On the morning of 9/8, the artist announced that he and his team are preparing for the Thanh Loc Drama Troupe to debut to the public soon. He introduced a website, which will update activities and post weekly performance schedules. "The theater will operate with the mission of serving humanity and preserving the value of beauty," the actor stated.

Artist Thanh Loc greets the audience at the launch of his new stage, on the morning of 9/8. Video: Provided by subject

The team has not yet announced the collaborating artists or the venue. "If we can contribute a small part to theatrical life, becoming a place for audiences to visit, that would be an honor and motivation for us to continue our profession," he said.

The Thien Dang theater closed at the beginning of 8/2026 after three years of operation, with no reason given. Thanh Loc and his fellow artists performed the final shows of popular plays such as Lo hang, 13 duc thay, and Ngoi nha khong co dan ong, before bidding farewell to audiences. At Thien Dang, in addition to acting, he served as artistic director, staged plays, and supported colleagues. Many works he directed garnered significant acclaim, including the play Giang huong, which won a gold medal at the first Ho Chi Minh City Theater Festival.

Artist Thanh Loc in a photo shoot from early 8/2026. Photo: Provided by subject

At 65 years old, the artist maintains his passion for the craft. For spoken drama, he mentioned he is gradually ceding the stage to younger colleagues. The actor feels he is not as agile as before, having suffered several injuries on stage. A few years ago, during a performance of Ngay xua ngay xua, he fell and sprained his left knee ligament; his knee still hurts today. "Furthermore, if I play the lead in every show, when will there be a successor? Young actors are the ones who will take the lead after us," Thanh Loc said.

Thanh Loc was born into a family with an artistic tradition. His father is People's Artist Thanh Ton, his mother is Hat Boi (classical Vietnamese opera) artist Huynh Mai, and his older brother Bach Long and sister Bach Le are both renowned artists. In 1997, he partnered with the Idecaf drama theater, founded by manager Huynh Anh Tuan, with premises rented at the French Cultural Exchange Institute. He served as the lead actor and artistic director of the theater. He contributed to the success of a series of plays including Da co hoai lang, Cau dong, Ngoi nha khong co dan ong, Hop dong manh thu, Tam Cam, and the children's play series Ngay xua ngay xua.

Thanh Loc transforms into many roles in the play "12 ba mu" in 2022. Video: Mai Nhat

The artist also appeared in television dramas and films such as Mui ngo gai, Chang trai nam ay, Tam Cam chuyen chua ke, Ngoi nha buom buom, and Cong tu Bac Lieu. He was also a judge for Vietnam Got's Talent in 2012. In 5/2023, after 26 years of collaboration, Thanh Loc left Idecaf due to "differing views."

Mai Nhat