AsAmNews has ran many stories about the outrage from many in the Asian American community over various productions of the Tony Award-winning play Miss Saigon.
A story from the Beacon News focuses on a Vietnamese American actor who too had problems with the production and refused to audition or get anywhere the play.
Ten years later Vi Tran sees the whole controversy in a different light and has now has performed in two productions of the Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil musical.
“If I had continued to be stubborn, or continued to run away from the conversation, continued to be passive, then those opportunities to tell this story would be lost,” said Tran.
That’s quite a contrast from his mindset when he first became an actor.
“I avoided the show like the plague,” Tran said. “When you’re a young actor, especially one who’s ethnic, you want to prove to yourself that you belong. You don’t want to run to ‘Miss Saigon’ just because you’re a Vietnamese actor.”
You can read about his transformation in the Beacon News, and also hear him describe the show in the brief interview below. Let us know if you think he sold out or matured and if you agree with his views.