Director

THE RAINMAKER

“..talented director Don Nguyen bets his Bellevue Little Theatre production on the talents of Nora Vetter and Brian Poole, and the results are as refreshing as the first drops of rain after a long drought…with Nguyen at the helm and the strength of the rest of the cast, this becomes a must-see show..”
John Keenan , Omaha World Herald 

MISTER ROBERTS

“…because director Don Nguyen knows how to turn a large cast into a true ensemble …attention to detail in staging…The night belongs to Nguyen, who has taken this talent pool about as far as it can go in delivering both laughs and a lump in the throat.”
Bob Fischbach, Omaha World Herald

THE LISBON TRAVIATA

“The play’s success greatly depends upon the intelligence of a capable director who can meaningfully connect McNally’s symbolism and motifs… Don Nguyen superbly meets the McNally challenge. While maintaining the proper pacing required to exhibit McNally’s unsung arias, as it were, Nguyen has designed imaginative stage movement patterns to contribute to the vital visual rhythms. In the process, he beautifully bridges the contrasts between the two acts. “
Steve Eskew, The Reader

THE LAST FIVE YEARS

“Don Nguyen, however, is very good at what he does. He can spot a show with a lot of promise and then find the people who can make it better than you thought it would be. (I didn’t think I could enjoy another farce until I saw his Lend Me a Tenor.)… Nguyen accomplishes the impossible with the Shelterbelt space. Just look at what he did for Tommy. And now with John Carlson’s help, he’s done it again… Nguyen ends his Shelterbelt reign as artistic director with this thoughtful production. It’s a brilliant way to go out – in style”
Julien Fielding, PerformanceOmaha.com

“Brave, daunting, talented displays of vocal and acting range by two attractive young performers. “The Last Five Years“ is emotionally and musically rich.”
Bob Fischbach, Omaha World Herald

LEND ME A TENOR

“Director Don Nguyen keeps the plot moving at a madcap pace that never falters and does a superb job of ratcheting up the anarchy to absurd heights.  At the same time, his work here is a study in eye-of-the-storm focus.”
Dee Patney, The Reader

“There are endless physical gags and collisions, courtesy of both the script and director Don Nguyen. Nguyen handles his revolving-door comedy on a split set with admirable ease, moving his actors around in what amounts to a miracle of timing.”
Jim Delmont, Omaha World Herald

“Don Nguyen, director, has taken already cartoonish characters and stretched them as far as he can. The result is pure hilarity”
Julien Fielding, PerformanceOmaha.com

“Leading the cast, of course, is Don Nguyen as director. The show’s pacing is relentless and never misses a beat, something Nguyen can certainly take credit for”
Jason Keese, Bellevue Leader

TOMMY

“Director Don Nguyen and his cast present a vigorous, surprisingly effective “The Who’s Tommy,” a rock opera about a psychosomatically deaf, dumb and blind boy who becomes an idiot savant – a pinball champion and a pop idol…Nguyen’s set pieces, which include sliding panels and a magic mirror, are cleverly designed and used – with all the prop movement smoothly accomplished.”
Jim Delmont, Omaha World Herald

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE

“The Chanticleer Theatre showed up everyone by staging Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, brilliantly realized by director Don Nguyen. I never in my life thought I would see this production, especially not in Council Bluffs. If I could trade in all of my theater experiences for one show, this would be the one I’d do it for”
Julien Fielding, PerformanceOmaha.com

With production values rivaling the Omaha Community Playhouse, director Don Nguyen’s “Sunday in the Park With George” distinguishes itself in nearly every aspect of musical theater.
Bob Fischbach , Omaha World Herald

THE MARRIAGE OF BETTE & BOO

“Depending on how you play it, “Bette and Boo” could be extremely cruel and insensitive. The doctor tosses the dead babies onto the floor, saying little more than “dead.” But thanks to Nguyen’s insightful direction and the cast’s talents, the piece balances humor with horror. Nguyen unearthed some real acting gems for this production, especially in his actresses…Thanks to the almost surreal performances of the Shelterbelt cast, the production produces some hearty laughs and true moments of zen. “
Julien Fielding, The Reader

THREE THE HARD WAY

“Don Nguyen has done a fine job coaxing a smooth ensemble effort from his actors, all of whom are at ease in their roles.”
Jim Delmont, Omaha World Herald

“Don directed a very moving production of my play THREE THE HARD WAY. It was an unforgettable experience. I’ve seen that play done 9 or 10 times, and Don made me see it fresh — surprised me, brought me to tears, etc. He’s a kick-ass director and I couldn’t recommend him more highly.”
Linda Eisenstein, Playwright

CORPUS CHRISTI

“The retelling of the basic New Testament stories actually is less compelling, a bit episodic, although McNally throws in a twist or two. But theatergoers may find themselves almost counting down to the crucifixion, a sequence beautifully staged by director Don Nguyen.”
John Keenan, Omaha World Herald