​Upcoming Shows

Gathering and sharing real stories that resonate with, empower, and connect the many culturally rich and diverse communities in Hawaiʻi.

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​It starts with just an idea and a desire to engage with a unique community here in Hawaiʻi. It takes time form partnerships, get folks involved, organize story circles, and conduct personal interviews. It also takes time to find the right theater-practitioners.  We hire a director and commission a playwright who helps us gather the stories, and shapes them into a play.  When the first draft of the play is completed, we hold a special invited reading so community members may offer feedback and grant us permission to go forward with the production.

Once we get the go-ahead, we get to the fun part. We hold auditions, inviting community members to participate in the telling of their own stories alongside our experienced actors, then rehearse for about 5 weeks and finally ta da! The set is built, the costumes are made, and the curtains are hung.  We hold our breath as the first audience members arrive and cross our fingers that they understand and appreciate the love and care our communities have to share.  This year we are very proud to two original world premieres. The first is being written for and with domestic violence survivors and  the other is for and  with Hawaiian missionary descendants.

Open Your Hearts Wide

World Premier ”Open Your Hearts Wide,”written by Marion Lyman-Mersereau. Produced by PlayBuilders in Partnership with Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives and the PAʻI Foundation. 
 
Screen play  by Mark Branner and Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak.
Co-Directed by Mark Branner, Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak, 
and Vicky Holt Takamine.
 
an Orig Entertainment Film, 
 
Where and When: 
Streamed on line June 3-24  (Watch any time or day, as many times as you wish,)
For link and to purchase tickets  go  to playbuilders.org/OYHW beginning  May 20
Family friendly. Ticket price: $20
 
The movie features over 20 local actors and 19 real life missionary descendants. Family friendly. Creator and Producer Terri Madden, shares, “We really  hoped that we would be able to create a live production, but Covid-19 had different plans, and so for the first time in PlayBuilders history, we made a movie! We hired Jeff Orig of Orig Entertainment and turned Marion's play into a screenplay by  co-directors Mark Branner and Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak with input by co-director Kumu Vicky Holt Takamine. I see this as the first of 3 productions. The second production will be written with and for  the Hawaiian community and the third will be a “bridge play” where we bring both Hawaiian and missionary descendants together. “
 

For more information, please contact Terri Madden at terri.madden@playbuilders.org or call her at 808-218-0103.

JUst Last year - Open Your Hearts Wide 

 Invited Reading Report Production:
Playwright and Missionary Descendent Marion Lyman-Mersereau spent 2 years asking fellow descendants one simple question in preparation for the bicentennial of the arrival of the Thaddeus in 1820. That question was, "What is it like to be a descendant and what do you think of your ancestors?" She has written a community-based play on the answers she received called "Open Your Hearts Wide".

​ A special invited recorded reading of the play took place  for missionary descendants during the month of June on our website. Over 90 missionary descendants listened to the beautifully produced audio reading  and 25 responded to our survey. Marion Lyman-Mersereau will spend the next several months rewriting the play based on their suggestions.

We are very grateful to Elizabeth Lentz-Hill and Hawaiian Mission Houses for all their help and support with the project. Dates for live performances will be announced as soon as we have a clearer vision of the COVID-19 situation.

NEA has suggested that we ask for an extension until June. 
 
Playwright:
Marion Lyman-Mersereau

Directors:
​ Mark Branner, William Haʻo

Producer/ Community Organizer
Terri Madden