A night filled with witty pick-up lines, vibrant cultural dances and comedic storytelling, this year’s annual “ND By Night” provided an array of performances ranging from acting to traditional Vietnamese dance. The annual showcase, organized by the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA), took inspiration from the latest season of “The Bachelorette,” which featured the show’s first-ever Asian and Vietnamese Bachelorette, Jenn Tran.
Planning for the two-hour event began in September, led by head director Rose Nguyen, with assistant directors Vivian Nguyen and Kyle Phan. Vivian explained that the show was inspired by “Paris By Night,” a famous Vietnamese variety show known for its comedic skits.
Held in Washington Hall on Feb. 9, the showcase drew a crowd of approximately 400 people. The audience followed a fictional and dramatized storyline centered on Quynh Vi, the night’s bachelorette, played by VSA president Kat Le. Le noted the humorous nature of the show and its reflection of Asian-American experiences.
“I thought it was very playful,” Le said. “I think the purpose of it was to show the diversity and the different types of everyday stories that people experience, especially as an Asian American.”
Quynh Vi’s four main suitors — Hoang, Thien, Son and Kevin — each brought unique personalities and comedic flair. Their professions ranged from an underwater ceramic technician to a part-time park ranger. One suitor even took the stage wearing what he called “Lady Gaga’s meat dress.”
For Rose, one contestant stood out.
“I was really rooting for Hoang, his character,” she said. “I wrote most of his scenes and he was the one who was really into jazz. I related to him the most as someone who grew up in a stricter, Asian household. I think a lot of us can relate to him in general, or if not fully, at least a little bit.”
Beyond the comedy, the showcase also highlighted Vietnamese cultural traditions through dance. Performances included a traditional lion dance, hat dance, fan dance and a V-pop dance routine. Lion dancer Hung Vo spoke about how the performers incorporated their past experiences into the show.
“I would say I spent two to three years in my [lion dance] youth group back home,” Vo said. “For Notre Dame specifically, we used the experience of all the members from when we were in high school and applied that to our routine.”
The night concluded with a traditional Vietnamese wedding between Quynh Vi and her chosen suitor, Thien, the underwater ceramics technician from Boston. While the event ended on a celebratory note, it was also a bittersweet moment for many participants, as approximately 25% of the cast will be graduating in May.
Despite the departures, Nguyen hopes the younger members will continue the legacy of “ND By Night” and help the audience appreciate Vietnamese culture.
“One of the things I wish people could take away is that cultures are very sensitive, deep and rooted in something beautiful,” Nguyen said. “But at the same time, students are also having fun and doing something silly too … I honestly wish people were able to educate themselves on Vietnamese culture, and on top of that, they would also be able to have fun and laugh.”
