Vietnamese Student Association

FREE PARKING
Parking is free on the weekend on any spots marked A, B, S, V or metered spaces. The closest parking structure to Mandeville Auditorium is Gilman Parking Structure.

DIRECTIONS to Mandeville:

http://maps.ucsd.edu/Viewer.htm?Zoom=5&Map=Parking&O.x=672&P.x=263&O.y=689&Cmnd=Mgfy&P.y=243&View=Large&Fill=340&Lkey=7916

From the North:
Take interstate 5 to Genesee Avenue west. After 0.7 miles (3rd light) turn left on North Torrey Pines Road. After 0.9 miles (4th light) turn left on Muir College Drive and proceed to the second parking lot on the right (lot 207). Mandeville is to the south beyond the Sun God sculpture.

From the South:
Take Interstate 5 to La Jolla Village Drive west. After 1.7 miles (7th light) turn right on Muir College Drive and proceed to the second lot on the right (lot 207). Mandeville is to the south beyond the Sun God sculpture. (Note: after the curve, La Jolla Village Drive becomes North Torrey Pines Road).

**If lot is full you may also try P208, P207, Gilman Parking Structure or Pangea Parking Structure. These are just suggestions, you are not limited to these areas. For your convenience, Mandeville Auditorium is located near Muir College.**

Vietnamese Culture Night (VCN) is the biggest annual event held by UCSD VSA every spring quarter. This year marks our 17th Annual VCN.

The purpose of VCN is to preserve Vietnamese culture and promote its awareness within UCSD and the San Diego community. The centerpiece of the production is a play, with various performances to adorn it such as traditional Vietnamese dances, modern hip hop dance, singing, fashion show and more.

It is a huge production that requires months of preparation and it provides the perfect setting for the creation of life-long friendships and for the development of talents.

Hội Sinh Viên Việt Nam tại trường UC San Diego xin trân trọng giới thiệu:

Đêm Văn Hóa Việt Nam lần thứ 17 với tựa đề “Bữa Cơm Gia Đình” sẽ được tổ chức vào ngày 21 tháng 4 năm 2012 tại Mandeville Auditorium trong khuôn viên của trường UCSD. Đây là một đêm ca múa nhạc kịch, là sự kiện trọng đại nhất trong năm mà tất cả các sinh viên trong hội đã bỏ ra thật nhiều thời gian và tâm huyết để chuẩn bị trong mấy tháng vừa qua.

Chương trình năm nay đã được dàn dựng thật công phu với phần biểu diễn hoành tráng của các người mẫu áo dài, múa truyền thống, phần nhảy hip-hop, và sự góp mặt của những ca sĩ từ trong và ngoài hội.

Kịch bản năm nay dựa trên những vui buồn của cuộc sống gia đình. “Bữa Cơm Gia Đình” sẽ mang lại những vấn để thật là quen thuộc mà rất nhiều gia đình phải trải qua nhưng cũng không thiếu những tình tiết hấp dẫn, những vở đối thoại hài hước và một dàn diễn viên tài năng.

Mục đích của Đêm Văn Hóa là để động viên và nhắc nhở các bạn trẻ nên giữ gìn ngôn ngữ, nâng niu nguồn gốc của mình và lấy làm tự hào dòng về máu Việt Nam.

Hội Sinh Viên Việt Nam tại UCSD mong chờ sự ủng hộ của tất cả mọi người trong cộng đồng Việt Nam và hội mong rằng Đêm Văn Hóa Việt Nam lần thứ 17 sẽ mang lại nhiều điều thú vị và sẽ là một đêm biểu diễn đáng nhớ cho quý vị.

Trân trọng,
UCSD VSA

Family Dinner | Bữa Cơm Gia Đình

In a survey sent out to the parents of our VSA members, we asked: “If you were to speak for millions of Vietnamese people on the planet, what would you say that they value the most?”. They answered “family”. So for our 17th Annual Culture Night, we wanted to revolve our play around the most essential part of the Vietnamese culture– the family.

