51 YEARS LATER, “30 APRIL 1975: HOW WE LEFT” RAISES TIMELESS QUESTIONS

30 April 1975: How We Left

A One-Woman Show Honoring the Courage of Refugees and the Soldiers and Strangers Who Saved Them

LOS ANGELES, CA — This year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival includes the world premiere of 30 April 1975: How We Left, the true story about two Vietnamese women’s attempts to flee with six children each during the fall of Saigon. The solo show by Vivi Thai pays tribute to the resilience of refugees and to the friends, soldiers, and strangers who helped them reach freedom.

Thai drew on family oral histories and archival research to recreate the fateful day. “I didn’t hear my own family’s immigration stories until college, and even then I was unaware of the scope,” said Thai. “With the state of our government, however, I think it’s time to tell these personal stories of emigration: the difficult choices that must be made and the cost of leaving.” These personal stories immerse the audience in the final hours of a city in collapse: the chaos, the confusion, and the impossible choices made in a matter of seconds.

The show also recognizes the people in uniform who went above and beyond to help others as institutions collapsed.

While the events of 30 April 1975: How We Left took place over 50 years ago, the questions at the heart of this show have never been more relevant: What would you do if you had to flee your country? What do we owe those who are forced to flee? And what keeps hope alive when institutions fail us?
30 April 1975: How We Left runs 30 minutes with no intermission, making it a powerful and accessible theatrical experience for all audiences.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Festival: Hollywood Fringe Festival 2025
Show: 30 April 1975: How We Left
Running Time: 30 minutes (no intermission)
Format: One-Woman Show
Venue: Broadwater Theater Black Box, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90038

Dates:
Sunday June 7 2026, 1:00 PM
Saturday June 13 2026, 6:00 PM
Friday June 19 2026, 10:00 PM

Tickets: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/13461
Price: Donation-based until May 18
Age Recommendation: 12+

ABOUT THE CREATOR
While this is the world premiere of “30 April 1975: How We Left,” it is writer and actor Vivi Thai’s third time at Hollywood Fringe. She performed in the award-winning immersive show “Unreal City” and evolved into a producer/actor in “She Kills Monsters.” She has also appeared on stage in Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, Inherit the Wind, Elevator, and The Two Kids that Blow S**t Up. Film and television performances include Accidental Texan, “Personal Space,” and most recently, The Dresden Sun. She studied at University of Texas at Austin.

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   Press passes, review tickets, and interview requests may be directed to Paula Cizek at [email protected]. High-resolution production photos are available upon request.