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[0:20] Lara Scott: It's curtains up on another episode of West of Broadway. I'm radio host and theater enthusiast, Clara Scott, along with celebrity publicists and actual real-life theater veteran, Will Armstrong.

[0:31] Will Armstrong: Hi, Lara.

[0:32] Lara Scott: Will Armstrong, everybody. Hooray. I am thrilled about today's episode because we get an opportunity to sit down with TRIEU TRAN, who's starring in The Chinese Lady, which is appearing right now at Greenway Court Theatre.

[0:45] Will Armstrong: Yeah, it's on through September 29th, and I'm so excited to find out more about this show.

[0:50] Lara Scott: I hope that we get to see it, Will. It just sounds fascinating.

[0:53] Will Armstrong: We'll let TRIEU share a little bit. I always like I'm very careful not to overshare because some people just don't want to know going in, but it's kind of nice to have an idea of what it's about. And I'm thinking it might be not in subject matter, but just in the sense that you're really gonna learn something about history, about yourself, about another culture. With this, I just saw Latin History for Morons at the Amundsen Theatre in downtown LA.

[1:15] Lara Scott: This is John Leguizamo's incredible one-man show. I think it was maybe a Netflix series. But are you familiar with the show, Will?

[1:27] Will Armstrong: Just a little bit.

[1:32] Lara Scott: Hour and 50 minutes. Sure. Totally captivated by this show. I mean, he held the audience's attention on opening night the entire time. But it's interesting because the origin story of the play is actually in the play, where his son was in middle school here in LA and he was being bullied. He was basically being racially profiled by these other kids. And so John kind of went on this quest to say, okay, we're not gonna fight them with our fists, we're gonna fight them with information and facts. We're gonna find out basically where we have come from, and I'm gonna find some Latin heroes for you.

[2:02] Will Armstrong: So he, uh, he's a genius. Like he was bringing out these books and talking about the research that he did to find heroes for his son. And he plays all this. So he plays his 12-year-old son, which is amazing. And he also plays Freud, Montezuma, Andrew Jackson. The way he does Andrew Jackson and Andrew Jackson's here. I was crying, but it's one of those brilliant shows that takes you from crying hysterically to actually crying to walking out of there feeling inspired and just so empowered. So bravo on that show. It's really fantastic. And that's on through October 20th.

[2:36] Lara Scott: Incredible. Yeah, that's really great. Have I sold you on the show?

[2:38] Will Armstrong: Well, yeah, well, it's just bullying is something that is near and dear to a lot of people's hearts. And what I find is people's heart, like we're all good people. Bullying happens when people are on automatic pilot and they're not thinking about what they're doing. And it comes from fear. And when you, if you can take the time and if the bully is willing to take the time and actually listen and be present for a moment and see what they're doing and the damage that they're causing, I like to think that that would change a lot of things.

[3:05] Lara Scott: Yeah, and I'm so glad that we're now having conversations about this. And as you'll see in the show, the kid and the kid's dad, you see where the kid learned it from, and you see this sort of dynamic between John and then the bully's dad, and how he learns to handle that situation again. I don't want to give too much away, but it's a fantastic show.

[3:25] Will Armstrong: All right. Well, are we ready to bring in TRIEU?

[3:30] TRIEU TRAN: Yay. Hello, West of Broadway.

[3:32] Lara Scott: This is TRIEU.

[3:33] Will Armstrong: Hey, TRIEU. It's so nice to talk to you. We're so glad that you're with us today.

[3:37] TRIEU TRAN: Well, thank you for taking a moment because I mean, The Chinese Lady, it's already on. We're sure you're kind of busy right now, so we appreciate you.

[3:45] TRIEU TRAN: Thanks for having me. We're big fans of the Greenway Court Theatre and their programming. We think it's just fantastic and TRIEU, we're so intrigued by The Chinese Lady. Now, we didn't want to talk too much about it before we brought you on because we don't want to give away, like, we don't really know what's a spoiler, you know, like what's not. So we were hoping we could kind of start with you just giving us an overview about what the show covers.

