Rather than utilizing massive background props, or having a narrator announce a transition in the scene, this production cut out the lights and displayed the new location and time shift in bold yellow font. Immediately following this transition would be a projection of real-life photographs that reflected the scenery, from the rural and cold military base in Saigon, Vietnam, to a rustic, western stop in Amarillo, Texas. The use of projections as the background setting enabled the audience to be taken along for a ride, giving them a glimpse of the multiplicity and complexity of the journey the Vietnamese refugees experienced. The use of real-life photographs also highlights the reality of the experiences of these refugees. While the story may have been exaggerated for comedic effect, the sense of loss and tumultuous journey these refugees underwent in order to find a place to call home is an undeniable reality. The faster pacing of the play, enabled by the use of projections as backgrounds and transitional tools, keeps the audience engaged and gives them little time to reflect on previous scenes, much like how the Vietnamese refugees can hardly look back because they are forced to move forward in order to
Rather than utilizing massive background props, or having a narrator announce a transition in the scene, this production cut out the lights and displayed the new location and time shift in bold yellow font. Immediately following this transition would be a projection of real-life photographs that reflected the scenery, from the rural and cold military base in Saigon, Vietnam, to a rustic, western stop in Amarillo, Texas. The use of projections as the background setting enabled the audience to be taken along for a ride, giving them a glimpse of the multiplicity and complexity of the journey the Vietnamese refugees experienced. The use of real-life photographs also highlights the reality of the experiences of these refugees. While the story may have been exaggerated for comedic effect, the sense of loss and tumultuous journey these refugees underwent in order to find a place to call home is an undeniable reality. The faster pacing of the play, enabled by the use of projections as backgrounds and transitional tools, keeps the audience engaged and gives them little time to reflect on previous scenes, much like how the Vietnamese refugees can hardly look back because they are forced to move forward in order to