BIOGRAPHY
Introduced to the performing arts at the age of 18, I began as a belly dancer for Saigon Belly Dance Company - the biggest company in the South of Vietnam. Not only did I learn back then the first principles of performing but also, the theatricality of the dance stimulated my curiosity for the stage's theatrical aspects.
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Lucky enough, after leaving the company I was awarded with the Lane Theatre Scholarship by Wesleyan College. In August 2011, I embarked on my first overseas flight, beginning my journey exploring the vast horizons of an art called 'theatre' - something I had little knowledge of. With guidance from experienced professionals in the fields such as Dr. Jan Lewis and Robert Fieldsteel, my love for the theatre has budded and bloomed. From being non-fluent in English, I went on to receive lead roles at Wesleyan Grassmann-Porter Theatre, which lead to three nominations of the Irene Ryan Acting Regional Awards. At this time also experimenting with screen acting, I flew across America to California with my savings to film my first movie role ever in the short film 'Ruby.'
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Always longing to see the arts scene in Europe, I've traveled to Greece and exchanged my education at Ulster University The School of Creative Arts and Technologies. Exposure to new ideas and ways of thinkings from my peers and faculty members has helped me grow artistically by challenging and adding to my artistic mindset. Particularly with the guidance by Dr. Giuliano Campo, I experimented with directing my peers in an adaptation inspired by Sarah Ruhl's 'The Clean House' and directing myself in an exciting one-actor show that explores the history on Vietnam and Ireland in comparison. During this time, I also got to play a few roles in several student shorts - all serving as platforms for me to continually explore and push forward different aspects of this art.
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Update: I just came back from an intensive 10-day Odin Week Festival Odin Teatret, one of the world's most influential experimental contemporary theatre. Indeed, this festival was a life-altering experience where I got to see performances created and performed by masters of the field, train with them, and learnt of their professional secrets. The lessons with Julia Varley, Eugenio Barba, Roberta Carreri, Tage Larsen, Iben Nagel Rasmussen, Jan Ferslev, and Donald Kitt have inspired me to found a few projects in Vietnam including performances and workshops to share my experience and experiment to push the boundaries of theatre in Vietnam. Looking forward, I'm planning to base my career in theatre in Europe while still open up to experimenting with other media and art centers all over the world.
MAIN PROJECTS
CROSSING THE RIVER
January - May 2017
Intrigued with the bizarre similarities in the history of Vietnam and Ireland, and inspired by the existence of a river that divided each country, I conducted an independent project at Ulster University under the guidance of Dr. Giuliano Campo to study the relation between the two countries' history and partition, which took shape in a one-actor theatre show. The piece provides alternative perspectives of the Vietnam war less seen in Western media, composed of 3 acts: 'The VC Bomb Remover,' 'The Dragon Lady', and 'The Dividing River' - written, directed, and performed by myself.
THE CLEAN HOUSE
March - May 2017
In this creation inspired by Sarah Ruhl's 'The Clean House,' under the guidance of Dr. Giuliano Campo, I explored directing principles and techniques to put together a theatrical show running 20 minutes. The directing work strengthened my understanding of acting and the collaborative work between creative members of a production.
LITTLE AUDREY
May 2017
Played the female romantic lead Olivia in this student short about navigating love and romance in the modern dating scene.
DEVOID
May 2017
Played Sara, the victim of a psychopath. Role involves demonstration of serious beating and violence and requires stage combat skills.
DESIRES BLADE
January - May 2017
In this original piece written and directed by Mark Herbison, I played Sarah, a manipulative character who possesses an agonizing love for her step-brother.
WALKING ON CHAIRS
October - December 2016
In this one-woman show co-written by Dr. Jan Lewis and myself, and directed by Dr. Lewis, I recites the stories of a character coming from Vietnam, her homesickness, her loneliness as an outsider in the American society, and her love for the theatre. Nominated for the 'Irene Ryan Acting' regional award.
¡BOCON!
September - November 2016
Played a 13-year-old boy from South America in this fable-fantasy about a young boy running across the border to tell his village's story. Directed by Dr. Frazer Lively. Nominated for an 'Irene Ryan Acting' regional award.
RUBY
May 2016
Played a mother in her mid-thirties who's trying to assure happiness for her child while struggling to go through the divorce herself. Directed by Ha Kin, filmed in San Francisco and Sacramento. The film is being submitted to film festivals and has won a Best Shorts Competition award.