Honolulu Theatre for Youth Director of Drama Education Wins National Playwriting Contest

A. Kelin II, Director of Drama Education at Honolulu Theatre for Youth has been named the national winner of the Utah Valley University's Old Miner's Children's Playwriting Contest with his play DONNIE Q: KNIGHT OF THE THIRD GRADE. Daniel has been awarded a five-day rehearsal and development workshop at the Noorda Center for Children and Youth at UVU as well as a $1000 cash prize. "There is nothing more exciting or nerve-wracking then placing a new play in the hands of directors and actors. It's exciting to see the play come alive. It's nerve-wracking because you so hope it will sound like what you long imagined it could be. I know, however, that the play will be a better play because of this wonderful experience!" - Daniel A. Kelin II

The Old Miner's Children's Playwriting contest is named after Tom Norris, a self-made multi-millionaire who found his fortune in the mines of Battle Mountain, Nevada. Tom gave much of his money back to the children of his community insuring they got the best education available. He also was a prolific writer of letter to the editor and always signed them "The Old Miner."

Synopsis of DONNIE Q; KNIGHT OF THE THIRD GRADE

Third grade Donnie Q fashions himself a knight, imagining a world in which he bravely saves his hard-working, single mother. But as powerful as his imagination is, reality overwhelms his ventures. Gwen, his mother, seeks to maintain a happy family yet struggles to support her little family. An unhealthy on-again/off-again relationship with her boyfriend Caz doesn't help as he tries to 'normalize' Donnie. Donnie decides to enlist the help of his closest friend, Panda, in his knightly quest. Panda, however, wants nothing more than to prove that girls are equal to boys by winning a place on the local boys' baseball team. As Donnie's jousting humorously complicates Panda's ball practice, Frederick, a local bully and baseball player, seriously irritates the both of them. Their successive attempts to overcome both bullies seem increasingly futile, until Donnie's awkward crusade against oppression suddenly upsets the tenuous balance of everyone's worlds. He helps, in a slightly hilarious and slightly sad way, to reach a promising future for them all. Except maybe Frederick.

Honolulu Theatre for Youth is Hawaii's non-profit professional theatre company providing theatre and drama education programs that make a difference in the lives of Hawaii's young people and families. Founded in 1955, HTY is recognized the world over as one of America's most honored theatres.