Maui’s Own Chino LaForge Headlines Comedy Show at Maui Theatre

Chino LaForge onstage at the Haha Cafe in LA, courtesy photo by Doug Wycoff.

By Maui Now Staff

Maui’s own Chino LaForge headlines a locally produced comedy show this weekend at Maui Theatre.

Although he was part of the recent Maui Comedy Fest lineup, the upcoming show is his first headline act at a large scale venue.

We had a chance to catch up with Chino in an exclusive Maui Now interview to find out more about Maui’s rising stand up:

Maui Now: Comedy is an interesting choice for someone on this island. How did you get involved in it?

Chino: Well, comedy has kind of just been involved with me.  It’s always just been a way of life where I used it for everything from trying to get a teacher to give me that extra percent so I don’t get a “D” or using humor in job interviews to get the job that I want, or anything really.  Comedy chose me.  I feel like it was just a matter of me being able to reach the age, because of course you have to deal with liquor laws and stuff.  It was really just waiting until I turned 21 to start my stand up comedy career.  It’s always been a dream of mine and I was just really happy to be able to get the jump on it when I did.

Chino LaForge, courtesy photo by Penns Imagery.

Maui Now: For those that don’t know much about your background, tell us about who Chino is?

Chino:  I’m originally from Southern California but my father was born and raised on Oʻahu and is part Hawaiian.  So, I was raised with the local culture, just in a very non-local environment.  When I did move to Maui at the age of 15, it did feel more like a homecoming simply because in the place in Southern California where I lived, it didn’t necessarily fit in with my lifestyle, with the morals and style of living and code of conduct of local culture.  I really felt at home immediately (in Hawaiʻi) and was accepted immediately.  I didn’t have to go through a very long acceptance period, and I really appreciate that.

Maui Now: Being a comedian, people probably expect you to be on the button all of the time.  Is there anything as a comedian, as a funny person, that makes you laugh?

Chino:  I’m actually a really easy person to get to laugh.  I laugh at everything from a really clever turn of words to fart jokes to be honest.  I just enjoy laughter and I enjoy humor.  I think the stigma about comedians being kind of dark and depressed types of people is kind of outdated.

Maui Now:  Tell us a little about the show this weekend–what people can expect and what kind of a show this is.

Chino: I am really happy to put the show on simply because the venue itself is really special to me–it’s the first large scale venue I ever got to do with a headlining act.  To be able to use the theater for my own will is a real amazing feeling.  What people can expect is a huge variety of comedy ranging from all comedic tastes, whether you like sarcastic humor or dark humor, or if you like generally just witty or even dirty (humor).  My humor is more semantical, but you’re going to get a large palette of humor at the show.  At a price that’s under a movie ticket for locals, it’s really going to be a spectacle.

Maui Now: I know you performed recently at the inaugural Maui Comedy Festival.  What was it like to be among some of the best in the business and to be able to perform here on your own island?

Chino: It was really surreal to be around 25 of the top 50 comedians in the nation, and just watching them pretty much just walk into my back yard.  I feel like it’s the same feeling as when the circus comes to town and you can just see this amazing thing that you would otherwise have to travel far and wide to see, and within a week, poof, it’s gone, and you’re just left with this surreal dream feeling of like, did that really happen?

About the Show:

The “Chino LaForge Live at Maui Theatre” show presented by Power Up Comedy and hosted by Ted Anderson, takes place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014.  The event also features Sunny Dennis and guest performances by Chris Rose, Corky Gardner, Vince Foti, and Izzy Coatney.

The show is for guests 21 and over.  Tickets are $5 for kamaʻāina, $15 for out of town guests, and $20 for VIP seats. For reservations or more info, Call the Maui Theatre Box Office at (808) 856-7900.

VIP guests are invited to a 6:30 p.m. meet and greet event before the show, and also are entered for a chance to win a copy of the DVD Comedy Circus that was produced in May at the Maui Tropical Plantation.

An after party will be held at Leilani’s on the Beach in West Maui.