"Fortunate Daughter" - A one-dyke show

Photo Credit: Ann Borja

Fortunate Daughter

The secret to keeping your family happy is ... keeping your other family secret. A one-dyke show about the difference between coming out and coming home. Thao’s Vietnamese parents keep pushing her to marry – a man. Her other family – her Queer activist friends, coworkers, and community – wants her to come out. Thao doesn't want to do either! But the pressure builds from both sides and she is forced to make a decision.

Written & Performed by Thao P. Nguyen

Oct 6, 13, 20, 27
Saturday 8pm

Stage Werx Theatre
446 Valencia St, SF
Near 16th & Mission St BART
Google Map

Tickets $20BrownPaperTickets.com

Discount Code:

$10-$20 sliding scale w/ online discount code.
It's a scavenger hunt!  Find the code somewhere at ThaoSolo.com! 
Discount only valid online!

Credits

Written and performed by Thao P. Nguyen

Produced by Meanie Productions

Directed by Martha Rynberg

Originally directed by W. Kamau Bell

Developed in the Solo Performance Workshop

Buzz About the Show

"Theatrical magic; a pure story, with heart, passion and humor."

- NYtheatre.com

"Sure to go on my top ten list of the year."

- NYtheatre.com

"Fortunate Daughter is hilarious, insightful and engaging!"

- WBAI 99.5FM NYC

“Nguyen's versatility is remarkable, and she's, not to mention, very, very funny.”

- The Daily Californian

“With a finely-crafted story arc, Nguyen's performance is as moving as it is hilarious.”

- Culture Shot

“Thao P. Nguyen is multi-faceted. Her tale is beautifully drawn.”

- San Francisco Theater Blog

"This escapade is interesting and hysterically comical!"

- TheatreReviews.com

"My favorite part of Nguyen's work is the character complexity. So often in performance art, a character exists only to serve a purpose in the script. Thao's characters are fully human."

- Kimberly Dark, Solo Performer / Poet

  Two time winner of Curve Magazine's

  'Top Ten Performances of the Year'

"Thao P. Nguyen is a force to be reckoned with. She is smart and funny and her solo show is a ride worth taking. And, did I mention, she is really smart and really funny?!"

- Bill Bowers, Performer / Writer / Mime Artist

  'Zazu' in the Broadway production of 'The Lion King'

  Writer & performer of 'Beyond Words'

"Nguyen's work pierced my heart/made me had'ta call my Momma. These are stories I've been hungry to experience. Progressive/ deeply human/and funny as all get out. Can't wait to see the show again!"

- Sharon Bridgforth, Theatrical Jazz Artist / Writer

  Lambda Literary Award Winner

  Author of 'the bull-jean stories' (RedBone Press)

"Nguyen artfully weaves together powerful personal stories and nuanced understandings of critical theory in a show that is deeply moving and incredibly funny."

- Dr. Amy Kilgard, Solo Performer / Educator

  Professor of Communication & Performance Studies

  San Francisco State University

  Writer of 'Triskaidekaphobia: 13 Consumer Tragedies'

"Mad Love" and things in between

A play about the impact of mental health on interpersonal relationships and vice-versa.

Listen to the interview with Playwright/Director Roke Noir here: www.lesbeasian.com

For more details go to www.sirentheatre.org

To buy tickets go to http://madlove.bpt.me

"Mad Love", is part of a yearlong project launched by Siren called MWWA (Mental Wellness for Women through Arts). The aim of the project is to heal the community, raise mental health awareness, and break prejudices through courageous, authentic and collaborative creative work.

The all-women cast and crew of “Mad Love”, diverse in age, religion, race, sexual orientation and profession, have passionately collaborated to give shape to this play to reflect the delights and dilemmas of relationships involving love, madness and things in between. Six nights this October, they will come out with their exploration for you to witness.

DOORS OPEN 45 mins before Show Time. NO ENTRY AFTER DOOR CLOSES AT SHOW TIME.

October 5 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm
October 6 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm
October 7 | Matinee | 3:00 - 5:00 pm

October 12 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm
October 13 | 7:00 - 9:00 pm
October 14 | Matinee | 3:00 - 5:00 pm

VENUE
Vagabond Ballroom
830 Isabella St., Oakland, CA (near San Pablo & 24th St.)

Gay Athletes Prepare For Asia's First LGBT Sports Festival

Jessica Testa
BuzzFeed

More than 200 LGBT athletes from 17 Asian countries are slated to compete in the festival on Oct. 12. Nepal will host the groundbreaking games in October. See photos from the LGBT community's first training session.

1.

Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

Here, members of the Blue Diamond Society, Nepal's only gay rights group, practice at Dasarath stadium in Katmandu on Sunday, Aug. 26.

2.

Sunilbabu Pant, head of the Blue Diamond Society.

Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

3.

Image by NAVESH CHITRAKAR / Reuters

4.

Bhakti Shah, a lesbian who served in the Nepalese Army until she was discharged because of her sexuality.

Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

5.

Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

6.

Image by NAVESH CHITRAKAR / Reuters

7.

Image by NAVESH CHITRAKAR / Reuters

9.

Image by Niranjan Shrestha / AP

10.

Image by NAVESH CHITRAKAR / Reuters

Vietnam lesbian couple talks of hope for marriage, LGBT rights

www.bikyamasr.comTori Khi Ton

Vietnam lesbians steal kisses at a local park in Hanoi.

HANOI: The two women sit comfortably on a sofa, their hands interlocked and their smiles grace the room with ease. These two Vietnamese recent university students are hopeful about the future of the country and their prospects for getting married.

“The times are changing and we really hope that the government and the people are ready and willing to let two people who love each other marry and spend our lives together,” 24-year-old Tina told Bikyamasr.com.

In this upscale nightclub, the owner has made it clear that all people are welcome. Tina’s longtime girlfriend Pho said he made it a point to tell them when he saw them embrace once in the club that “you can kiss and dance as you like here.”

“It was such a great feeling to have someone in his position show his support for us as a couple,” she added.

They don’t talk about being lesbians, instead they prefer to discuss their future as Vietnamese citizens, arguing that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has been successful in changing perceptions related to them by talking inclusion.

“At the end of the day we are all Vietnamese and hope that this will be recognized by the government, because people are changing how they deal with us,” added Tina.

Both of the women are out to their parents, which they say was a shock at first, but both their fathers and their mothers have been supportive over the past two years since they revealed their relationship.

“My mom actually joked that ‘at least you won’t have to deal with those crazy men and getting a husband’,” Tina said, laughing at her mom’s candor.

And the Vietnam government appears ready to move forward on granting all Vietnamese, sexual orientation not withstanding, the right to marry whom they want.

A senior minister said recently that the issue will see public consultation on the idea and could become legal in the country in the near future.

In July, the country’s justice ministry announced it “would be seeking public comment on proposed amendments to the Marriage and Family Law including changes allowing for same-sex marriage,” Gay News Network reported.

The ministry added that it was looking at legal recognition as an increasing number of LGBT citizens in Vietnam are “being open about their relationships,” and many hopeful that the government will allow them to legally wed in the Southeast Asian country.

“To guarantee personal freedom, the marriage between same sex people needs to be recognized,” the ministry said.

In an online debate earlier this week, Justice Minister Ha Hung Cuong said that although he thought it “unacceptable to create social prejudice against the homosexual community,” the government would need to consider the customs and ethics as well as cultural and legal issues before allowing gay marriage.

“Personally, I believe that the recognition or non-recognition of same sex marriage should be based on very basic research, the credible assessment of impact on many social and legal aspects such as personal freedom, compatibility with cultural and social practices of Vietnamese families, sensitivity, social consequences of the law,” Cuong said on July 24.

“The State should also have legal mechanisms to protect the legitimate rights such as legal personality, property ownership or children (if any) of same sex couple living together.”

Le Quang Binh, a sociologist who directs the non-profit Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment in Hanoi, commended Cuong’s comments saying Vietnam could be soon seen as a regional leader on gay rights.

“As far as I know, no Asian country allows same-sex marriages,” Binh told Vietweek.

“This idea has impressed my colleagues from other countries in the region who are very hopeful that Vietnam would be able to deliver on this.”

And for this couple, who steal kisses and dance ever-so-closely on the dance floor, they are hopeful that their love will be given as much weight as their straight friends.

“It is a hope we have now that things are changing. We will line up to get married first as soon as the government gives us the go ahead,” added Pho.

New Book! - Diary of Collective Heartbreak

Introducing up and coming author - Chai/柴. Born in 1987 in Taiwan, she currently resides in New York City, New York with two published books.  In 2006, she published poetry and short fiction collection "A Necessary Confession" (一則必要的告解) in 2006 in Taiwan.  Her latest book is a longer fiction collection called "Diary of Collective Heartbreak" (--集體心碎日記). Check out LesbeAsian's exclusive interview with Chai/柴 sharing the development of her writing and talks about her latest book about relationships, heartbreak, activism, lesbian casual hookups, finding of community and much more! 

For more info, check her links:

Diary of Collective Heartbreak 

Chai's facebook page

Chai's blog