Hong Kong performer fulfils her Broadway dream straight out of college
Viveca Chow credits her years of vocal training and ‘Hong Kong work ethic’ for overcoming adversities as a minority actor in US
Viveca Chow Hung-ka is the first born-and-bred Hongkonger to land a role in a Broadway musical, but as a fresh face out of college and a minority actress in America, she has met her fair share of naysayers.
Chow is bound by contractual agreements and cannot disclose the name of the show she will star in. What she could reveal though, were the rejections she faced prior to finally fulfilling her dream.
A talent agent once told Chow that she would never make it on the New York stage. In May, the 21-year-old soprano also made it to the final audition callbacks for the leading role of Tuptim in the Broadway national tour of The King and I, but she did not make the final cut.
I always know I have gifts to offer. [But] in order to succeed in this business, you have to work on your craft every day
Then three months later she landed her current role in another Broadway show.
Only able to say that her spot was “important and demanding”, Chow hopes to follow in the footsteps of her hero Jennifer Lim– the first Hongkonger to feature in a Broadway play.
The artist said she felt “extremely fortunate to have booked a show right out of college”.
With years of vocal training, she has mastered a three octave range, in addition to having perfect pitch.
“Ever since I was 10 and first performed on stage, I have always known I want to be part of theatre,” she said.