From now until June 19, AOI Theater offers free admission to the Vietnamese Puppetry Show. AOI Theater is offering free tickets to the Vietnamese Puppetry Show from now until June 19, with two daily performances at 6:30 PM–6:50 PM and 8:00 PM–8:20 PM.
AOI Theater officially welcomes guests from the evening of May 19
Located at the prime northern gate of the Kiss Bridge, right on the beach and at the heart of Sunset Town’s main experience axis, AOI Theater officially opened its doors on the evening of May 19. The name “AOI,” inspired by a gentle Vietnamese lullaby sound, evokes warm memories of mothers and grandmothers, bringing visitors back to the cultural roots of Vietnam.
Blending Vietnamese and Italian elements, the theater’s architecture is a fusion of traditional Northern Vietnamese village aesthetics and the Italian spirit of Sunset Town. Walking from the main entrance to the stage, visitors can spot iconic features like the curved temple roofs, three-room houses, and folk-inspired patterns of fairies and farmers. From the beach, AOI Theater takes on a Mediterranean character, with soft pastel tones and domed arches reminiscent of Roman landmarks like the Colosseum.
Aerial view of AOI Theater
In the larger cultural landscape of Sunset Town, AOI Theater stands as a poetic counterpoint to the Sea’s Kiss Theater—home to international shows produced by French artists. In this contrast, AOI brings tradition into the heart of the town, balancing the quiet charm of the countryside with the vibrant, modern energy of the city—both surprising and beautifully harmonious.
AOI Theater features a stage rich in Northern Vietnamese cultural motifs, facing the sea
AOI Theater features a 700-seat amphitheater, a water puppet stage (thủy đình), and a performance area for a variety of other Vietnamese art forms including dry puppetry, quan họ folk songs, and musical theater. Its stepped design is inspired by the terraced rice fields of Northern Vietnam and follows the tiered layout common in Sunset Town.
Performances are created and presented by generations of artists from the Vietnam Puppetry Theater
The puppet shows at AOI Theater are brought to life by artists from the Vietnam Puppetry Theater—Vietnam’s leading puppetry arts center and a pioneering institution that has brought this traditional stage art to more than 70 countries and territories.
Eight performances guide the audience through a flowing cultural journey, revealing the beauty of Vietnamese festivals, agricultural life, spiritual practices, and iconic imagery like the conical hat symbolizing the moon or a boat on gentle waves—vivid reflections of a rich and dynamic cultural identity.
Water puppetry is performed with creativity and charm through refreshing and original scripts
The show at AOI Theater is a blend of tradition and innovation, combining folk elements with contemporary creativity. Visitors can enjoy not only water puppetry but also other forms of performance art including dry puppetry and dance.
AOI Theater presents various forms of performance art beyond traditional water puppetry
The musical elements also introduce audiences to traditional Vietnamese theatrical forms such as chèo and Chầu văn, adding layers of cultural richness to the experience.
AOI Theater brings Vietnamese puppetry to the sea for the very first time
Sunset Town was carefully chosen as the next destination for the Vietnam Puppetry Theater. This move reflects the passion of artists dedicated to preserving and sharing Vietnam’s intangible cultural heritage with the world.
Audiences excitedly enjoy performances at AOI Theater
Nguyễn Tiến Dũng, Director of the Vietnam Puppetry Theater, shared his impressions of the collaboration with Sun Group:
“My colleagues and I are genuinely excited to perform at Sunset Town, where diverse forms of art converge and where we have the chance to introduce Vietnam’s unique stage tradition—puppetry—to an international audience. We hope that visitors of all backgrounds will come to understand more about Vietnam, and that the Vietnamese people themselves can reconnect with their heritage and proudly share it with the world.”
On the night of May 19, AOI Theater welcomed hundreds of visitors to its first show
As the first beachfront puppetry theater in Vietnam, AOI Theater not only offers a meaningful cultural experience for local and international visitors, but also embodies a strong commitment to preserving and celebrating Vietnamese cultural heritage on a global stage.
