InTucker Magazine

Tucker Alum Laughs All the Way to the Stage, and Beyond

When asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” children respond with all kinds of answers: a fi reman, a teacher or an astronaut. Many parents hope for their children to have better lives and options than what they themselves had and work hard to set them on a path for success. Phong Le was raised with the knowledge that his parents wanted him to become a doctor, and on the path that his parents paved for him, he found his true passion and dream…the comedic stage.

Phong Le was born and raised in Tucker, attended Midvale Elementary, Tucker Middle and graduated from Tucker High. Phong’s parents immigrated from Vietnam and were no strangers to the hardships of life, but they also knew the success that comes from hard work. They instilled the drive to succeed in Phong from an early age and he has always given his very best to all he takes on. While Phong did not want to become a doctor like his parents wanted, he worked hard to be the Valedictorian of his high school graduating class and went on to Emory University for his undergraduate degree and his master’s in public administration. It was on this journey for academic success that Phong found his calling.

Phong spent the summer between his junior and senior years of high school attending the Governor’s Honors Program for Math. The highly competitive program is a four-weeklong learning experience that pulls from the best in the state of Georgia. Students apply for a specific subject, like math or science, but are also required to select a minor in a field they would not normally study. Phong chose drama and by doing so changed his life.

As part of his studies, Phong learned stand-up comedy from a professionally trained clown and was inspired to seek further opportunities to hone his new skill. During his six years at Emory, he participated in the improv team and performed as often as possible. After the pandemic, when most live shows were shut down, Phong sought new opportunities with Dad’s Garage, Atlanta’s premier venue for classes and shows in improv.

Phong was quickly noticed at Dad’s Garage and invited to join their Conservatory, adding sketch comedy to his growing list of stage talents and joining local showcases. At one of these showcases a seed was planted in the form of a five-minute musical sketch about the Vietnam War.

The performance garnered interest from many, including a local bookstore that curated a selection of books about the war that they gifted to Phong with the encouragement to learn more about the history and to expand the sketch into a show.

Sketch comedy is an inclusive community, full of support in real life that mirrors the comedic support on stage. The leaders of Dad’s Garage recognized Phong’s comedic chops and handpicked him for a once in a lifetime opportunity in the comedy world. A well-known sketch TV show based out of New York City had started eyeing Atlanta talent and worked with local comedy leaders to coordinate an audition. Phong, along with 80 other locals, went through the rigors all while keeping the excitement secret from friends and family. Phong made the initial cut to 20 applicants, and again down to the four that were flown to NYC for the semi-finals. Ultimately, it wasn’t Phong’s time for the Saturday night lights, but the experience helped bolster his confidence and expand his professional network.

In all of his excitement and stress of auditions, learning and honing his stage skills and a full-time job, Phong did not forget the community support of the idea for a full-fledged musical. Fast forward to the present and Phong has made his dreams a reality. This month, Phong will present a 75-minute comedy musical about the Vietnam War. The show is made up of several sketches inspired by his family’s experiences in the war and after, and it is his way to bring to light the difficulties of many involved, namely President John F. Kennedy. Together, JFK and Phong travel through time and spaces to collect pieces of experiences to stop the war.

Phong shared that he makes it a practice to chase joy. And by doing so he fulfilled his parents’ wish for success and his own dream of something more.

“STOP THE VIETNAM WAR (A SOLO MUSICAL COMEDY)” will be showing throughout the month of March and tickets are on sale now.

Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, March 12 -19 and at 2:30 p.m. Saturday March 22 at the Balzar Theatre, 84 Luckie Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30303. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting theatricaloutfit.org/launchpad