Justina Taft Mattos
Stage Directing
Contemporary & Classic Plays
for Adults
Click on a photo for more details.
Moore: A Pacific Island Othello. World Premiere filmed at UH Hilo, 2020.
Banyan, by Jeannie Barroga. Filmed at UH Hilo to commemorate 20 years since 9/11 tragedy. Shared online 2021.
A rock-musical written by Jonathan Larson presented at UH Hilo 2019
A play for Scary Scenarios 2018 written by Rhealiza Pira, performed at UH Hilo Performing Arts Center
A play written by Kimm Staats for Scary Scenarios 2018, presented at UH Hilo Performing Arts Center
Written by Melia Takukasagi for Scary Scenarios 2018 at UH Hilo Performing Arts Department
"Ignorance is Bliss," by Asia Helfrich for SCARY SCENARIOS 2018, a serial theatre event: Halloween-themed one-act plays written by student playwrights. Presented at UH Hilo 2018. (See directing sample from "Come Home" below.)
A Serial-Theatre Event featuring Halloween-Themed short plays and monologues written and performed by students. 2017.
Lanford Wilson's gritty urban drama served as the inaugural production to open film star Jason Scott Lee's new performance venue, the Ulua Theatre at Pu Mu in 2005. The production starred Jason Scott Lee, Ken Elliott, Yasuko Takahara-Schlather, and Mark Lewis - all Hollywood actors who flew to Hawai'i to participate in this undertaking. Co-directed with Jason Scott Lee.
Hilo's very first production of The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler, presented at the Palace Theater (Hilo) and the Aloha Theatre (Kainaliu), 2004. Featuring a cast of nearly thirty actresses, dancers and women's advocates, this production raised $10,000 for anti-violence charity. co-directed with Trina Nahm-Mijo.
Hilo Community Players' summer 2003 offering for their annual Shakespeare-in-the-Park production, sponsored by the County of Hawai'i. This production of Shakespeare's romantic comedy garnered Hilo Community Players' "Tiki Award" for BEST DIRECTOR that year.