Director Cao Thep and the journey of bringing theater to the community

Amidst the pace of modern life and the development of digital technology, there are still cultural buses quietly traveling through the villages, bringing the sounds and lights of the stage to the people. The "driver" of these journeys is director Cao Thep, Captain of the Mobile Propaganda Team of Dong Nai province.

Director Cao Thep is promoting Digital Literacy to people at the grassroots level. Photo: L.Na

For more than a decade, director Cao Thep has been contributing to keeping the grassroots culture alive with the belief that art will be a solid bridge connecting the Party, the government and the people.

Striving to pursue the stage

We had the opportunity to meet director Cao Thep at Dong Nai Cultural and Cinema Center when he and his fellow artists were preparing the sound system and makeshift stage for the weekend performance in Ta Lai commune. Mr. Cao Thep smiled, a warm smile and a firm handshake, typical of a soldier - inherited from his father who was a soldier.

Mr. Cao Thep was born in 1988 in Phu Tho. In 1999, when he was 11 years old, his family packed up and moved to Dong Nai to start a business. After graduating from high school, he studied finance and accounting as well as film and television directing at the University of Theatre and Cinema in Ho Chi Minh City.

Starting his work at the Trang Bom District Culture, Information and Sports Center (old), then in 2015, he worked at the Dong Nai Culture and Cinema Center. His path to art was closely linked to the stage lights, the sound of propaganda loudspeakers and the roofs of remote areas. The day he was assigned the important responsibility of the Head of the Provincial Mobile Propaganda Team, many people worried: "Young people, can you handle it?". And time answered for him.

More than anyone, Mr. Cao Thep understands this special profession. He said: “The Mobile Propaganda Team is not a professional art troupe with sparkling lights and a grand backstage. Each trip is like a “field battle” where each artist and propagandist must do many tasks themselves, from carrying speakers, wiring, setting up outdoor stages, to singing, dancing, acting, and then dismantling and cleaning up equipment. Main actors, backstage, technicians - all wrapped up in a few dozen people, everyone must be multi-talented and try their best.”

Director Cao Thep, Captain of the Dong Nai Province Mobile Propaganda Team (second from left), prepares sound and lighting before the performance at the base.

Not only directing art programs, Mr. Cao Thep is also a member of the Arts Council of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and specializes in writing short plays and comedy plays to promote policies and guidelines. Sometimes, he even acts in them. Works such as Dead End (prevention and control of drugs), Bright Tomorrow (prevention and control of school violence), Numerology Village Stories to promote digital transformation, or new rural propaganda... are staged and performed based on daily reality. For him, each performance is an opportunity to listen, share, and empathize, then breathe life into new works of art that are close and easily touch the hearts of people.

Talking about director Cao Thep, Director of Dong Nai Cultural - Cinema Center TON THI THANH TINH said, Cao Thep is a passionate team leader, highly responsible for his work, always a pioneer in all activities. Cao Thep's activities have been and are making an important contribution to bringing the Party's policies, the State's laws to the people in a lively, close and effective way.

Aspiration to extend cultural journeys

For many years, the cultural trips of the Mobile Propaganda Team directed by Cao Thep have been “crossing” new rural communes, areas with a large number of workers, and ethnic minorities with little access to information. There are trips of several dozen kilometers of forest roads, traveling from morning, performing at a few locations and returning when the moon has already hung high overhead.

Director Cao Thep's biggest concern is that the low budget means that the remuneration for actors and collaborators is not commensurate with the effort put in. Recently, he has made a proposal to the unit's Board of Directors and is hoping that the team members will have a more reasonable compensation policy, so that those who work in mobile propaganda can feel secure in their long-term commitment.

Currently, when Binh Phuoc province merges with Dong Nai to form the new Dong Nai, the team has planned and closely coordinated with departments, branches, organizations, schools of communes and wards to propagate so that people clearly understand the benefits of the merger policy. He is building a stage script, art performance related to policies, improvements in infrastructure, education, national defense, security... after the merger to propagate to the people. In particular, the team will focus on, give top priority to propaganda in remote communes such as Loc Ninh, Bu Gia Map, Bu Dang, or Ta Lai, Nam Cat Tien, Dak Lua...

When asked about the upcoming journey, director Cao Thep expressed: “I just hope that the “cultural journeys” will continue to receive support, trust and companionship from the people. We will continue to coordinate with sponsors, combine art performances and organize zero-dong booths to serve the people. The joy of the people is the motivation for us to strive to bring culture and art to people even in the most remote places. Thereby, giving trust, joy, laughter, and being a bridge for all people to share, love and trust each other more.”

Ly Na

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202507/dao-dien-cao-thep-va-hanh-trinh-dua-san-khau-den-cong-dong-9c213cd/