The Savage Coloniser and her previous work Wild Dogs Under My Skirt have been turned into live stage plays presented in a number of locations.
Avia has toured both nationally and internationally performing her solo show Wild Dogs Under My Skirt which premiered at the 2002 Dunedin Fringe Festival.
[7] It went on to tour New Zealand receiving critical acclaim including winning Best Director, Best Production and Best Lighting Design at the Wellington Theatre Awards.
[8][9] A presentation at the Soho Playhouse in New York, USA followed in 2020 with the following credits: Directed by Anapela Polata'ivao, Cast – Joanna Mika-Toloa, Petmal Petelo, Ilasiaane Green, Stacey Leilua, Vaimaila Carolyn Baker, Anapela Polata'ivao, Musician – Leki Jackson Bourke, Choreography and Stage Manager: Mario Faumui, Set Design: Jane Hakaraia with artwork motifs by Tyler Vaeau.
[10][11] Cast member Stacey Leilua said in an interview, "I love the fact that we are bringing Tusiata's very unique voice to the New York stage.
"[12]Selected poetry by Avia was included in UPU, a compilation of Pacific Island writers’ work which was first presented at the Silo Theatre as part of the Auckland Arts Festival in March 2020.
It was described by the judges as an "urgent, politicised collection, which finds eloquent ways to dramatise and speak out against horrors, injustices and abuses, both domestic and public".
[33] She was the first Pasifika woman to win this award, and the collection was described by the judges as "a book bursting with alofa, profound pantoums, profanity and FafSwaggering stances, garrulously funny, bleakly satirical, magnificent".