Extended Learning
Co-Curricular Programs
Theatre

Faculty

The Theatre faculty have excellent training and many years of experience in teaching, directing and performing at the local and national level.

They are passionate and enthusiastic about drama, playwriting and the arts, and look forward to giving back to the next generation.

Faculty

List of 8 items.

  • Melinda Moore

    Director of Theatre

    Melinda has been working in the theatre most of her life. Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, she studied acting, vocal music, ballet, tap, jazz and musical theatre throughout her childhood. She pursued a double BA in Theatre & Communications from Gustavus Adolphus College with a minor in Music. Following college she spent several years touring the country as a professional motivational speaker, singer and actor before receiving a Masters in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory. Favorite performances include soloing at Carnegie Hall, soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Sunday in the Park with George, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Threepenny Opera, and Pygmalion. Before moving to Hawaii, Melinda spent 12 years as a K – 12 Theatre teacher and director, specializing in creative dramatics as well as a professional singer/dancer/actor in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At Punahou, Melinda chairs the Academy Theatre Department, directs mainstage productions and oversees the Theatre Co-Curricular program. She received her doctorate in Educational Leadership at UH Mānoa.
  • Patrick Block

    Teaching Artist

    Patrick has worked as an actor in New York City and the surrounding area for 13 years. He studied Acting and Improv at Principia College, the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting, and the Upright Citizen's Brigade. He is currently enrolled in NYU Steinhardt‘s MA in Educational Theatre program. In addition to teaching drama classes for Punahou‘s Co-curricular Theatre, he is the improv acting teacher at the Performing Arts Center of Kapolei (PACK) and directs children's shows for their Educational Theatre Program.
  • Courtney Booth

    Co-Curricular Associate, Teaching Artist

    Courtney, a proud Dallas native turned Hawai‘i resident in 2009, brings a wealth of experience to our team. Formerly the Artistic Director at the Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu, her expertise spans acting, directing, theatre management and operations, and theatre education. Courtney is an active member of Oahu’s community theatre scene and has contributed to various professional repertory and community theaters nationwide. She’s not just a theatre enthusiast; Courtney is a passionate educator with a broad range of experience, teaching students of all ages in both public and private schools. Her specialties include classical theatre, playwriting, acting, and streamlining production processes. When she’s not shaping the next generation of theatre stars, you can find her surfing Piddley’s, fishing, whipping up culinary delights, or enjoying quality time with her husband, Aaron, a firefighter, and her loyal German Shepherd, Roscoe. Courtney is honored to join forces with such remarkable arts enthusiasts who are collectively dedicated to nurturing a profound love for theatre.
  • Chey Sanders

    Teaching Artist

    Chey has been teaching acting, improvisation, theatre, on-camera acting, and directing for over 30 years. She has two master's degrees, one in communication (radio, television, film); a master's in marriage and family counseling, and a bachelor's degree in theatre education. She has also served as an education director for a children‘s theater, head acting coach for a talent development company, and acting coach. Chey is proud of her acting classes for students aged 5 – 18 years old on the spectrum. She currently teaches in the Co-Curricular and Summer Programs at Punahou. Acting, creative drama, and improv teach life skills to students. Chey combines her counseling and improvisation experience in helping people of all ages with anxiety, depression, and autism through group improv classes. She has two adult children, Julie, who lives in Michigan, and Eric, who lives in Athens, Greece.
  • Anna Foster

    Assistant Costumer, Teaching Artist

    Anna is originally from NYC and has lived in Hawai‘i since 2001. Anna has designed and constructed sets, costumes and projections for local theater groups as well as mainland productions. Her most recent non-Punahou costuming project was for the I’m a Bright Kid Foundation’s production of Children of Eden at Palikū Theater. She also designed costumes for the I’m A Bright Kid Foundation's production of The Wiz at Palikū Theater in 2018 and the King and I in 2017. Anna designed costumes for a short film The Last Taxi Dance which has been seen in Film Festivals around the world. Some of her favorite costume designs are The King and I (I’m A Bright Kid), Alice in Wonderland Jr (Diamond in the Rough) and The Little Mermaid (Diamond in the Rough). She was Stage Manager and Resident Designer at Honolulu Theater for Youth in 2015 – 2016, where she had the opportunity to design lights, sets, and costumes. Anna was a Technical Theater teacher at Mililani HS for 5 years and taught design and construction for sets and costumes. She began her theater career as a part of Dickinson Community Players at SUNY Binghamton. Anna has been the Assistant Costume Designer for Punahou since August of 2019 and was the Head Costume Designer on Punahou’s production of Lisa Matsumoto’s The Princess and the Iso Peanut.
  • Athena Keehu

    Costume Shop Supervisor, Teaching Artist

    Athena Keehu is a Punahou School Alumni whose love of History and Fashion brought her to the world of Costume Design.  She studied Costume Design at Cornell University and interned with MGM & Killer Films.  She was the Staff Costume Designer at Mānoa Valley Theatre where she designed costumes for 24 Musicals and Plays for the Off-Broadway Playhouse.  While at Manoa Valley Theatre she created a College & High School Costume Design Intern Program mentoring College Students from University of Georgia, University of Washington, University of Hawaiʻi, and High School students from Kaiser High School and Maryknoll School.  Athena also taught Costume Design at Central Theatre Arts Academy supervising and mentoring the designs of High School Students.  She has Designed Costumes for Punahou School’s Theatre Department, Punahou School’s Triennial, Mid Pacific School’s Theatre Department and has been a Costumer for Ohia Productions.  Athena teaches the “Stage/Cosplay Makeup Class” class for Punahou School’s Co-Curricular Program and teaches the “Fashion Design and Costume Construction” class for Punahou School’s Summer School.
  • Chris Patrinos

    Technical Theatre Director

    Chris Patrinos is the Technical Theatre Director at Punahou School. He is also a professor of Technical Theatre at Chaminade University. Prior to joining Punahou School Chris achieved great success as Theatre Manager at the Leeward Theatre, Technical Director at the Richard T. Mamiya Theatre; Director of Event Technology at International Convention and Event Services; and Director of Audio Visual for the Hawaiʻi Convention Center. Chris’ theatre credits include stage management, technical direction, and production design for Jim Nabors, Carol Burnett, Tau Dance Theatre, Honolulu Dance Theatre, the Ron Bright Foundation, the Hawaiʻi Arts Alliance, Saint Louis School, Sacred Hearts Academy, and Iolani School. His production management credits include national touring productions of River Dance, Stomp, Spirit of the Dance, Shaolin Warriors, Lion King, Slava Snow Show, Miss Saigon, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and A Prairie Home Companion. Chris has a Master in Fine Arts in Lighting Design from the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Hawaiʻi. He would not be where he is today without the support of his family and friends.
  • Travis Flazer

    Assistant Technical Director

    Travis Flazer is from the east side of Waikiki. A Kamehameha graduate, he came to Punahou in 2001 to fill the position of assistant technical director. In addition to helping with tech classes he has worked on over 4 dozen performances. When not in Dillingham, Travis enjoys travel, hanging out with his bunny Weegee, and shopping for vintage curiosities.
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