California State University, NorthridgeCalifornia State University, Northridge
October 23, 1996
Contact: Carmen Ramos Chandler,
(818) 677-2130
cchandler@exec.csun.edu
"Laughter from the Children of War" is scheduled for 8 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center in the middle of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.
"Laughter from the Children of War" is the brainchild of artistic director, Hung Nguyen, who set out to write a tale about the origins of the Vietnamese people.
"I wanted to find a fresh approach toward creating performance," said Nguyen, who co-directs the piece with performance artist Nobuko Miyamoto. "I wanted to explore the concept of merging cultures.
"What happens when you mix Vietnamese folk songs with jazz? What becomes of the myth about the Vietnamese people when it gets a 'Saturday Night Live' twist?" he said. "I also wanted the raw and fresh energy that comes from real Vietnamese Americans telling their own stories."
Kenyon Chan, chair of CSUN's Asian American Studies Department, said the campus is eager to see the Club O' Noodles performance.
"They started out as students here and now they're coming home," Chan said. "We're very proud of them."
The production is supported by the Asian American Studies Department and the Asian Pacific Student Alliance, and is being underwritten by CSUN's College of Humanities.
Tickets are $15 reserved, $10 general admission and $5 for students and children. They are available at the University Student Union ticket office.
All proceeds will go to the Asian American Studies Fund for Community Service for scholarships and stipends to students who participate in internships with business, government and non-profit agencies.
For more information, call (818) 677-4966.