The second annual North Kohala Ten-Minute Play Festival is slated for 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 24-25, at the Kohala Artist’s Gallery and Co-op.
Six original plays by Kohala writers, each approximately 10 minutes in length, will be read by local actors.
“We believe that nothing builds community like the arts,” said Jan Asch, one of the festival’s organizers. “It’s so much fun to offer this opportunity for folks who want to try their hand at writing short plays and for actors who don’t have time to memorize a part, but can read a script and make the characters come to life.”
Asch and her husband, Frank, started hosting festivals in their barn 10 years ago when they lived in a small community on the mainland. They now hope to create enthusiasm for community theater in the artist’s co-op, a recently opened performance and event venue in Kapaau.
This year’s plays range from comic to dramatic and include the following:
• “Sleeping with My Enemy” by Forrest Arnold and Madani Knowles.
• “The Tooth” by Frank Asch.
• “Hot Scoop” by Jan Asch.
• “The Wellness Visit” by Virginia Fortner.
• “The Harmony of the World” by Joy Fisher.
• “The Presidential Debate” collectively written by writers of the North Kohala writers group.
Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door. All proceeds will benefit the Life and Death Wellness Center in Kapaau, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about end-of-life concerns and training doulas who offer support above and beyond hospice to the dying and their families.
Anyone who would like to try their hand at writing or reading during future events or wants to know more about the services offered at Life and Death Wellness Center can contact Jan Asch at asch.jan@gmail.com or 938-6404.
The Kohala Artist’s Gallery and Co-op is located at 54-3676 Akoni Pule Highway in Kapaau.