Last week, with the play "Waiting" on Quoc Thao Drama Stage (HCMC), Meritorious Artist Tuyet Thu proved her ability as a director.
Reporter: What brought Tuyet Thu to the profession of director and teacher of performing arts?
Meritorious Artist Tuyet Thu (Photo provided by the character)
- Meritorious Artist TUYET THU: As a teacher of performing techniques, I was assigned by artist Quoc Thao to perform a graduation play for his students.
While I was struggling to find a script, I saw the play "Have We Loved Each Other Yet" by author Tran Vu Thien Luong, directed by Vu Tran. I really liked this play and immediately contacted Vu Tran to ask for permission to have the script staged and named it "Wait".
Sometimes I feel tired but I feel like I have wings, I can "fly" in my work, in my research and study because I always aspire to reach for beauty. I am very happy to be given youthful energy by young actors.
With only the experience of an actor, do you have difficulty working as a director?
- As a novice in the staging profession, I have to learn many things. I always have to try to overcome my own difficulties.
Meritorious Artist Tuyet Thu speaks at the premiere of the play "Waiting" directed by her at Quoc Thao Drama Theater. Photo: THANH HIEP
With the play "Waiting", some details in Vu Tran's production are so lovely and beautiful. I asked Vu Tran for permission to keep them and wanted the young actors to perform well in those scenes. From props to scenery, costumes, and makeup, everything was created and made by the children.
The teacher and students have made efforts to contribute to the creative art space at Quoc Thao Drama Theater with many new emotions through the play "Waiting". As a director, even though I have to yell at the young people at times, I still love them and feel happy and satisfied when seeing the results.
Among the teachers who guided Tuyet Thu to the profession, who do you remember most? Why?
- I am a studious person so I am grateful to many people. A word to me is also a teacher and the greatest teacher in an artist's life is the public. The audience who loves and gives praise or criticism in the right place is the teacher that an artist must always be grateful to.
As for the teacher who guides, instructs, and shows students their strengths and weaknesses, I am grateful to author Le Duy Hanh. Since I started working at the Ho Chi Minh City Small Stage Drama Theater with "Nguyet Ha" and "Hon Tho Ngoc"..., he has always guided, analyzed, and explained to me what is right and wrong. Teacher Tran Ngoc Giau was also the one who guided me when I came to the Ho Chi Minh City Drama Theater.
When participating in many drama stages, I am grateful to my senior colleagues such as: Khanh Hoang, Thanh Hoi, Ai Nhu, Hong Van... They have wholeheartedly trained me.
Is there any type of role that Tuyet Thu has never penetrated and performed?
- Before, I was afraid of playing villainous and character roles. However, when I came to Hoang Thai Thanh Stage to collaborate, I liked to transform into strange characters, specifically the role of Bich Hong in the play "Color of Love" or the role of Nhung in the play "Bach Hai Duong". These are thorny villainous roles that I have played. The feeling when playing these roles is very different, very new compared to what the audience has been familiar with my image for a long time.
From now until the end of 2024, does Tuyet Thu have any new projects? What are you looking forward to in your artistic career?
- I still teach, and when there are roles in movies or on stage, I participate. My project is not a big deal, I just hope that the young actors I train will become colleagues of many artists after graduation.
Nowadays, the stage is still facing many difficulties, but seeing the children still love the stage, I am very touched. They are the embodiment of me in the past, carrying a burning desire to work and strive for good things for the community.
What makes Tuyet Thu most concerned about her career? If she had to choose between acting and directing, which job would she choose?
- What I am concerned about is that many actors today have limited vocabulary because they rarely read literature. They do not improve their careers through reading culture, which will be a big gap for the stage.
I can hardly shake off my dream of transforming into many fates on stage and screen. However, the director's profession is the application of thinking to create stories told from one's emotions. Both professions support each other and I hope I will have enough strength to do well in both roles to accompany young people, to see myself always young.
"I am not someone who takes winning or losing too seriously in my career. Everything comes to me by chance, and when the time comes, I grasp it and commit myself. I am satisfied and grateful for the hardships I have gone through.
Meritorious Artist Tuyet Thu's full name is Lieu Thi Tuyet Thu, born in 1971 in Saigon, the youngest child in a family with no one in the arts. Passionate about the arts since childhood, Tuyet Thu took the Cai Luong acting course at the University of Theater and Cinema in Ho Chi Minh City according to her family's wishes.
After graduating, thanks to her talent in dancing, Tuyet Thu was recruited by People's Artist Thai Ly to be a dancer for Saigontourist's traditional music and dance program. After that, she joined People's Artist Kim Quy's dance group at the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera.
In 2002, Tuyet Thu made her mark through the role of doctor Oanh in the TV series "White Blouse" directed by My Ha and produced by TFS.
Tuyet Thu won the Mai Vang Award in 2008 for her role as Ha in the play "Doi bo". In 2016, HTV Awards presented her with the "Dedication Artist" award...
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