Last Sunday I went to see the staged reading of Paul Heller’s Beijing, California, which is being put on by the Asian American Theater Company and directed by Duy Nguyen, one of the founders of Theatre Rice. It was quite an experience, even without real staging, costumes, whatever.

This particular piece, however, comes inspired by the trailer for the play, made by TR alum Huy Vu. (If you aren’t within Huy’s Facebook circle, you can watch the trailer on YouTube.) Specifically, it was Sasha’s first comment that put the seeds of the idea into my head.

Watch the trailer, then come back and read Hǎoqù, a story about a few TR members in those troubled times.

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