DIVERSE PERFORMANCES: Theatres and art troupes in HCM City celebrate Việt Nam Stage Day on the 12th day of the eighth lunar month (September 26). New shows by artists in puppetry, drama, cải lương (reformed opera) and tuồng (classical drama) will be offered. Photo courtesy of HCM City Theatre Artists’ Association

HCM CITY — Theatres and art troupes in HCM City are preparing to celebrate Việt Nam Stage Day on the 12th day of the eighth lunar month (September 26).

On that day, many artists from different art forms, such as puppetry, drama, cải lương (reformed opera) and tuồng (classical drama), will pay tribute to their predecessors. 

They will also review the past year to evaluate achievements and encourage young generations to create and contribute more to the industry. 

Various cultural activities and performances will also be launched. 

Đồng Ấu Bạch Long Troupe will stage a series of new performances of tuồng, a Vietnamese traditional theatre genre that originated in the 12th century. 

Its young artists will offer shows based on Vietnamese fairy tales and folk stories. 

One of the troupe’s highlighted shows is Ngọc Sáng Lưu Gia Trang (Stories of the Lưu Family), a production on Vietnamese history. 

It attracts young actors Ái Loan, Thanh Dư and Phú Yên. The troupe’s founder and veteran actor Bạch Long is also featured. 

“Our new two and three-act plays targe children and teenagers. We will provide young audiences with beautiful images, sounds and music,” said the troupe’s founder and art director Long. “We hope to bring the country’s traditional art forms closer to youngsters.” 

The troupe’s new performances will be staged at 8pm on weekends starting on September 23 at Nón Lá Theatre, 55B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street in District 3.

CELEBRATING ART: Young artists from private Đồng Ấu Bạch Long Troupe celebrate Việt Nam Stage Day (September 26) with a new play of tuồng, a traditional genre of Vietnamese theatre which began in the 12th century. Photo courtesy of the theatre

The Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Theatre will offer mini shows featuring theatre stars Minh Vương, Lệ Thuỷ and Tú Sương. 

People’s Artist Minh Vương and Lệ Thuỷ will perform excerpts from famous plays on Southern culture. 

They will also perform Tiếng Trống Mê Linh (The Sounds of Mê Linh Drum), a historical play featuring national heroines Hai Bà Trưng (Two Trưng Sisters).  

The play delves into the lives of Trưng Trắc and Trưng Nhị, the two sisters who led the nation’s first resistance movement against Chinese occupiers in the first century, around 2,000 years ago. Their victories liberated Đại Việt (the name of Việt Nam at that time) after 247 years of Chinese domination.

The shows will begin on September 22 at 136Đ Trần Hưng Đạo Street, District 1. — VNS