which typically last several weeks.
• Production and Performance
  The set is built, lights are hung, and costumes are created. The process culminates in a joyful opening night, with the play performed live for the community.

​High Praise for PlayBuilders!

(PlayBuilders) came to our town like an Olympic torchbearer carrying the flame...the light. They listened to the community’s needs and concerns and nurtured a play that we are all proud of.”
- Dr. Jared Kanemaru, Wahiawa Historical Society 

​... I see now that I am not the only one to have experienced this. I am not crazy. This has been very healing. I am so glad I came.”
- Young Audience Member, Yes I Am; Leeward Edition

I appreciate the opportunity that you afforded us to speak for our beloved Kalana Kukaniloko, to our own community of Wahiawa. Many have come to me to say they remember our participation in the play and did not realize what was going on in our own backyard...
- Jo-Lin Lenchanko Kalimapau, Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawa