In the final days of the year, the HCMC Hat Boi Art Theater has kept the lights on continuously for performances of the program “Sac – An Ngoc Nam Phuong” (Beauty - the Southern Jade Seal). Authored by Quynh Xuan and Binh Hung, and directed by Binh Hung at Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theater, the show is attracting a large number of young audiences.
This performance is directed by the HCMC Culture and Sports Department and executed by the HCMC Hat Boi Art Theater. Initially, the program aims to serve the community during the end of 2025 and celebrate the New Year 2026. Subsequently, it is set to become a traditional cultural highlight serving tourists in HCMC.
The program is constructed as a story about a family with a tradition of Hat Boi. In this family, an elderly artist constantly yearns to preserve and protect traditional art against the powerful flow of contemporary culture. He strives to transmit the Hat Boi heritage he holds to the next generation, believing that only national culture can express the unique identity and beauty of a country.
With that significance, the program is elaborately and grandly staged. It features unique performances that captivate audiences through costumes, makeup, and choreography, as well as stage design and scenery deeply imbued with national historical culture.
Artists introduce and perform classic Hat Boi routines such as ‘Le Ruoc Ban Tho To’ (Ancestor Worship Ceremony), ‘Xay Chau Dai Boi’ (Great Rite of Blessing Ceremony), village communal house festivals, and the Ky Yen Festival, while also recreating Hat Boi performances in the daily life of the people. The shows have attracted such large crowds that the HCMC Hat Boi Art Theater decided to extend the run until January 2, 2026.
Beyond the theater, the HCMC Hat Boi Art Theater continues to bring the art form to the community through two venues: the front courtyard of the Hung Kings Temple at the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden (Saigon Ward) and the Tomb of Le Van Duyet (Binh Thanh Ward). Both locations draw large audiences despite the heat and lack of seating.
Malcolm, a French national working in HCMC, expressed his delight with the Vietnamese traditional culture performances, particularly the costumes, makeup, and music. “I have lived in the city for six years. I love Vietnamese culture and have seen Don Ca Tai Tu (Southern amateur chamber music) and water puppetry; today, it is Hat Boi. Although I don’t understand much of the story’s meaning, I always find the music, costumes, and makeup of the artists fascinating,” he said.
Recently, cultural agencies have focused on organizing, renewing, and continuously performing traditional arts, helping to strongly spread national art across many information channels and into social life. Notably, many young people have come to love, support, and promote this art form after being introduced to it.
Nguyen Hoang Thanh Tam, a first-year student at the University of Information Technology, said: “I follow the HCMC Hat Boi Art Theater’s fanpage, so I know about the performance schedules and often invite close friends to go watch. Actually, there is no shortage of Hat Boi videos online, but watching live at the stage is much more enjoyable. I like Hat Boi because of the profound character building, the singing style, the rhythm, the choreography, and the impressive makeup, which give me a lot of emotion.”
From personal interest, many young people have become part of the journey to spread heritage values. Phan Nguyen Thuy Duong, a fourth-year Public Relations and Communications student at Van Lang University, shared: “Previously, I knew nothing about Hat Boi, but after going to see a show at Le Van Duyet Tomb for the first time, I was captivated.”
Subsequently, Thuy Duong proactively connected with artists at the HCMC Hat Boi Art Theater, helping design posters for the fanpage, taking photos, and shooting clips. She applied for an internship at the theater and invited five fellow students to join, supporting the promotion and propaganda of the theater’s activities across various channels.
“I want everyone to see the beauty of this national art form. My friends initially knew nothing about Hat Boi, but after working together on promotional projects, they fell in love with it without realizing. I hope to continue contributing my youthful energy to help the theater preserve and spread the nation's traditional art to today’s audiences,” Duong said.
