Episode Details

In this episode, Ken sits down with classical soprano and musical theater performer Evelyn Mê-Linh. Evelyn shares her journey from a painfully shy child in Orange County to landing a role in the iconic national production of The Phantom of the Opera.

Evelyn discusses growing up surrounded by her parents' Vietnamese singing parties and scouting camps, how her mother became her "momager" to help her overcome severe stage fright, and how watching the 2004 Phantom of the Opera movie at age 12 changed her life trajectory forever. She breaks down her rigorous classical opera training at Chapman University, her leap of faith moving to New York City to attend NYU, and what it takes to find "the zone" as a vocal performer.

Kenneth and Evelyn also take a candid look at the lack of Vietnamese representation on Broadway, the generational "survival mindset" that discourages refugee parents from supporting careers in the arts, the industry's frequent conflation of Asian ethnicities, and the complex controversy surrounding Miss Saigon.

Inside the Episode

The Childhood Spark: How watching Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum in the 2004 Phantom of the Opera film inspired a 12-year-old shy kid to ask for voice lessons.

The "Momager" & Scout Community: How Evelyn's mother helped her overcome childhood stage fright through Scout camps (Hướng Đạo) and local Vietnamese community concerts.

Classical Opera to Broadway: Transitioning from strict language-based opera technique at Chapman University to NYU Musical Theater and a Phantom summer intensive in NYC.

Representation & the Refugee Mindset: Unpacking why Vietnamese Americans remain underrepresented in commercial theater compared to other Asian groups, and how post-war parental trauma shapes career choices.

Navigating Industry Bias: Candid stories of ethnic conflation in audition rooms and the ongoing debate over Miss Saigon.

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Many of you still have the chance to record and preserve the legacies of your own families. I’ve sat with families now for interview sessions to record the rich histories of parents and explore the lives of the generations that preceded them. Don’t let your family stories go untold! Take a moment to reach out and together we will bring out your family’s story on a recorded journey. - Kenneth Nguyen

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