About
How it all started
After being adopted from An Khe (a town in Vietnam), I was raised in Seattle, WA where I followed in my sister's footsteps by joining team sports. Somewhere along the way, I traded my basketball shoes for jazz shoes. This decision sparked a passion for theatre that would lead me to incredible youth programs at prominent Seattle regional theatres, performing on the stages of the 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre and ArtsWest Playhouse.
This spark then led me all the way to Boston, MA where I graduated from Emerson College with a BFA in Musical Theatre. In addition to performance coursework and projects, I served as the Co-Chair of POWER (Protesting Oppression With Educational Reform), an activist collective of students of color.
Now based in New York City, I strive to create an inclusive and equitable community in my work, using anti-oppression frameworks so that both creatives and audiences can feel authentic representation and begin to dismantle outdated and harmful beliefs, bringing about cultural revolution
Gallery
News and Updates
Max is thrilled to be spending June-July of 2023 rehearsing and performing in Beauty and the Beast at the Summer Theatre of New Canaan in CT.
He appears as part of the Ensemble, and is also the LeFou U/S.
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In February 2023, Max joined the cast of The Monkey King at the Queens Theatre (directed by Steven Eng) as the Male Understudy (for Jade Emperor, Dragon King, and Immortal of the Forest)
He was very grateful to finally get connected with NYC's vibrant Asian theatre community and play even a small part in bringing this story to life!
In October 2022, Max was lucky enough to join Round Room Live's touring production of Baby Shark Live! directed and choreographed by Jaimie Selke.
He is a part of the ensemble and featured playing Major Penguin, one of the Forest Rangers and Santa in the Holiday version!
For Show dates, locations and ticket info, click here
For one night only, Max had the pleasure of joining the Drunk Musicals cast of Bitches the Musical (a parody of Heathers) as part of the ensemble!
Much love to the entire DM team for the fun filled experience.
Following the closing of Shrek, Max made his way to Ft. Myers, FL to join the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre's production of the Wizard of Oz as a member of the ensemble!
He is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do what he loves and soak up some sunshine while at it!
Max was so grateful to spend the first part of the Summer of 2022 at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, performing in Shrek the Musical directed by Quin Gresham and Choregraphed by Phillip Attmore.
He performed in the ensemble as Peter Pan, and one of the Dragon Puppeteers among other roles
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Max is thrilled to be making his NYC theatre/Off Broadway debut with Vital Theatre Company's Pinkalicious the Musical as Peter Pinkerton!
The show has an open ended run, playing at Soho Playhouse on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 am! Click here for more information + ticket details
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In early November 2021, Max was lucky enough to join the Emerson BFA class of 2021 for one of the first in person NYC showcases since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to this opportunity, Max was able to meet and ultimately gain representation from the Hell's Kitchen Agency!
In April of 2021, Max had two virtual projects premier:
First, was the Cabaret of Color with Emerson's Musical Theatre Society, which he co-directed and performed "My Unfortunate Erection" in as well.
Second, was To Broadway, With Love with the New Bedford Festival Theater, where he performed "Suddenly Seymour" with the incomparable Lauren Gemelli
Throughout the month of February, Max began production on the BFA thesis film "Self", written and directed by Jonah Higaonna, featuring his original dance choreography (blending elements of traditional Japanese and Okinawan martial arts and dance with a Contemporary/Modern framework). The film is now in post-production and exciting updates are still to come!
In the Fall 2020 semester, Max was featured as both a choreographer (Link to video here) and dancer in the Emerson Dance Company showcase: EDC Presents: Behind the Mask.
This marked Max's sixth semester with the student group, and his first choreographing.
In November 2020, Max performed in the fall musical of Emerson Stage's virtual season, This Golden Day. This project was produced in cooperation with Live & In Color, a professional theater company which seeks to "develop new work for the stage that promotes and celebrates diversity".
For this show, Max performed an original piece by Yan Li, called "Double A Dax", about combatting rising anti-Asian sentiment with the COVID-19 pandemic
Following school closures and bans on gatherings, Max returned home to Seattle to finish out the school year remotely. Max had been originally in contract to perform in the ensembles of Matilda at Greater Boston Stage Company (April-May), and The Addams Family at Bucks County Playhouse, directed by Hunter Foster (June-August).
Both productions were, unfortunately but understandably, canceled out of compliance with government orders and public health guidance. Regardless, Max is grateful to have been associated at all, wishes both companies well and hopes everyone can stay safe and healthy through this difficult time.