On March 14 and 15, 2012, AGBU’s Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School’s Elective Armenian Drama class put on a production of Nayiri Zarian’s play, “Ara Keghetsig,” under the direction of Lora Kuyumjian. Nearly 1,000 people attended over the course of two days to see students from grades nine to twelve display not only their fine acting talents, but their masterful knowledge of the Armenian language, as well.
The AGBU Buenos Aires Chapter is always bustling with activity to serve the local Armenian population, which numbers around 90,000, and its newest program is the Krikor Satamian Theatre Company. The troupe’s first production was the presentation of Hairus Ov Eh?, the Armenian version of Ray Cooney’s comedy play It Runs in the Family, as translated by Krikor Satamian, Director of the AGBU Ardavazt Theatre Company of Pasadena, and adapted by director Silvia Kalfaian. Three full-house performances took place between November 18 and 25, 2011, and Spanish subtitles were offered on a screen above the stage to encourage as many theater enthusiasts as possible to attend.
A view of the actors and crew of the MDS production of "Arsenic & Old Lace"
From April 7 -10, 2011, the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School’s Senior Drama Conservatory students performed the dark comedy classic “Arsenic and Old Lace.” The play was directed by Adrianne Alvarez-Jackson and the dance sequences were choreographed by Katie Miller. The set design was created by Todd Szabo and the costumes were professionally done by Valentino’s Costumes.
The AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School, located in Canoga Park, California, was deeply satisfied with the amount of support from the teachers, administration, and community members, who all came out to see the performances over the weekend.
via agbumds.org
Yerevan’s Henrik Malian Theatrical Troupe performing William Saroyan’s “Stories on a Train.”
From September 10-12, 2010, the Cultural Committee of AGBU Montreal presented Yerevan’s Henrik Malian Theatrical Troupe, which performed three different plays over three consecutive nights at Vanier College in Montreal.
Narine Malian, the director of the troupe, which is composed of 15 members, is the daughter of Henrik Malian (1925-1988), prominent Soviet-Armenian film director and writer, who founded the Henrik Malian Theatre of ArmenFilm Studio in 1980.
The first performance, on September 10, was William Saroyan’s “Stories on a Train.” A welcome speech was given by Harout Kumruian on behalf of AGBU Montreal’s cultural committee.
Following the performance, special words of thanks were delivered by AGBU Montreal Chapter Chairman Armen Bechakjian, who acknowledged the sponsorship of the Armenian embassy in Canada, as well as the financial support of Hovig and Dzovag Gebenlian. He noted that Armenia’s Ministry of Culture and the municipality of Yerevan had assisted in making the tour possible. Bechakjian also expressed his gratitude to the Cultural Committee and highlighted the dedicated service of its chairwoman, Arsineh Attarian, who received a plaque and certificate of appreciation from the Executive Committee, handed to her by the Armenian embassy in Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires Arman Akopian.
Aghasi Aivazian’s “The Physiology of Race” was presented on the second night of performances; the third, and final, night was comprised of Hovhannes Toumanian’s “Fairy Tales,” which included “A Drop of Honey,” “The Dog and the Cat,” and “The Death of Kikos.”
Vrouyr Moughalian, in his review “Henrik Malian theatre in Montreal,” published in the October 25, 2010 issue of Armenian-Canadian weekly newspaper Abaka, wrote:
The tales remained true to Toumanian’s writing, while showcasing the late Henrik Malian’s incredible talent. The production was – at first glance — quite simple, without even a set to speak of. The actors simply had four or five large decorative cloths that were quickly transformed, from one scene to the other, into a wall, a bed, a judge’s desk, and even a horse! But who had time to look at the set anyway? The actors were all so energetic, the performances so fluid, and the physical comedy so hilarious that the whole stage looked full at any given moment … It was, quite simply, a flawless performance. But it was more than that still. The production, so modern and dynamic, yet so familiar and nostalgic at the same time, left me convinced of Toumanian’s timelessness, of Malian’s genius, and of the boundless talent and resourcefulness of our artists.
Prior to the weekend of performances, the Henrik Malian Theatrical Troupe was invited by the AGBU Montreal Golden Age Committee on September 8 to the Jirair and Elise Dervishian Hall, where they performed Toumanian’s “The Death of Kikos.”
Cultural Committee of AGBU Montreal Chairwoman Arsineh Attarian, honored for her dedicated service by the Executive Committee, and AGBU Montreal Chairman Armen Bechakjian.
On Thursday, September 16, and in cooperation with AGBU Sydney, AGBU Cairo has organized a theatrical evening presenting Nubar Gharibian’s “Shevaradz Pesatsoun”; a three-act comedy play performed by AGBU Sydney’s Vahram Papazian theatrical group. The entertaining and comic play was held at a packed Belekdanian Hall which hadn’t witnessed such a presence since quite some time.
