Nails - Angela

Vietnam War refugees, Kim and Tran, have been operating a nail salon in the U.S. for twenty-five years. Having worked long hours contending with demeaning customers while making great personal sacrifices, they now face a double setback; the rent for their salon space is increasing dramatically and may force them out of business while their American-born daughter intends to join the Marines rather than go to college for which her parents have worked and saved for all her life. Kim and Tran’s daily strife, punctuated by flashbacks of their escape from Vietnam, are juxtaposed throughout the play to a stand-up comedian’s caricature of Vietnamese nail technicians, leaving the audience to decide whether to laugh or protest as Kim and Tran struggle to hold on to their nail business as well as their daughter’s affection.see less