Kumu Kahua Theatre and Bamboo Ridge Press Invite Submissions for July’s ‘Go Try PlayWrite’ Contest

Kumu Kahua Theatre, in collaboration with Bamboo Ridge Press, has announced the July 2025 prompt for their monthly Go Try PlayWrite contest. Aspiring and seasoned playwrights alike are invited to craft a short scene inspired by this month’s theme: "A deadly dating."

Writers are asked to create a ten-page maximum scene featuring two praying mantises—one male, one female—out on a date. The scene must culminate in the act of “making a baby,” referencing the fascinating (and often fatal) real-life mating rituals of mantises. Organizers encourage participants to do their research, promising a prompt that blends dark comedy, drama, and entomological accuracy.

Thanks to a generous anonymous donor, the monthly winner will receive a $100 cash prize and a subscription to Bamboo Ridge Press, Hawaii’s long-standing literary journal dedicated to work by, for, and about the people of Hawaiʻi.

All submissions must be written in traditional play format (guidelines available via the Dramatists Guild here). Scripts are judged anonymously by rotating members of Hawaii’s theatre community, with a single winner selected each month.

Deadline for July entries is July 31, 2025.
Submit your scene HERE.