The story of the play, which was written, acted and directed by Nubar Gharibian, a former Armeno-Egyptian, was about an Australian businessman who travels to his native country Egypt, then to Armenia in search for a bride. Along with Nubar on stage were Hovhannes Kouyoumdjian, Vartiter Nersesian, Sona Ohannesian, Seta and Anna Bilboulian, Zevart Semsarian, Liana Barsoumian, and Roupen Aslanian. The technical director was Suzanne Serdjararian with the assistance of Caroline Arslanian.
To view additional photos of the event, please click here.
Members of Beirut's Vahram Papazian Theater Group with Disapora Minister Hranoush Hakobian (via the Republic of Armenia's Ministry of Diaspora)
On July 6, the AGBU-AYA Vahram Papazian Theater Group of Beirut, headed by its chairman Dertad Avedikian and accompanied by Professor Yervant Ghazanchian, artistic director of the Yerevan State Theater of Musical Comedy named after Hagop Baronian, visited the Diaspora Ministry of the Republic of Armenia. The drama group was on tour in Armenia within the framework of the “One Nation, One Culture” pan-Armenian festival.
Diaspora Minister Hranoush Hakobian spoke highly of the theater group’s role in community life and called on the group to be more active, to work in united fashion. She also presented the Diaspora Ministry’s tasks and goals.
Professor Ghazanchian, in presenting the professional capabilities of the group’s members, stressed their great creative potential.
On July 4, the theater group presented the comedy “Shoghokorte” (The Flatterer) at the aforementioned theater under Ghazanchian’s direction. The same performance was also given on July 8 at the State Dramatic Theater named after Amo Kharazian in Artashat.
Source: Press release of RA Ministry of Diaspora, circulated by Noyan Tapan and published in the July 8, 2010 issue of Nor Hayastan (New Armenia) daily.
(Left to right) Hratch Ajemian, Raffi Kalamkarian, Roupen Harmandayan, Serge Khorchidian, Krikor Satamian (standing on the chair).
While this news may be a little older than we’re accustomed to posting on the AGBU blog, we couldn’t help but share the great photos and news that the Ardavast Theatre Company of Southern California revived a play by the great Armenian playwright Hagop Baronian (1843-88), which they performed for over 3,700 audience members during 11 performances in 2009 and 2010.
(Left to right) Narine Avakian, Jack Khorchidian, Ari Libaridian, Arpi Libaridian, Raffi Kalamkarian, Maro Ajemian. (click to enlarge)
The AGBU Ardavazt Theatre Company presented a new two-act production of the immortal satirist Hagop Baronian’s “Kaghakavarutian Vnasnere” (The Perils of Politeness), which was originally written as a prose piece and published serially in Khigar monthly of Constantinople from 1886 to1888. This enduring satire by Baronian pokes fun at the undesirable manners and mores of all classes of society in Constantinople: bourgeois mentality, depravity, base flattery, nouveau riche behavior. However, since these human foibles manifest themselves even today, the play’s popularity has not diminished at all, despite the passage of almost a century and a quarter
Skillfully dramatized by Krikor Satamian and directed by John Samuelian, this production involving 28 talented thespians ran on Saturday and Sunday evenings from November 21 to December 20, 2009, with ten performances at the AGBU Alex Manoogian Center in Pasadena, drawing enthusiastic audiences than numbered more than 2,500 in total. Continue reading
BEIRUT – The AGBU Vahram Papazian Theater Group began to present Hagop Baronian’s “Shoghokore” (The Sycophant) under the direction of Prof. Yervant Ghazanchian from Armenia on Thursday evening, February 18, in the Hagop Der Melkonian Auditorium.
Prior to the performance, Aztag daily had a brief conversation with Ghazanchian. As far as the choice of subject, he pointed out that it has an interesting structure. Referring to the phenomenon of base flattery or adulation, he asserted that it is unbearable and expressed the hope that the audience would find such behavior revolting after seeing the production.
Subsequently, the members of the Vahram Papazian Theater Group put on a successful production of the “Shoghokorte” lasting approximately two hours.
Like the past weekend, this comedy will also be presented on February 25-28 by the members of this group: Manuel Markarian, Arpi Partian-Avedikian, Harout Manoogian, Vartan Megerdichian, Harout Torosian, Hovagim Keshishian, Varia Bournazian-Juntoyian, Sako Ohanian and Hovig Kassardjian.
Translated by Aris G. Sevag; Source: Asbarez daily, February 23, 2010.
Via AGBU Toronto we get this information about Krikor Satamian’s November 9 performance there:
LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE AFTER ALL
On November 9, 2008, the Armenian community in Toronto rushed to the Babayan Ballroom of the AGBU Alex Manoogian Cultural Center to laugh up a storm. Krikor Satamian, the LA-based actor and comedian, was in town to perform his two-hour “One Man Show” for an audience of over 450. The show, titled “Shad mi sirer, adel gah, shad mi ader, sirel gah” (“Don’t Love too much, there is hate, don’t hate too much, there is love”) covered conventional household arguments with his characteristic Armenian humor.
Indeed Satamian, whose theatrical talent is known all over the world, arrived to Toronto as a breath of fresh air making us all forget our daily worries and problems for a delightful few hours.
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