Echoes in the Wind!

THE JOURNEY OF A REFUGEE
Echoes in the Wind

Written and directed by Andrew Taylor

The Journey of a Refugee is a thirteen-minute short play that I wrote and that my students (ages 13 to 15) in PFAC Palawan acted and performed in the year 1989-1990. 



This play is a story of  Tran Le Van Huy, a Vietnamese child, son of a military officer who served in the former Republic of South Vietnam, who journeyed and took a risk crossing the China Sea leaving the home, family and friends he loved in order to find peace and freedom in another land.  

In 1992, this play was expanded to a one-hour stage drama and re-titled "Echoes in the Wind".  This 1992 play was watched by over 1000 asylum seekers in PFAC.  It brought tears to a lot of people in the audience especially the seniors who felt that the play was a realistic account of their own experience.  

Echoes in the wind is about the voices of the boat people who died in high seas or in the hands of the merciless, greedy pirates and who did not make it to their destinations. The actual sound track and voice recording of the 1992 play are still in tact today.

The Different Actors Who Played Huy

in Many Different Stage Presentations.

1. Tran Van Thuc (1984-1985)
(The actual play was not staged because Thuc's father accidentally died in the camp two days before the performance.) Thuc lives in Australia.

2.  Nguyen Le Thanh Viet (1987-1988)
This play was videotaped and shown in Switzerland, France, New York and Germany.
Babes Soriano (HTC-PFAC Teacher) played his Vietnamese mother
Andrew Taylor played his American soldier father.

3.  Tran Huu Nhan (1989-1990)
Dang Hong Le Phuong played his mother. She now lives in California.
Dau The Du played his disgruntled father. He now lives in Texas.
Nguyen Binh Minh's role as Huy's cousin was short, riveting, and flawless. Minh is now based in Toronto, Canada.
Nguyen Le Duc Toan played his uncle who was hit by a bullet and succumbed to death during the escape. His restrained acting was flawless and gave goosebumps to the audience..

4.  Nguyen Thai Hoa (1991-1992)
Teresita Garcia (HTC-PFAC Teacher) played his mother.
Dang Que Can gave a highly dramatic and riveting performance as his cousin. Can now resides in Oregon. Hoa lives in Fountain Valley, California.

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ANDREW SINGS SOME POPULAR SONGS THAT P.F.A.C. PALAWAN REMEMBERS

PFAC PALAWAN February 1990

 

Andrew sings "HELLO".

HELLO

I've been alone with you Inside my mind
And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times
I sometimes see you pass outside my door
Hello! Is it me you're looking for?
I can see it in your eyes; I can see it in your smile
You're all I've ever wanted and my arms are open wide
'cause you know just what to say; and you know just what to do
And I want to tell you so much, "I love you"

I long to see the sunlight in your hair
And tell you time and time again how much I care
Sometimes I feel my heart will overflow
Hello! I've just got to let you know
'cause I wonder where you are and I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely? Or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart; for I haven't got a clue
But let me start by saying I love you

Hello! Is it me you're looking for?
'cause I wonder where you are. and I wonder what you do
Are you somewhere feeling lonely? Or is someone loving you?
Tell me how to win your heart; for I haven't got a clue
But let me start by saying I love you.

 

Andrew sings "Right Here Waiting".

 RIGHT HERE WAITING FOR YOU

Ocean's apart day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain

If I see you next to never
How can we say forever

Wherever you go; Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I took for granted, all the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now

Oh, can't you see it baby
You've got me going crazy

I wonder how we can survive this romance
But in the end if I'm with you, I'll take the chance

 

 Andrew sings "Annie's Song".

ANNIE'S SONG

You fill up my senses like a night in the forest,
like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain,
like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean.
You fill up my senses, come fill me again.

Come let me love you, let me give my life to you,
let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms,
let me lay down beside you, let me always be with you.
Come let me love you, come love me again.

You fill up my senses like a night in the forest,
like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain,
like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean.
You fill up my senses, come fill me again.

Andrew sings "La Bamba".

Para bailar La Bamba
Para bailar La Bamba
Se necessita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia
Para mi, para ti, ay arriba, ay arriba
Ay, arriba arriba
Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere

Yo no soy marinero
Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan
Soy capitan, soy capitan
Bamba, bamba, Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba, bamba

Para bailar La Bamba
Para bailar La Bamba
Se necessita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia
Para mi, para ti, ay arriba, ay arriba

 Para bailar La Bamba
Para bailar La Bamba
Se necessita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia
Para mi, para ti, ay arriba, ay arriba
Ay, arriba arriba
Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere

Bamba, bamba, Bamba, bamba
 Bamba, bamba.

 

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