The Magnificent Ms. Pham
The world’s first Vietnamese-American water puppet show, adapting the 1000+ year old art form of múa rối nước in the US. The Magnificent Ms. Pham is a fantastical retelling of the true story of boat person Kim Pham and her unlikely journey to becoming America.
Supported by the Jim Henson Foundation and produced by Puppetual Motion.
Score Highlight #1: “The Restored Sword”
“The Restored Sword” is based on the legend of Hoan Kiem Lake, where a magical sword is received from an ancient turtle to free Vietnam from outside forces.
This piece takes heavy inspiration from cải lương (a form of Vietnamese opera), and it was particularly enjoyable and challenging to adapt the form to work with English lyrics.
Score Highlight #2: “Lion (Swing) Dance”
“The Magnificent Ms. Pham” follows the story of Ms. Pham’s journey from Vietnam to Houston following the Vietnam War. One of the hallmarks of the score is the blend of both Western and Vietnamese music that occurs throughout.
This piece combines Lion Dance music with Texas Swing music, bridging folk music from Vietnam and America into a playful cue.
Score Highlight #3: “Wading through Texabama”
Bridging together RnB and Vietnamese music.
Score Highlight #4: “Đàn Bầu Busking”
A solo piece featuring the Đàn Bầu, a Vietnamese monochord instrument.
Score Highlight #5: “Quê Hương”
Quê Hương roughly translates to “hometown” but carries an even deeper meaning around ancestral connection that does not have a perfect translation in English. This is a piano piece focused on memory and connection.