MISF Shorts: Saturday, October 10, 2020
1:30 – 2:45pm PT
So, What are you?
Written and Performed by Judi Le
San Francisco, CA, USA
Fleeing Vietnam on the eve of the fall of Saigon and ending up in a refugee camp in Arkansas was already traumatic enough. But then, her family settled in Katy, Texas. Which was the nightmare again? In this captivating, heartbreaking, and ultimately, hilarious performance, Judi Le recounts her struggles as a young Vietnamese girl straddling two cultures: the one she was born into, and the one she lives with. It’s a wonderful journey full of fascinating characters, capturing the absurdity and joy of the human condition.
About the Artist
Judi Le understands terror in a way that few people ever will. As a four-year-old, she and her family were forced to flee South Vietnam when it was overtaken by the Communists, who methodically gunned down everyone—including children—related to the now-ousted aristocracy (Judi’s uncle was the prime minister). As if fleeing Saigon wasn’t frightening enough, she was then thrust into a new life in a small Texas town where she struggled to come to terms with her Vietnamese culture and find her place in the American dream. These experiences are the inspiration behind “So, What Are You?”—a one-person show written and performed by Judi. She spent eight years writing and performing her show in and around Los Angeles, including at the Stella Adler Theater and the Hudson Guild Theater. She now calls San Francisco home, along with her husband Patrick and French bulldog Mochi, and looks forward to sharing her family’s story in the Bay Area.
As recommended by the performer
Age recommendation: 15+
Trigger Warnings: No
Run time: 20 minutes