Faculty

List of 14 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.
  

• Jasmine Haley Anderson

  Co-Curricular Theatre Faculty

  
  

  Jasmine Haley Anderson is an accomplished actor, director, and Associate Instructor, as well as a certified Level 2 Actor-Combatant with Dueling Arts International (DAI). She has taught courses in Acting, Acting for Musical Theatre, Voice, Stage Combat, and more, working with students of all ages in both private and group settings. Additionally, she brings her storytelling skills to keiki through “Keiki Imagination Adventure,” a traveling storytime program offered at libraries, parks, and venues across the state.

• Heather Barnhill

  Co-Curricular Theatre Faculty

  
  

  Heather Barnhill was born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada where she discovered a love of theatre.  She received a BA in Political Studies and Drama at Mount Allison University in Canada spending summers acting and teaching at theatre camps. After graduation, she headed to England where she completed her Post Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education in English and Drama at Oxford University. Heather also studied acting at Circle In The Square Theatre School, NYC and while she loves performing, her main passion has been helping young people discover drama and theatre. She has taught at private and public schools in Canada, England, and the United States. She enjoys guiding students as they find their voices especially through the development of original collectives. Her students have performed at the Ottawa Fringe Festival and toured Iceland, Wales, and England. Heather is excited to be teaching drama classes for Punahou’s Co-curricular Theatre Program.

• 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.
  

• Caitlin Chavis

  Co-Curricular Theatre Faculty

   

  Caitlin Chavis is a third-year Costume Design MFA student at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. She received her BA in Theater with a concentration in Design, Tech, and Management and a minor in Dance Arts from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Caitlin also attended the Capital Area School for the Arts Charter School with a focus on Dance.

• 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.

• 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.

• Kainalu Hecomovich

  Co-Curricular Theatre Faculty

  
  

  Kainalu Hecomovich is an International Baccalaureate certified educator, actor, model, competitive surfer, water polo, Tahitian dance champion, and stuntman with over 20 years of teaching experience both in the U.S. and abroad. He currently appears in 2024 – 2025 commercials and print campaigns and recently won two film festival awards for his short films at the Hawaii International ‘Opio Film Festival and the Hawaii Museum of Art. Kainalu holds dual Master’s degrees from UH Mānoa and the Université de Bordeaux in France. In 2023, he founded the Hawaii Acting & Modeling Academy, training students ages 5-18, many of whom have booked roles on major shows like Magnum PI, NCIS Hawaii, Netflix, and Disney. As a proud Punahou alumnus, Kainalu feels honored to give back to the programs that helped shape his career.

• 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.

• Eden Lee

  Co-Curricular Theatre Faculty

  
  

  Eden Lee holds an MFA in Acting and Directing, graduating cum laude, and brings a wealth of theatre teaching experience to her role. Soon after moving to Hawaii, she became an artist-educator with the Alliance for Drama Education (ADE). In 1996, she established and led the Drama Club at the Honolulu Waldorf School before transitioning in 2002 to direct the Kaimuki High School Shakespeare Festival for seven years. From 2009 to 2016, Eden served as Education Director at the Hawaii Theatre Center, where she produced, directed, performed, and taught at this historic venue. She’s thrilled to teach introductory Shakespeare classes in Punahou’s Co-Curricular program, sharing her love for theatre with her students.

• Isabella O’Keeffe

  Co-Curricular Theatre Faculty

  
  Isabella O’Keeffe is currently pursuing an MFA in Performance and an MEd in Educational Administration. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from California State University, Fresno, and has worked with esteemed organizations such as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, California Arts Council, Lime Arts Productions, Late Night Theatre Company, KatchU, and The Artistic Company. Her recent performance credits include The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves, How We Roll, and Madame Cassia at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

• John Roberts

  Co-Curricular Theatre Faculty

  
  John Roberts has been a valued teacher at Punahou School for 22 years, leading courses in Musical Theatre and Middle School Choir. He initiated a Musical Theatre performance class and has directed and music-directed numerous productions, including How to Eat Like a Child. Outside the classroom, he enjoys time with his family—Kate (6) and Charlie (3)—along with trips to Disneyland and Broadway shows in NYC. He’s also led two performance-based summer school trips: Broadway Bound in New York City, with NYC performances, and Hollywood Bound in Los Angeles, featuring performances at Disneyland. Additionally, he has taught The Science of Happiness for the past three summers and works part-time with his faith-based community, Bluewater Mission. He’s thrilled to work with your child this year!

• Claire Trevizo

  Technical Director

  
  

  Claire Trevizo is a dedicated and experienced Technical Director at Punahou School, known for her expertise and passion for the arts. Before joining Punahou, Claire was the Technical Director for Chaminade University’s theatre program, where she excelled in production management and creative collaboration. She holds an MFA in Lighting Design and a degree in Communications, giving her a nuanced understanding of how technology and the performing arts intersect. Claire has freelanced across Hawaii, contributing to diverse productions and traveling with shows to both the Big Island and New York, enriching her artistic perspective. Committed to nurturing creativity and excellence, Claire takes pride in mentoring emerging talent and inspiring her students and colleagues to push artistic boundaries.