​The PlayBuilders of Hawai'i

PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company is a roving, multi‑ethnic, community-based theatre ensemble rooted in Honolulu. Since its founding in 2011 by Terri Madden, the organization has remained committed to gathering and sharing real stories that resonate with, empower, and connect individuals within Hawai‘i’s richly diverse communities. PlayBuilders uses theatre as a tool for equity, empathy, healing, and social change, forging spaces where unheard voices are amplified and respected.

Founder's Journey
Terri Madden, founder and artistic director, earned her MFA in Theatre from the University of Hawai‘i, where she developed her dedication to community-driven storytelling. After graduating, she wrote and directed Clinchco, the Day After Pay Day, a community-based play rooted in her Appalachian hometown of Clinchco, Virginia. It was staged at the Jettie Baker Center in Clintwood, receiving widespread community support. Motivated by the power of this work, she spent a summer in California training with the Cornerstone Theater Company, a national leader in community-collaborative theatre. These experiences shaped the foundation of PlayBuilders’ inclusive, story-first approach to theatrical production.

Communities Served
PlayBuilders has created numerous award-winning, community-collaborative productions centered on authentic storytelling and co-creation with diverse populations. These include:

• Wahiawā – Wahiawā Remembah When
• Waipahu – The Waipahu Project
• Chinatown – Someone Else’s Slippahs, Chinatown
• Persons Experiencing Houselessness – Houseless in Paradise
• Caregivers – The Super Executive Aunties of the Mālama the Caregivers Collective
• LGBTQ+ Communities – Yes I Am, Stories from Honolulu’s LGBTQ+ Community and Yes I Am, Leeward Edition
• Sexual Assault Survivors – #MeToo Survivors Circle
• Former Foster Youth – Dragonfly: The Story of a Young Local Girl’s Journey Through Foster Care
• Hawaiian Missionary Descendants – Open Your Hearts Wide
• Each project is guided by a co-creative process involving story circles, interviews, and workshops, and welcomes people from all walks of life. Notably, the company has worked with actors with disabilities, casting them in roles traditionally written for non-disabled performers, reinforcing a commitment to radical inclusion and accessibility.

Current Work: Okinawan Community ProjectIn 2025, PlayBuilders began its newest community-based theatre initiative: a collaboration with Hawai‘i’s Okinawan community. The project explores intergenerational identity, cultural pride, and lived experience among Okinawan families in the islands. With support from cultural organizations and community members, the piece is being developed through oral histories, participatory workshops, and community events—honoring the vibrant heritage and contributions of Okinawan descendants in Hawai‘i.
Structure, Recognition & SupportPlayBuilders is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, led by a dedicated Board of Directors, a community-focused ensemble of artists, and a wide network of collaborators and advisors. A key component of its success lies in its deep partnerships with other nonprofit organizations that help connect the ensemble with the communities they serve. Trusted partners have included:

• Family Programs Hawai‘i
• Catholic Charities Hawai‘i's Nā ‘Ohana Pulāma Program
• Child & Family Service
• Hawai‘i Foster Youth Coalition
• The Institute for Human Services (IHS)
• Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives
• Okinawa Hawai‘i United Association
• Pa'i Foundation
  
• Hawaii Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  
•  ...and many more
  
  

Partners often host story-circle nights, advise on cultural sensitivity and trauma-informed practice, and assist with community outreach and relationship-building. PlayBuilders also maintains trusted relationships with social workersfrom these organizations, many of whom are available on-call to support the ensemble when working with individuals who have experienced trauma or hardship.
PlayBuilders’ innovative, inclusive, and healing-centered approach has earned recognition across the arts and nonprofit sectors. The company has been honored with multiple Po‘okela Awards from the Hawai‘i State Theatre Council and supported by:

• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
• Hawaii Council for the Humanities through the National Endowment for the Humanities
  
• Hawai‘i Community Foundation
• Atherton Family Foundation
• Cooke Foundation
• Geist Foundation
• Hawai‘i People’s Fund

Additional in-kind support—including rehearsal and meeting space—has been generously provided by organizations such as Hawai‘i Life Real Estate Company.
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Summary
PlayBuilders of Hawai‘i Theater Company is a trailblazer in community-collaborative theatre, rooted in storytelling, equity, and aloha. Guided by PlayBuilder's mission and a network of community partnerships, the company uplifts unheard voices and transforms real-life experiences into powerful theatrical works. Whether it’s supporting caregivers, preserving cultural memory, or staging stories of survival and resilience, PlayBuilders continues to build bridges—one story at a time.

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