Create Create Create

This past week has been an incredible start to the performance creation phase! All the kids have been so eager to work together and bring all of their skills to the stage to do the best performance possible for their communities. In Phuong Dien village, the kids really want to prove to their parents that they are useful and wonderful actors, and in Hai Tien they really want their parents to be proud of them and for their friends to learn from their performance and not go to Saigon. For the performance creation process we've created a storyline for both groups based on their experiences in Saigon and other issues we explored during the conciousness raising phase, so during rehearsals the kids create the content and dialogue for each scene. The performances will follow the kids from life in their beach side villages to the garment factories and late night streets of Saigon. They will be wonderful performances, I am sure of that, and I am very eager to see the responses and reactions from the communities.

We are all buzzing on the kids excitement and commitment to the performances, and my team and I feel like we are so blessed to be able to give this opportunity to the kids. We are doing as much as humanly possible behind the scenes to make sure that the kids SHINE!!! We have been very busy, but loving being a witness to the creation coming together. On Saturday in Hai Tien we had a fantastic afternoon painting backdrops - a city scene and a village scene. The kids did a beautiful job. It was so interesting to watch them work out how they would work together to achieve their goal, they had their ups and downs but they all pulled together to create something very beautiful. I am so proud of them!

Here is a glimpse of the early stages of rehearsals in Phuong Dien Village;


Here are some of the kids comments about how they are feeling at this stage of rehearsals...

• I am very happy with the first 2 scenes. Its an honor for us to do this and we couldn’t do it without the support from Linh, Nam and Skye
• I am excited about the 2 scenes
• I am happy to be on stage performing
• I am happy when I performed today because I didn’t laugh
• I am excited and looking forward to the final performance
• I am happy and a little nervous to be on the stage
• I am excited to be on the stage very soon
• I am excited to be performing with my friends on the stage
• I am excited about going to see the Water puppets next week
• I really like Scene 1 where we tell our dreams on stage and I also like the story which Skye created
• I feel very happy to fulfill my two roles today
• I am happy to be a dancer in scene 1 and also to be the main character in scene 2. I will try my best to be a good actress for the group
• Everyone acted SO WELL today
• I am happy to talk about our dreams and I am looking forward to the performance
• I really like scene 2, I think the newspaper story will have a big effect on the audience and the parents will think about this newspaper story before sending their kids to Saigon
• I am happy to be on stage but a little bit nervous
• I have prepared myself for the upcoming performance
• Its an honour for me to be on the stage to perform, Thank you for your help to make this possible
• Everyone acted really well with these two scenes and I hope that everyone continues to act really well
• I am so happy because you (linh, Nam, Skye) have brought us very special things.

A glimpse at Rehearsals in Hai Tien Village;


When asked how they think their families and friends will respond to their performances....

• My family and friends will want us to become actors after they see us perform
• My family and friends hope that I will perform perfectly in the final performance
• Before this program, my family thought I was uselss, but in the performance I will show them I am a good actor
• My family don’t believe I am a good actor or singer. They always say I do everything like a cat ( an insult in vitenamese). I want to show them they are wrong
• I hope my parents can see me on the stage and will give me compliments
• My family is looking forward to the performance that we will show for the community
• My family hopes I will be a good actress
• My family hope I will do well with the roles I am given
• My friends will be proud of me
• I will try my best in all my roles so my family is proud
• My parents want me to become a real actor