Folktales carry morals about kindness, justice and resilience that children grow up hearing.  

Students rehearse scenes in the BLUU Auditorium for their Amazing Vietnam performance. (Photo courtesy of vsa.tcu Instagram)

“Fragments” reflects how, as individuals grow older, the details of childhood stories begin to fade, while the original values and meanings of the folktales are remembered in fragments. 

Since 2014, TCU’s Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) has organized “Amazing Vietnam,” an annual production celebrating Vietnamese culture.  

This year’s event, organized by 54 student volunteers, ranging from on-stage performers to tech and stage crews, features an original student-produced play and a variety of traditional dishes that honor Vietnamese culture.  

The production, “Fragments,” will take place on April 4 and is inspired by the traditional Vietnamese folktales, Thang Bom, Tam Cam and Thạch Sanh Lý Thông, VSA’s President Cathy Nguyen, a sophomore data science and strategic communication double major, said. 

“We want to introduce the richness of Vietnamese folklore while also encouraging people to embrace their inner child,” Nguyen said. “We believe that these stories are not just for entertainment, but they also carry universal values that anyone, regardless of background, can relate to.” 

Preparation for Amazing Vietnam began in October when VSA recruited student volunteers, Nguyen said.  

Students who volunteer as scriptwriters develop the storyline and identify the message they want to share about Vietnamese culture, Cindy Tran, a first-year finance and business information systems double major, said.

Weekly rehearsals take place for the performance crew’s actors, singers and dancers to focus on expressing emotions and an authentic delivery, Tran said.   

Performers from Amazing Vietnam 2025 gather for their scenes in “Eclipse.” (Photo courtesy of vsa.tcu Instagram)

Tran, who is involved in scriptwriting, singing and dancing, said the story becomes more engaging and impactful using different skill sets. Music establishes the emotion and tone of the story, while dancing and singing enhance the narrative portrayed. 

“Being part of multiple roles has given me a deeper appreciation for how much work goes into a production,” Tran said. “It’s challenging, but also really rewarding to see everything come together on stage.”  

A group of volunteers named the purple carpet team focuses on professionalism, inclusion and creating a welcoming experience for guests throughout the show. This is inspired by TCU’s purple carpet standard of service, Kim Nguyen, a sophomore business information systems and supply chain management double major, said.  

Kim Nguyen said this is applied by managing the guests’ journey throughout the show from check-in and ticket verification to ushering, seating and overall event flow, while also supporting logistics such as guest lists and food service.  

Amazing Vietnam allows Vietnamese cuisine to be shown to others, as food plays a major part in Vietnamese identity, Cathy Nguyen said. 

In the past, food offered prior to the show included beef luc lac, che sweet soup and stir-fried noodles. This year, a few of the menu options are pork patty rolls, sesame chicken and lo mein with beef.  

“Amazing Vietnam is truly a large-scale team effort, and beyond the performance itself, it creates opportunities for students to develop new skills, build friendships and engage more deeply with Vietnamese culture,” Nguyen said.