JAMES TITO

Ngāti Tūwharetoa • Ngāpuhi • Kuki Airani

James trained at UCOL (Advanced Certificate in Performing Arts) and Toi Whakaari.  He has acted in theatre productions including Awhi Tapu, The Māori Troilus and Cressida and Sydney Bridge Upside Down and on screen including Awhi Tapu, The Kick and Mahana.  He was nominated as Most Promising Male Newcomer at the 2011 Chapman Tripp Awards.  James had the inspiration to establish the Modern Māori Quartet and revive the showbands of yesteryears because of the talented people he has worked with.

MAAKA POHATU

Ngai Tāmanuhiri • Ngāti Apa • Ngāti Tūwharetoa

A graduate of Toi Whakaari, Maaka has performed in a multitude of productions ranging from the critically acclaimed Strange Resting Places and The Māori Troilus and Cressida, which featured at the prestigious Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London to more recently, A Slightly Isolated Dog’s highly acclaimed recreation of Moliere’s Don Juan.  He made his film debut in the feature Two Little Boys and portrayed Dalvanius Prime in the recent hit Kiwi music biopic Poi E.  Maaka is also a professional musician and is a proud member of the Modern Māori Quartet.

Matariki Whatarau

Ngāti Kahungunu • Ngāti Raukawa • Ngāti Tama te Rā

Since graduating from Toi Whakaari, Matariki has appeared in various theatre productions including Awhi Tapu, Tū and Paper Sky.  His screen credits include The Almighty Johnsons, Go Girls, Find Me A Māori Bride, The Pā Boys and Mahana.  Matariki has always loved playing music, singing and acting so being a part of the Modern Māori Quartet is his dream job.

Francis Kora

Ngāi Tūhoe • Ngāti Pūkeko

Francis is the fifth member of the Modern Māori Quartet, replacing original founding member Matu Ngaropo. He is also a graduate of Toi Whakaari.  For the last decade, Francis has been a musician with (and is now the frontman of) iconic NZ band KORA.  He had his debut film role in The Pā Boys and was a presenter on Māori Television’s CODE.  Francis has a passion for telling Aotearoa’s stories through film and theatre.

Matu Ngaropo

Ngāi Tūhoe • Ngāti Porou • Te Rarawa

Matu is a founding member of the Modern Māori Quartet, and recently returned to MMQ as Music Director & Dramaturg having been on sabbatical from the company since 2014. Also a graduate of Toi Whakaari, Matu has a thriving theatre/musical theatre career, his latest role being ensemble member and understudy for Scar and Mufasa in the Australian touring production of The Lion King. Other stage highlights include The Māori Troilus and Cressida, Te Awarua, Maui – One Man Against the Gods, Cymbeline, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Sweet Charity. His television credits range from Shortland Street to Korero Mai and include presenting roles with various Māori Television, TV3 and TVNZ productions. Matu toured the world presenting the giant NZ rugby ball promoting the Rugby World Cup. Matu is also a skilled voice actor and has performed on various Radio New Zealand productions as well as Māori translations of popular television shows.

Jamie McCaskill

Ngati Tamatera

Since graduating from UCOL Theatre School in 2000 Jamie has been working professionally in the arts industry for 16 years. He has composed music for theatre and film and was nominated for Best Composer at the Chapman Tripp theatre awards in 2005.

As an actor he has performed in professional theatres throughout the country, and internationally and has appeared in various TV series and films.

Jamie co-wrote the successful He Reo Aroha with acclaimed writer Miria George that has toured NZ, Hawaii, Australia and Canada and in the Solomon Islands for the Festival of Pacific Arts.

Jamie’s play, Manawa, premiered at Circa theatre in Wellington where he was nominated for best actor and the script was nominated for Best New New Zealand Play and is currently being adapted into a film.

Recently he wrote and directed a show called Not in our Neighbourhood advocating against violence towards women and has been performing around the country with his solo show A Tale of Three Lonely Men and their Quest for an Audience with the Elusive Moa.

As well as playing in his band Boom City he also just released an EP with his other band Smokey Feel called Yeah bol.

Jamie was the recipient of the Bruce Mason award in 2013 for NZ Emerging playwright of the year and is Producer/Director of Wellington based production company, Tikapa Productions.