James Tito

James Tito is a New Zealand actor and musician. Tito is also a founding member of Māori showband the Modern Māori Quartet.^[1] He co-wrote and performed songs, with the other band members, for the Modern Māori Quartet's debut album That's Us! (2017).^[2]

James Tito
Born	Taupō, New Zealand
Genres	Māori Showband, comedy, drama, theatre
Occupation(s)	actor, musician
Instrument(s)	vocals, guitar

Tito co-hosted Māori Television's My Party Song as part of the 'Modern Māori Quartet.^[3]

Early life

Tito was born in Taupō, New Zealand and is of Māori [ Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāpuhi, Kūki 'Āirani (Cook Islands) ] descent. James is a graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (Te Kura Toi Whakaari ō Aotearoa) earning a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting) in 2010.^[4]

Career

Theatre

Tito performed in the theatre show Awhi Tapu(2011) with future bandmate Matariki Whatarau.^[5] In 2012, Tito played Diomedes/Taiomete, in the te reo Māori version of Troilus and Cressida at the Globe Theatre, in London, alongside fellow Toi Whakaari graduates and Modern Māori Quartet bandmates, Maaka Pohatu (Ajax) and Matu Ngaropo (Achilles).^[6][7]

Music

Tito is a member of Māori showband the Modern Māori Quartet, alongside Maaka Pohatu, Matariki Whatarau and Francis Kora.^[8]

Film and television

Tito, and the other members of the Modern Māori Quartet, served as the in-house band on Māori television's variety show, Happy Hour (2014).^[9] He also acted in some of the shows comedy sketches. Tito had a supporting role in the films Mahana (2016)^[10] and Whina (2022), In 2019, James made an appearance on TVNZ's long running series, Shortland Street.^[11]

Discography

• Happy Hour (2014)
• That's Us! (2017)

References

1. "Is the Modern Maori Quartet New Zealand's next big thing?". The New Zealand Herald. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
2. "That's Us! Modern Māori Quartet". The Big Idea. 19 September 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
3. "My Party Song". Māori Television. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
4. "Toi Whakaari Graduates". Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. 15 February 2019. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
5. "Downstage & Taki Rua Productions present Awhi Tapu". creativenz.govt.nz. 29 June 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
6. "The Maori Troilus & Cressida". Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
7. "Trolius and Cresida-Review". The Guardian. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
8. "5 Questions with the Modern Māori Quartet". The New Zealand Herald. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
9. Bess Manson (2 September 2014). "Temuera Morrison's Happy Hour". stuff.co.nz.
10. "The Patriarch (2016) Full Cast and Crew". IMDb.com. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
11. Sarah Nealon (23 May 2019). "Former Shortland Street star's te reo journey". stuff.co.nz.