[4:07] TRIEU TRAN: Uh, the show, well, The Chinese Lady is written by playwright Lloyd Suh. It is a beautiful, poetic, mesmerizing, and profound play. It's inspired by the real-life story of Afong Moy, the Chinese lady who is portrayed by my fellow castmate actress Amy Shu. Um, it follows the story of Afong Moy, who was brought here in 1834 at the age of 14 years old by a pair of merchants named the Carn Brothers, and they were importers of Chinese goods. And during that period, there was a growing middle class with disposable income, and there was much more interest in China and all things Chinese. So these care of merchants devised this marketing idea that if they were to bring over this authentic, exotic foreign and unusual Chinese individual, put her on display amongst all these Chinese imported goods that customers would be more apt to purchase the items.

So she was brought here from China, what was supposedly for a two-year engagement, and she ended up staying for like decades. I play the character of Atung, who is Afong Moy, the Chinese lady's translator, caretaker, her manservant, who is considered irrelevant, and just like so many immigrants who arrive in America are considered so, you know, because we're viewed based on suspicion and hostility. So it's almost like that the underlying theme is as relevant today as it was back then.

[5:59] TRIEU TRAN: Yes, I mean this play brings so much insight to the themes and issues of immigration and American entitlement and exploitation, cultural identity, close cultural relations, and assimilation. It just, this play is just so timely. I mean, it's figured like for me, I'm just looking around just how divisive we are as a country right now, and it just raises the questions of like, you know, who gets to decide who gets to come in this country, right? And like how long do we need to stay here and how much do we need to contribute to the American landscape before we are considered no longer placed in that box of others, and that we are given the same rights as everybody else.

[6:41] Lara Scott: It sounds like that there's a lot of dichotomy with the show. With regards to the Chinese culture, would you say that this is a celebration about how unique and authentic and beautiful the culture is?

[6:54] TRIEU TRAN: Yes, absolutely. And also, you know, how does music play into this? Does it cause, I mean, is the Chinese music celebrated in your show?

[7:03] TRIEU TRAN: Yeah, we have a wonderful design team, and you know, of course, all the design sort of enhance what the actor does on stage. And our sound designer, Jesse Manipet, you know, he creates all these wonderful sounds that sort of brings the audience into the world of Afong Moy.

[7:25] Lara Scott: And then TRIEU, what have audiences been saying to you? This is really neat being able to talk to you now that the show is actually on. What's been the reaction? I mean, this sounds very moving. I was tearing up just listening to you describe it and thinking about what that would have been like to just come and look at this woman who was out there on display. I mean, it sounds like it's touching a lot of hearts, I'm sure.

[7:49] TRIEU TRAN: Yeah, and a lot of the comments I had that, you know, this play also brings up all the historical atrocity that has happened to Chinese Americans throughout history. And that, you know, the story of Afong Moy is not only a story of this immigrant Chinese individual, but it is also an American story. It is part of American history.

[8:11] Lara Scott: You're exactly right, and it's so important that we are having these discussions and that we're remembering and that we're teaching a new generation of how so as not to repeat these atrocities. Um, I have a question, just as a theater and an entertainment lover, but also as a card-carrying Trekkie, and you got to work with one of my idols, George Takei. Uh, what was it like working on such a fantastic show like Altered Carbon?

[8:37] TRIEU TRAN: Oh man, it was huge. It was good to be us here as regular. It was fantastic. You, it was, it was, I really, really enjoyed that whole show. Yeah, it was so much, it was so much nice to, you know, being part of the narrative as opposed to, you know, the co-star or the guest star where you're there for a couple of days. But it was massive. I just felt very grateful to be part of, uh, get the opportunity to be, you know, a part of that world and that sort of universe, and everything was so top-notch from top to bottom in terms of the set and the costume and the writers and the actors. It was, you know, it was just, I had to pinch myself like every day being up there shooting the show.

[9:19] Will Armstrong: Well, we're glad to have you back on the stage, at least for a little while with this one, hopefully for a long while. Now, what do you do, TRIEU, to relax? Because it sounds like there is gotta be very emotional every night. You're doing these big projects. Do you have a way that you just like let off steam? Like, do you meditate, do you dance?

[9:35] TRIEU TRAN: Well, you probably dance. I mean, you know, you're an awesome performer. But what do you do to just when you need to chill?

