The University of Pittsburgh's Vietnamese Student Association will host playwright Susan Lieu and her "140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother" on November 12.
The Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) at the University of Pittsburgh works to promote diversity, awareness, and visibility of Vietnamese culture to people of all backgrounds within the campus community. We believe that bringing Susan Lieu, a Vietnamese-American playwright, would be an amazing opportunity to provide both an educational and emotional experience regarding the Vietnamese refugee experience. Lieu sheds light on the unimaginable ideals of Vietnamese feminine beauty and addresses body insecurity, grief, and trauma through her solo theatrical performance “140LBS: HOW BEAUTY KILLED MY MOTHER," which achieved sold-out openings in Seattle and San Francisco. She now has a national tour with stops in New York, Los Angeles, and other cities. "140 LBS" is a true story of how Susan’s mother died from medical malpractice, her search for the man responsible, and the painful uncovering of her mother’s life. We are collaborating with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, English Department, Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Department, Outside the Classroom Curriculum (OCC), and Department of Theatre Arts. The expression of advocacy through the storytelling form of a solo show should not be missed during the Year of Creativity here at the University of Pittsburgh. We hope to reach a wide range of people from the Asian-American community, Asian Studies Center, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, English Department, Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Department, Outside the Classroom Curriculum (OCC), and the Department of Theatre Arts through this event. We are both excited and grateful to collaborate with these university departments to bring Lieu to Pittsburgh as her performance resonates with our shared experiences growing up as Vietnamese-Americans.It will be held from 7:00 pm at the Charity Randall Theatre at 4301 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map).
Refreshments will be provided. This event is free to all Pitt students and faculty, $10 for Carnegie Mellon students, and $15 for the general public. Proceeds and donations will be donated to Asylum Access, an organization that aids refugees in human rights and advocates for policy reform.