KUMU KAHUA THEATRE TEAMS UP WITH CREATIVES FROM CHICAGO TO HAWAI‘I TO PRESENT WHIRLWIND 24-HOUR PLAY FESTIVAL: MANA WAHINE

Collaboration bringing brand new plays and performances to life in one day premieres April 12, 2026

In an exhilarating celebration of creativity, collaboration, and women-centered storytelling, Kumu Kahua Theatre teams up with Tree Moss Hawai‘i and Chicago’s Nothing Without a Company to present MANA WAHINE: A 24-Hour Play Festival on Sunday, April 12, 2026. This dynamic, fast paced event will bring together 30 Hawai’i-based theatre artists to create and perform six brand new 10-minute plays all within a single 24-hour period. The festival’s theme will be centered around women’s voices and experiences, highlighting the strength, complexity, and creativity of women both onstage and behind-the-scenes.

Now in its 10th iteration from the innovative minds at Nothing Without a Company, the upcoming 24-hour fest marks the company’s third collaboration with Kumu Kahua Theatre. Tree Moss Hawai‘i, a collective of playwrights of Hawai‘i focused on new play development and advocacy, will join in the festival for the first time.

“The 24-hour festival is such a creative rush—not only for the organizations and artists coming together and producing pure theatre magic, but also for the audiences taking in the results at showtime,” said Kumu Kahua Theatre Managing Director, Donna Blanchard. “We’re honored to be invited back for a new round by Nothing Without a Company and to join forces with our friends at Tree Moss Hawai‘i as we explore where 24 little hours takes us!”

How it Works

Six playwrights, six directors, and 18 actors will be randomly sorted into teams, with each team to devise, write, and rehearse brand-new 10-minute plays. At the end of 24 hours, a final public performance of the six resulting plays immediately follows!

Catch MANA WAHINE: A 24-Hour Play Festival

When: Performance, showcasing results of last 24 hour, held April 12, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Kumu Kahua Theatre, located at 46 Merchant Street in downtown Honolulu.
Tickets: Available now at Kumu Kahua Theatre’s website, www.kumukahua.org, tickets are $24—just one dollar for every hour put into creating the festival process!