Traditional Story Told in Multicultural Show

Club to perform play to promote appreciationDan HanowerTHE SANTA CLARAApril 24, 2014[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ne of Vietnam’s oldest and most cherished folktales, the story of Lady Trieu, will be performed with a unique, modern addition by the Vietnamese Student Association at their culture show this Saturday.Students of the club have dedicated themselves to displaying the richness of their culture through this humorous yet dramatic play.The story follows a modern-day duo as they are transported back in time. They encounter Lady Trieu, a warrior in third-century Vietnam and become a part of the struggle to overcome the Wu dynasty of China. The VSA feels that “The Legend of Lady Trieu,” written by one of its members, is a play that represents Vietnamese culture.The story of Lady Trieu is a cultural classic, but it is safe to say that many Santa Clara students will not be familiar with this story of rebellion. Members of the club added the twist of modern characters to make the performance an even better choice for their yearly cultural show.Like most student-directed plays, the show is as much an opportunity for the students performing as it is for the audience viewing it. Junior Dan Tran, director of the play, mentioned how the play brought together members of VSA. “We started off the year as acquaintances,” said Tran. “But given that we work almost daily for two to three hours, we’ve gotten pretty close-knit.”Tran went on to discuss how the play is a huge commitment for those students who chose to participate in the show. Almost all of those who join are forced to put the rest of their activities on hold. Tran thinks there is more to participating in this play than simply to display culture — the camaraderie formed by students is equally compelling. “We did it last year and it was just really fun and fulfilling,” said Tran. “I feel it was the main reason most of us stuck around and committed for another year.”So, why should the average student go see the play? For starters, it’s an incredible story, one that has survived the centuries and remains popular today. The play itself is sure to be entertaining and keep the audience engaged throughout.However, Tran offers the best reason to attend. “It’s definitively unique. We made it our mantra to make something different,” said Tran. “But at the same time we want to make our show as accessible and fun as possible, so I really think the student body is going to enjoy it.”It’s not often that Santa Clara students will get the opportunity to see this kind of display from a different culture and even rarer to see such a fascinating play. Anyone who is looking for an entertaining  time this Saturday should see “The Legend of Lady Trieu.” Contact Dan Hanower at dhanower@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.