Nina Santoyo (left) and Jade Duong in the East West Players’ Theatre for Youth touring production of “Tam Tran Goes to Washington.”
The play, written by Elizabeth Wong and directed by Rona Par, tells the true story of Tam Tran, a UCLA senior who usually prefers to stay behind the camera, but finds herself thrust into the spotlight when her undocumented status draws her into the fight for the DREAM Act. With her fearless best friend Cinthya by her side, Tam’s quiet life changes overnight as she’s called to testify before Congress.
The two friends died in a traffic accident in 2010.
EWP’s Theatre for Youth program, designed to promote cultural understanding and racial tolerance, is offering “Tam Tran Goes to Washington “ performances free to the public. The final date for this year is Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Exposition Park Regional Library, 3900 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles.
To see 2026 dates, visit: www.eastwestplayers.org/tam-tran-tour
At Los Angeles Harbor College’s Music Recital Hall, where “Tam Tran Goes to Washington” was performed Nov. 19 (from left): LAHC Chicano Studies student Jay Martinez; LAHC Chicano Studies Professor Felipe Agredando; Jan Tokumaru, who worked in solidarity with Tam Tran and other organizers toward the DREAM Act with the UCLA Labor Dream Resource Center; and bringing the play and Q&A panel to the campus, LAHC Professor Daryle Nagano Krier; Mindy Chen, director of the Dolores Huerta Labor Institute; and Phoenix Lee, EWP’s tour coordinator for Theatre for Youth.