With that in mind, we wanted to give you, the audience, a glimpse into the lives of 4 specific families: Bi & his mom, Mary & her dad, Lyly’s family and Bà Tám’s family. Each of these 4 families has their own set of characteristics and issues but together, their unique stories speak of family values, respect, love and appreciation.

As children, we looked forward to dinner time with a simple childish excitement: we like to eat! As we grow older, we realize the importance of these family meals and look forward to them not just for the good food but mainly for the people who will be there at the dinner table. We realize that not only do these family dinners provide us with the supply of nutrients necessary for our bodies, they also provide the perfect setting to connect with our family members, the strength and support that keep us going and the love that keeps us warm and happy long after the meal. Dinner time is also when a lot of family activities happen. Sometimes we fight over dinner, we talk about the future, discuss matters or sometimes we laugh our way through dinner. But whatever we do, dinner time is a time where all members of the family come together, and it is definitely an important part of the day in the Vietnamese culture. Hence, we wanted to title the play after our all-time favorite family time and present to you 4 families, each with their own flavor profile.

With the play this year, our intention is to bring the small details of family life to your attention. We’re talking about those moments that were so ordinary but became so special and unforgettable when they replayed in your head. They are the moments when you think of your beloved family member and the way that they would talk or the way that they would act to realize just how important that person is to you.

Now we all have our own ideas of what a perfect family dinner or a perfect family looks like, but do we know one when we see it? Through Family Dinner, we want you to think about: “How much do you value and how hard are you willing to work for your idea of a perfect family?”

Bà Tám: Vivian Phạm
Ông Bảy: Man Minh Nguyen
Hiền: Kristine (Tu) Nguyen
Joe: Stephen Thompson
Nam: Duy Duong
Thảo: Ashley Vu
Jennifer: Jennifer Vu
Tommy: Darwin Ng
Kevin: Luan Bach
Lyly’s Mom: Kimany Cricket
Lyly’s Dad: Hoang Nguyen
Lyly: Huyen Thanh Bui
Mary’s Dad: Brenton Du
Mary’s Boyfriend: Hung Leon Nguyen
Mary: Ivy Tran
Bi’s Mom: Huong Vu
Bi: Henry Ninh

Bi & Mom

Bi is a careless teenager boy who plays games and got his mind on a lot of what he deems “important”. The one thing he doesn’t pay attention to, as he realizes later on, is the most important thing in his life. Do we only find out the value of unconditional love when it’s gone?

Lyly’s Family

Lyly is a very shy and obedient girl despite the fact that her parents are both very wealthy. How can such a perfect family like this go wrong?

Mary & Dad

Mary lives with her single father and has always been ashamed of her dad. She wanted to be like her friends who get what they want and have what she believes “love and a happy family”. She thought she knew how to deal with this constant feeling of shame but she didn’t. Where will Mary’s journey to find love and happiness lead her?

GRANDMA’S FAMILY
1. Bà Tám: After losing her husband in the war, Bà Tám found away to get to America and began a rough life with many challenges. But no matter how hard it was she pulled courage and strength from the love she has for her children. She took care of both of her daughters when they got pregnant and watched after their kids.
2. Ông Tám: lives in the same neighborhood as Bà Tám. He lives alone because all of his children have moved away for their careers or marriages.
3. Hiền: Bà Tám’s oldest daughter. She had her son, Kevin during her first marriage. Her second marriage is much better with Joe.
4. Nam: Bà Tam’s middle son. He’s a free and wild soul that likes to party and dates a lot of girls.
5. Thảo: Bà Tám’s youngest daughter. She got pregnant when she was just 17 and had her daughter Jennifer.
6. Jennifer: Thảo daughter aka Bà Tám’s granddaughter. Being a Vietnamese-American that lives in a family of 3 generations, her living styles collide with that of grandma’s.
7. Tommy: Jennifer’s boyfriend
8. Joe: Hiền husband
9. Kevin: Hiền son

Visit our facebook event page,click here!

Flyer designed by our very wonderful graphic designer: Leo Q.Bui.