Who?
Bernice Liuson Sim of Belmont
What?
Actress and playwright
Her story:
Bernice Liuson Sim finds that the power of theatre helps people connect to issues in ways they might not through other mediums.
Books tell facts and true stories; movies show actual people in genuine environments, taking action in realistic situations.
“But watching someone on stage – where you can see the sweat and facial expressions up close – is so dramatic, so real,” said Sim. “It engages your emotions.”
She’s seen this first-hand through her performances with various theatre groups and acting the lead role in a play she wrote about sex trafficking.
A few years ago, the Belmont resident and mother of three read David Batstone’s “Not For Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade and How We Can Fight It,” – a book that tells the story of the modern-day slave trade and about 21st century abolitionists and their campaign to put an end to human bondage.
Fully engaging with stories
Sim was particularly touched by the life of one of the victims.
So she took the details from Batstone’s book and wrote a short play called “Srey Neang: The Story of A Cambodian Woman” on the true-life story of a young Cambodian woman who, at age seven, was sold into slavery by her own family.
Sim explains that the play – which opens and laced throughout with Srey singing a Cambodian love song – is told from the girl’s perspective at different ages: seven, ten, thirteen, and fifteen.
“Her life is never her own,” Sim said. “Through the years, she is forced into increasingly dangerous and abusive situations. As she endures repeated exploitation, we see her wrestle for meaning and identity.”
Bernice Sim: Actress and playwright - Belmont, MA Patch
Source: belmont.patch.com
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