Noelani Montas

Scenic and Lighting Design

Noelani Montas (she/her) is a proud Kanaka Maoli and Dominicana performer and designer from Southern California, focusing in cultural and Indigenous performance. She is the first diaspora graduate from the MFA Hawaiian Theatre Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and received her BFA in Theatre Design & Technology from University of the Arts. Recent credits include: Puana – UHM Kennedy Theatre Mainstage (Lighting & Projection Design), Glitter in the Paʻakai – UHM Earle Ernst Lab Theatre (ʻĀnela), Haku Wale – UHM Earle Ernst Lab Theatre (Scenic, Lighting, & Projection Design, Hula), Kaisara – UHM Earle Ernst Lab Theatre (Emma Nāwahī, Kalapunia, Metelusa), Primero Sueño – Repertorio Español (Scenic & Lighting Design), and La Extinción de los Dinosaurios – Repertorio Español (Scenic & Lighting Design). She is a recipient of the 2024 WESTAF BIPOC Artist Fund, the Design Action Roots & Futures Microgrant, 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. Thank you to my people. E holomua, sigue pa’ lante.