About  

    


Photo by Ava Madden, @avas_lei
Kaimana Beach, Honolulu, Oʻahu
ʻAnoʻai me ke aloha! My name is Noelani Montas (she/her), and I am a proud Kanaka Maoli and Dominicana artist from Southern California. As both a performer and designer for theatre and live performance, my work focuses on culturally-centered productions, where I am especially excited to engage with Indigenous languages and storytelling onstage.

Past works include: Puana (Lighting & Projection Design) – UHM Kennedy Theatre Mainstage, Glitter in the Paʻakai (ʻĀnela) – UHM Earle Ernst Lab Theatre [remounted in March & May 2024], Haku Wale (Scenic, Lighting, & Projection Design; Oli, Hula) – UHM Earle Ernst Lab Theatre, Kaisara (Emma Nāwahī, Kalapunia, Metelusa) – UHM Earle Ernst Lab Theatre, Primero Sueño (Scenic & Lighting Design) – Repertorio Español, and La Extinción de los Dinosaurios (Scenic & Lighting Design) – Repertorio Español. 

Noelani is a recipient of the 2024 Creative West BIPOC Artist Fund, the Design Action Roots & Futures Microgrant, the 2022 Brind School Award for Storytelling in Design, the 2021 Pat Mackay Diversity in Design Award, and was a lighting design mentee in the 2021-2022 Wingspace Mentorship Program Cohort. She also received two KCACTF Acting Nominations for her roles as ʻĀnela in Glitter in the Paʻakai and Emma Nāwahī in Kaisara.

Education:
MFA Hana Keaka (Hawaiian-Medium Theatre), University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Focus: Performance & Design
BFA Theatre Design and Technology, University of the Arts
Focus: Scenic, Lighting, & Projection Design

Affiliations:
Wingspace Theatrical Design Member
Indigenous Creatives Roster - yəhaw̓ and Friends of Waterfront Park
Design Action Member

Representation:
ALA Hawaiʻi