ACT Presents Trieu Tran in UNCLE HO TO UNCLE SAM, Now thru 10/7

Vietnamese refugee, former gang member, and now rising Hollywood actor Trieu Tran comes to Seattle to tell a compelling coming of age story in his fearless one man show Uncle Ho to Uncle Sam. ACT – A Contemporary Theatre is proud to stage the world premiere of Tran's bold autobiographical solo performance directed by Robert Egan. Egan also assisted in creating the script.

HBO's The Newsroom now features Trieu Tran in a recurring role, and he has also appeared in such recent blockbusters as Tropic Thunder, Hancock, and the upcoming feature film Trade of Innocents. Also a veteran of live theatre, Tran has performed in dozens of regional plays most notably including the role of Alan Strang in Equus with George Takei with the East West Players and the title role of Oedipus with the Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon. Uncle Ho to Uncle Sam was workshopped at the prestigious Ojai Playwrights Conference in 2011, where ACT Artistic Director Kurt Beattie jumped at the opportunity to bring Tran and his amazing journey to Seattle audiences.

"This was something we just had to do, such an amazing and courageous story," says ACT artistic director Kurt Beattie. "Sometimes a script and a story comes along that is so compelling that you really have no choice but to share it with the world."

In Uncle Ho to Uncle Sam, Tran journeys with his mother and siblings from the fall of Saigon to a Viet Cong re-education camp in the jungle, then to a refugee camp in Thailand, and, finally, to North America. But in the New World he faces a turbulent passage to manhood shaped by his estranged father and by his own estrangement in the land of snow, hip-hop, urban gangs, and clashing cultures.

The creative team features director Robert Egan, scenic design by Carey Wong, lighting design by Rick Paulsen, costume design by Rose Rederson, sound design by BrenDan Hogan with stage manager JR Weldon.

Tickets are now on sale at (206) 292-7676 or www.acttheatre.org. Members of Teen Tix: $5. Adults: Single tickets $37.50 - $55. Students: $15; People 25 & under: $20;. Seniors: 25% off adult ticket price. Available to ACTPass holders. Pay-what-you-can: Every day, day of show (in person, starting at 1:00pm). Prices fluctuate based on demand. Artists subject to change.

ADDITIONAL UNCLE HO TO Uncle Sam EVENTS:

POST PLAY DISCUSSIONS – Tuesday, September 18 (after evening performance); Sunday September 23 (after matinee performance), Sunday September 30 (after matinee performance)

Stick around and participate in a post-show discussion with the director and actors.

Located in the heart of downtown Seattle and serving a population of curious, open-minded, and brave audiences, ACT - A Contemporary Theatre is the only theatre in Seattle dedicated to producing contemporary work with promising playwrights and local performing artists since 1965. A theatre of new ideas, ACT serves as a cultural engine that makes plays, dance, music, and film that touch us through its annual Mainstage play series and new works generated from the Young Playwrights Program, The Hansberry Project, the Central Heating Lab, and New Works for the American Stage commissioning program. Because contemporary life demands examination, ACT is driven to inspire and strengthen our diverse community through works that advance our understanding of human life. With more than 120,000 people who attend shows annually, ACT is an interactive community where artists and the public witness, contemplate, and engage in dialogue on today's thought-provoking issues, ideas and art, presented with intelligence, insight, and humor.

Photo credit: LaRae Lobdell

More Articles by This Author...