The June Go Try PlayWrite winner is Daniel James Kunkel for his play Commencement Speech to the Class of '30

The June Go Try PlayWrite winner is Daniel James Kunkel for his play Commencement Speech to the Class of '30. The contest prompt was: Write a five (5) page monologue of someone delivering a commencement address to their alma mater.  It can either be their High School or their College/University.
 
A Note From Dan Kunkel: "I absolutely love live theater, both as an audience member and as an amateur actor.  I work as an attorney for the County of Maui too, but my all-time greatest joy in life is being the father of my two children, Kengo and Aina-Sue.  I was proud to be a cast member of Kumu Kahua Theatre's 2004 production of  "The Territorial Plays". Successful local playwrights Will Kahele and Scott Izuka inspire me to write a play someday that a theater might actually produce on stage.  Someday.  Iʻm still working on that dream.  Until that dream comes true, I intend to continue supporting local theater in Hawaii in every way possible. Do you know any restless teenage kids who don't know what to do with all their teenage energy? GET THEM INVOLVED IN LIVE THEATER!  There's nothing else quite like live theater to arouse the various passions in our human souls.  And theaters need YOU.  Please donate your time, energy and/or money to Kumu Kahua Theatre! "
 
Each month Kumu Kahua Theatre co-sponsors this playwriting contest with Bamboo Ridge Press in their combined effort to nurture local playwrights and authors. All plays submitted are read by Kumu Kahua Theatre Artistic Director, Harry Wong III. The monthly Judges are theatre practitioners from the Hawaii theatre community.
 
Kumu Kahua Theatre is now accepting entries for the July 2022 Go Try PlayWrite Contest. The prompt for the month of July is: Write a 10-page scene about a conflict between supporters of different gubernatorial candidates. For example, in Hawai'i a conflict may breakout between sign wavers of different gubernatorial candidates on the street.
 
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT
 
Contest Rules: Each entrant must write a 5-page monologue and/or a 10-page scene based on monthly requirements. Each month a new prompt will be chosen by Kumu Kahua Theatre's Artistic Director. The prompt will be given on or by the 1st of the month and the due date will always be the last day of the month.  All entries must be written in traditional play format; instructions on this format can be found here: https://www.dramatistsguild.com/script.
 
There will be one winner each month. Scripts will be submitted to the judges anonymously. Winners will receive $100.00 and a subscription to Bamboo Ridge Press.
 Look for further future projects using scripts submitted for this contest - coming soon!
 
Kumu Kahua productions are supported in part by the NME Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, the Island Insurance Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 and the American Rescue Plan of 2021, McInerny Foundation (Bank of Hawaii, Trustee); The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaiʻi, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Hawaiian Electric Company, Alexander & Baldwin, The John R Halligan Charitable Fund, Spectrum/Charter Communications, ABC Stores, the Gloria Kosasa Gainsley Fund, Hawaiʻi Public Radio, The Kim Coco Fund for Justice of the Iwamoto Family Foundation, Edric Sakamoto, John Mazur and other foundations, businesses, and loyal patrons.