Do Theatre – A unique indigenous art space by the shores of Bai Tien, Nha Trang

Do Theatre is a cultural and artistic venue located in Libera Nha Trang, Bai Tien, Nha Trang. It is a standout destination within the Vega City/Libera Nha Trang complex, built as a professional performing arts space that combines iconic architecture, indigenous culture, and contemporary stage productions.

The first unique feature of Do Theatre lies in the architecture of the building itself. The theater is inspired by the “do” (a fishing basket) – a familiar folk fishing tool used by the Vietnamese to catch fish and shrimp. From this rustic image, the structure was designed as a “giant do” resting on the coast of Bai Tien, creating a blend of traditional architecture and a futuristic feel. The theater spans approximately 2,500 m² and is part of a 45-hectare luxury tourism project in Libera Nha Trang.

More than just an architectural landmark, Do Theatre is positioned as a “must-visit” art destination for travelers to Nha Trang. The theater serves as a venue for elaborately staged indigenous art performances, most notably the Life Puppets Show and the Chum Show.

Life Puppets: Innovating the legacy of Vietnamese water puppetry

Life Puppets is a spectacular art program, introduced by the website as the first simultaneous performance space in Vietnam. The show is founded on the art of traditional Vietnamese water puppetry, then innovated by combining various forms such as water puppets, string puppets, shadow puppets, cartoon puppets, contemporary dance, and live indigenous folk music.

Notably, the traditional water stage is expanded into multiple, overlapping performance spaces: underwater, on land, in the air, and in a cartoon puppet space. As a result, the audience does not just watch a familiar puppet show but steps into a multi-layered stage world where puppets, artists, music, lighting, and movement together create an imaginative experience.

The show also incorporates many creative elements such as motion capture on stage, handmade shadow puppetry, contemporary dance, and a 12-zodiac Tangram string puppet system controlled by bicycles. According to the theater, this is a way to refresh traditional puppetry, bringing the symbols of the 12 zodiac signs and Eastern culture into a modern, multilingual, and emotionally rich storytelling space.

Chum Show – A cultural harmony of Cham, Central Highlands, and Kinh

Alongside Life Puppets, Do Theatre also presents the Chum Show, a program inspired by the "chum" (earthen jar) – a familiar object in daily life and spiritual belief. “Chum” is interpreted as a symbol of the circle of life, the Mother archetype, birth, death, and rebirth; at the same time, in the Cham language and several Central Highlands indigenous languages, “chum” also means “kiss,” suggesting meanings of healing, love, and human connection.

The Chum Show stands out for its harmony of three cultural flows: Cham culture, the cultures of the Central Highlands ethnic groups, and the Kinh community. The show combines folk dances of the Cham, Ede, and Jrai people, contemporary aerial dance, silk acrobatics, and indigenous music performed live by artists from these very cultural communities.

With this approach, the Chum Show is not just entertainment but also a characteristic cultural tourism product of Khanh Hoa – where elements of the sea, Cham, Central Highlands, and indigenous life meet in a modern stage language.

Three outstanding values: indigenous, handcrafted, and live

Do Theatre emphasizes three elements that define the identity of its shows: indigenous, handcrafted, and live. Regarding the indigenous element, the program utilizes Vietnamese cultural materials through music, instruments, artists, artisans, costumes, props, and traditional art forms.

Regarding the handcrafted element, the characters, instruments, props, puppets, control bicycles, and Tangram pieces are all designed, crafted, and produced by artisans and artists. This ensures each show not only has performance value but also bears the mark of craftsmanship, stage engineering, and meticulous attention to detail.

Regarding the live element, performances are conducted directly on stage, including an interactive indigenous orchestra, puppetry forms, cartoon puppets, and handmade stage effects. This is what gives Do Theatre its vitality: the audience witnesses the real presence of the artists, the true sound of the instruments, the real movement of the puppets, and the vibrant atmosphere of the stage.

Creatively experienced team

Another noteworthy point is the creative team behind the programs at Do Theatre. Nguyen Nhat Ly is the general director, who has created many internationally acclaimed art programs such as A O, Lang Toi, Teh Dar, and Palao. The production crew also includes positions such as creative director, choreographer, shadow puppet director, string puppet director, music director, water puppet sculptor, and stage technician.

This artistic team is among the few in Vietnam with many programs invited to tour commercially at over 300 national theaters around the world for nearly 15 years. This is an important foundation that helps the programs at Do Theatre achieve professional staging quality, preserving indigenous materials while attaining a performance language capable of reaching international audiences.

Value for Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa tourism

Do Theatre can be considered a unique cultural tourism product of Nha Trang. While the coastal city is famous for its sea, islands, resorts, and cuisine, Do Theatre adds a new layer of experience: indigenous art experienced within an iconic structure.

For domestic tourists, this is a destination that helps them reconnect with Vietnamese cultural elements such as water puppetry, traditional musical instruments, the 12-zodiac symbols, Cham and Central Highlands culture, and handicrafts. For international tourists, it is an opportunity to understand Vietnam through a modern stage language that relies less on dialogue and is rich in imagery, music, and emotion.

Especially as Khanh Hoa develops high-quality tourism products, Do Theatre serves as a highlight for nighttime cultural tourism, suitable for leisure travelers, tour groups, international guests, families, and groups looking for an experience beyond the sea and islands.

Do Theatre is more than just a performing arts theater; it is a cultural and artistic space elaborately built in Nha Trang. With architecture inspired by folk tools, a modern stage, the Life Puppets show innovating water puppetry, and the Chum Show honoring the intersection of Cham, Central Highlands, and Kinh cultures, it brings a rich, authentic, yet fresh, modern, and international experience.