Broadway art party recreates 100 years of Vietnamese revolutionary journalism

On June 21, 1925, Thanh Nien newspaper - the mouthpiece of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association, founded by leader Nguyen Ai Quoc, published its first issue.

On the evening of June 21, at the National Press Awards Ceremony, the 50-minute art program, consisting of 3 chapters, took the audience through many emotional levels, recreating historical milestones from the birth of the Vietnamese Press (in Vietnamese) in 1865 until now, the press continues to play a key role in nurturing the aspiration for power and affirming national character.

A feast of music and visual arts

For the first time, the production team applied a Broadway play in a political art program, using the most classic Vietnamese works.

The most modern technology and the most modern stage have brought the audience insight into images, music, and shapes. And each story created on stage is a highlight to honor the journalism industry, honor the ideals of journalists throughout the 100-year journey.

In chapter 1 "The Origin of Light", the art section recreates the time when Vietnamese press (in Vietnamese) was born in 1865 - the first lights began to appear, the beginning of the journey of Vietnamese Revolutionary Press. From 1925 to 1945 when President Ho Chi Minh founded Thanh Nien newspaper in 1925, leading the ideal of Vietnam's revolutionary path.

In Paris - the capital of France, Nguyen Ai Quoc founded the Colonial Union, published the newspaper Le Paria, using the newspaper as a mouthpiece, a forum for the people of the colonies. For the first time in history, a newspaper was established to speak out about the suffering and common misery of the French colonies, becoming an important political event in the history of the Vietnamese Revolutionary Press.

In chapter 2 "Resistance-national construction-steadfast faith" recreates the image of the country immersed in the resistance war against France and the US. At that time, the role of the press was to bring the ideals of the Party and the country to the people, launch the struggle movement, and be a source of encouragement for all soldiers on the fronts.

The revolutionary flames and indomitable spirit of the journalists in Con Dao prison, despite being imprisoned and exiled, their will was always thirsty and burning with a passionate heart.

Visual combines visual effects to create a flame - showing the fire of will, the fire of revolution always burning, the martyr journalist characters turn into a great flame. Below the stage, more than 500 candles are lit, everyone stands up, solemnly for the minute of silence.

Not afraid of being suppressed by the enemy, the journalist-soldiers carried out secret journalism activities, continuously spreading news to encourage each other in prison, and spreading news outside to encourage the fighting spirit of the nation and the people.

The audience was momentarily silent during this artistic part when the lyrics of the song "Color of Red Flowers" were played, the screen ran lines of words in memory of more than 500 soldiers and journalists who sacrificed their lives on the fronts from the resistance war against France to the resistance war against America.

All viewers stood up to commemorate more than 500 soldiers and journalists who died on the fronts from the resistance war against France to the resistance war against America.

In the final chapter of "The Era of Pen", the audience will see the journey of journalism in the new era - the era of rising with a very dynamic story, timely integration, updating new trends of the world as well as participating in the digital transformation process with the stormy development of current technology.

Director Hoang Cong Cuong shared: As a program with a very special mark to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press, the crew of the award ceremony program did not want a program with the mindset of simply being a part of art, giving awards normally, but must have a lot of creativity, intelligence and passion in it.

"This is a connected story and we try to pay back to the audience 100 years of journalism's journey through the language of art. The show is a mashup of music, Broadway performances, dance music, musicals and graphics, images depicting the journey of revolutionary journalism from 1925 to 2025," director Hoang Cong Cuong shared.

Honoring journalists who always have "Steel in the pen, fire in the heart"

With the slogan "Steel in the pen, fire in the heart", the 2025 National Press Awards ceremony also left many emotions with journalists when the honoring of the winning authors was expressed through many "tricks" and each award had its own story.

Slogan of the award ceremony "Steel in the pen, fire in the heart".

Sharing about this slogan, director Hoang Cong Cuong said that the crew wanted to emphasize the bravery of journalists when holding a pen in any situation, whether they are war journalists or the current generation of young journalists, journalists are never shaken. And in the hearts of journalists, there is always a spirit of enthusiasm, burning love for the profession.

Director Hoang Cong Cuong.

As a journalist working at Vietnam Television, director Hoang Cong Cuong said he was very happy and proud to accept the role of General Director of the program. Throughout the 100-year journey with so many changes in the times and the country, the press has always shown its pioneering and strong character, being the voice of the Party and the State to bring information to the public and readers.

"This special art program is my gratitude to the press. Through it, the audience can feel the hard work, sacrifice, fight, dedication, and ideals of journalists. Behind each video, photo, and article is the sacrifice, courage, passion, sweat, effort, ideals, and responsibility of writers to make life and society better," he confided.

Some pictures in the art program: