Comedian Tumua Tuinei’s following continues to grow as he brings relatable humor across Hawaii.
Born and raised in Waianae, Tuinei, 27, is one of Hawaii’s top stand-up comedians and social media sketch artists, who has been touring the islands for about five years.
Tuinei recently sold out 29 consecutive shows since December 2020, including three sold-out shows at Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu, which seats 2,158 people.
The local comedian is currently touring the state with five shows planned for the Hilo Palace Theater.
After selling out both the 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. shows on Friday and Saturday, Tuinei added a fifth show at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
“The Big Island and Hilo are amazing. Everyone is so supportive and sends so much aloha, so I was happy to add a fifth show,” Tuinei said. “Every island has something different to offer and a lot of people can’t make it to Oahu, so I like coming to them.”
Tuinei found his passion for comedy after taking a class about six years ago. Since then, he has toured in the state and on the mainland and has grown a significant social media following.
Inspiration for Tuinei’s material comes from his local family and the hilarious situations that he experiences on a daily basis.
His comedy has related to the lives of people in Hawaii and he draws mostly Hawaiian audiences, even on the mainland.
“A lot of the people who come to my shows are people from Hawaii and Polynesia. Wherever you are in the world, they come,” Tuinei said. “There are Hawaii people around the world. It’s a fun time, because so many are eager for Hawaii content.
“It’s great to come there, perform for them and give them a piece of home.”
During the pandemic, Tuinei turned to social media to produce Hawaii-based skits and use his time off stage to continue to grow his comedic skills.
“What has really helped me grow was getting on social media. Due to the pandemic, I started putting things online to kill time,” Tuinei said. “I’m thankful for that because it helped me boost my followers and has made a difference when selling out shows. I wouldn’t be where I am without my fans.”
While four of his shows are sold out at the Hilo Palace Theater, there are still tickets available for the fifth show at 6 p.m. on Sunday.
More information and tickets can be found at hilopalace.com.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com