[9:41] TRIEU TRAN: Well, for me, honestly, it's, you know, I, as an actor, I love all the mediums, but for me, chilling and the meditative aspect of it is the opportunity to work in theater. You know, I just love the immediacy of it and be able to work in production where, you know, it's always a privilege to do theater that boosts and promotes Asian American talents on and off stage. And I just love the fact that Greenway Court Theatre and Artists at Play are collaborating on this project and the artists at play I've respected them through the years and the artistic programming that, you know, the hill stories of communities that are underrepresented in the media and entertainment with a focus on Asian American experience. So, um, I'm just so grateful for this opportunity to be a part of this production, be a part of this story and representation matters.

[10:04] TRIEU TRAN: And I just love this new sort of collaboration that's happened because currently, right now, East West Players and the Fountain Theatre are collaborating on Hannah and the Dread Gazebo. And Tim Dang, who is the former artistic director at East West Players, is also directing a stage production of The Joy Luck Club over at Sierra Madre Playhouse. So there's no shortage of Asian American artists on stage in this month of September. I hope audiences will come.

[11:05] Lara Scott: That is amazing. And you're filling up our date book with all these things that we have to go check out now. So thank you. This is great.

[11:14] TRIEU TRAN: Ah, and thank you so much. You would never have guessed this was your very first podcast. You did a great job, and thank you.

[11:22] Lara Scott: Thank you. You did it. No, but we appreciate you so much. Thank you so much for joining us on West of Broadway. Will, you look like you want to jump in.

[11:30] Will Armstrong: Oh, I was just going to say, I just have two questions. Where can people get tickets and how long is the show running?

[11:36] TRIEU TRAN: Uh, we just opened this Saturday. Uh, we are running through the title month of September. We close on September the 29th. We run Thursday through Sunday, Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. You can get tickets at greenwaycourttheatre.org slash The Chinese Lady, uh, theatre with the R E. Or you can call 323-673-0544.

[12:05] Lara Scott: You are amazing. You just did my job for me, so thank you. Thanks for that. And that is just, well, thank you so much for your time. And congratulations on this show and congratulations on a spectacular career, and we wish you nothing but success in the future.

[12:11] TRIEU TRAN: Thank you so much. It's a joy talking to you guys. Take care.

[12:20] Lara Scott: Tito.

[12:20] TRIEU TRAN: Take care. Bye.

[12:20] Lara Scott: Thank you.

[12:25] Will Armstrong: That was awesome. And I totally cut him off as he was saying bye.

[12:27] Lara Scott: He's so sweet.

[12:28] Will Armstrong: He's so sweet.

[12:29] Lara Scott: Yeah, what a wonderful human.

[12:32] Will Armstrong: Yeah.

[12:33] Lara Scott: And I mean, it goes right back to what you were saying at the beginning of the show just about the importance of not just learning about cultures, other cultures, but being receptive to it and hearing and like with your heart and in your mind and then really taking that into how we can change our lives and change our culture so that we can all be more of a global community. But it just, I mean, and it's like back then, like with the like P.T. Barnum and the freak show kind of thing and just for them to, for Americans at one point to think this is so bizarre because she's eating with sticks, you know, that we need to make a show. It's just so, it's crazy to me.

[13:09] Will Armstrong: Yeah, it's crazy. I'm so thankful we've evolved, yes, that we have come so much further than that. So what a beautiful way to learn something about history, to learn something about another culture, and this is what I mean. I'm excited to see everything. And have I mentioned lately that I love theater?

[13:24] Lara Scott: Yeah.

[13:24] Will Armstrong: Okay.

[13:25] Lara Scott: And I'm so impressed with TRIEU for not only being a clearly a wonderful and successful actor but also boned up on all the information that we needed so that we had phone numbers and websites and dates. I'm really impressed. Good for you, TRIEU.

[13:36] Will Armstrong: Yeah. You're a publicist would be very happy.

[13:39] Lara Scott: Okay, you could be a publicist. Amazing. Well, that is going to do it for this episode of West of Broadway. You can keep in touch with me and, you know, let Will and I know if there's something that we need to check out or a show that we should feature on our podcast. I'm at Lariscott Media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

[13:53] Will Armstrong: And I'm Will Armstrong PR on all my platforms. And if you're looking for us, you can find us just west of Broadway.