Bringing spoken drama to Dong Nai audiences

To welcome the 1st Congress of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee for the 2025-2030 term, the Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association performed the play Dang Thuy Tram. The work was written by writer Nguyen Quang Vinh, directed by Meritorious Artist Pham Huy Thuc.

With authentic and emotionally resonant performances, the play not only brings to life the image of doctor and heroic martyr Dang Thuy Tram during the years of resistance against the United States, but also serves as a bridge connecting Dong Nai audiences more closely with spoken drama. In doing so, it helps create more opportunities for the public to engage with meaningful and enriching cultural experiences.

From the diary… to the stage

The play Dang Thuy Tram is based on the deeply moving diary entries of a young doctor who fell on the battlefield in Quang Ngai before the age of 28. Through the creative vision of writer Nguyen Quang Vinh, her words, filled with passion, love, and a deep desire to serve, have been transformed into a tightly structured, emotionally charged production that has captivated audiences in Dong Nai.

A scene from the play Dang Thuy Tram, performed for Dong Nai audiences in September 2025. Photo: My Ny

The play opens with a well-known diary entry by Dr. Dang Thuy Tram:

"Dear mother, if one day I fall, please don’t cry. Be proud of your daughter who gave her life for the Fatherland."

The staging is minimalist, centered around a field hospital on the Duc Pho battlefield in Quang Ngai. In that harsh setting, Dr. Dang Thuy Tram and her comrades held their ground with unwavering resolve, dedicating themselves to treating the wounded until the very last moment.

In addition to staging the play Dang Thuy Tram, the Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association has launched a campaign encouraging artists to create and promote their works online. The initiative aims to foster a vibrant atmosphere of creativity and emulation, contributing to achievements in celebration of the 1st Congress of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee, term 2025–2030.

In the role of Dr. Dang Thuy Tram, artist Mi Le left a deep emotional impression on audiences in Dong Nai. With a warm voice, expressive eyes, and emotionally rich performance, she portrayed a doctor who was both compassionate and unwaveringly brave. Every gesture of caring for wounded soldiers, every moment confronting the nearness of death moved viewers to tears, while also inspiring admiration for her willpower, resilience, and burning love for the Fatherland.

Through that sincerity and closeness, the character stepped out of the diary’s pages and came to life as a living example that deeply touched the hearts of the audience.

Director, Eminent Artist Pham Huy Thuc, former Vice Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Theatre and Cinema, said: The staging of the play Dang Thuy Tram has profound social significance, because her story has long been influential to many classes of people, especially the youth. Alongside the portrayal of Dang Thuy Tram, the play introduces the character of "Pho," an infirmary officer who is patriotic yet rigid and driven by personal ambition. This character serves as an artistic counterweight to Dr. Dang Thuy Tram, creating the necessary tension and conflict that underscores the work’s humanistic message.

“To stage the play, I read the diary carefully, learned deeply about the characters, about the war and the losses it left behind. Many details in the play moved the audience. For example, the death of Lien, who was close to Dang Thuy Tram, as well as the wounded soldier who longed to return to the battlefield to avenge her comrades. And the climax is the image of Dr. Dang Thuy Tram alone holding a gun, distracting the American soldiers to protect the wounded in the infirmary and heroically sacrificing herself on the hill. It is this detail that moved the audience to tears,” Meritorious Artist Pham Huy Thuc shared.

Drama touches the hearts of Dong Nai audiences

While Cai Luong and Don Ca Tai Tu have long been the strengths of Dong Nai’s theater scene, the appearance of the play Dang Thuy Tram has offered local audiences a fresh artistic experience.

Soldier Ly Thang Long, Information Company, Dong Nai Province Military Command shared: "I have read Dang Thuy Tram's Diary, but when watching the play, I really felt how vivid the character appeared. There were parts where I couldn't hold back my tears."

“As a soldier, watching a play about soldiers at a time when Dong Nai and the country are celebrating major holidays and the 1st Provincial Party Congress, term 2025-2030, has profound educational significance. This performance is not only a work of art but also a vivid lesson about ideals, beliefs and sacrifices. Through the image of doctor Dang Thuy Tram, I am more aware of my responsibility to preserve and promote the heroic traditions of my ancestors,” soldier Ly Thang Long shared.

Not only touching the soldiers, the play also touched the hearts of today's young generation. Le Khanh Hoa, a student at Dong Nai University, confided: "Watching the play, I felt like I was entering each page of the diary of doctor and martyr Dang Thuy Tram. I clearly felt the spirit of dedication, youthful aspirations and sacrifices that she left behind. It is not only a slice of history but also a reminder for us to live more responsibly towards the Fatherland, towards our families and towards our own dreams."

People's Artist Giang Manh Ha, Vice President of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association and President of the Dong Nai Literature and Arts Association, said: Bringing the play Dang Thuy Tram to Dong Nai audiences is an important step in diversifying local theatrical life. This undertaking is also a way to nurture the soul and inspire national pride, especially among the younger generation.

“I believe the success of the play will inspire Dong Nai’s theater scene to continue working with other units to produce more meaningful works, both serving political missions and meeting the public’s growing demand for cultural enrichment,” Ha emphasized.

By: My Ny

Translated by: Quoc Dung - Minho