Glendale News Press, CA
June 30 2005

Bringing art to the stage

Glendale resident devoted to the arts volunteers her time to
community theater group.

By Ani Amirkhanian, News-Press and Leader

Her living room is decorated with African, Indian and Moroccan
artifacts and contemporary Armenian art adorning the walls of her
home, nestled in the Adams Hill neighborhood.

For Glendale resident Anahid Keshishian, art and culture have always
been a significant part of her life.

Keshishian has dedicated herself to philology, the humanistic study
of language and literature that consists of history and the arts.

“All the arts are a form of language,” Keshishian, 50, said. “They
are expression in a form — expression of human thoughts and
feelings.”

The Iranian-born Keshishian is also an Armenian Language and Studies
professor at Glendale Community College and UCLA.

“Anahid is beloved by her students,” Jean Perry, Language Arts
Division chair at Glendale College, said. “She is dynamic and brings
in lots of culture to her classes.”

When she is not busy teaching, Keshishian enjoys volunteering her
time and energy with her community-based theater company, Arena
Productions.

“I want to bring people together in the community through the arts,”
Keshishian said.

Keshishian founded the nonprofit Arena Productions three years ago
after she felt the need to bring language and literature to the
stage.

Unlike most conventional theater groups, Arena Productions focuses on
the original works of the members, most of whom are college students
who write and stage their own plays, poems and short stories.

They also stage theatrical renditions of translated Armenian poems
and other internationally renowned works.

“Literature, poems, etc., are all life,” Keshishian said. “They deal
with issues all related to life.”

Arena Productions recently published “Random Agenda,” a collection of
original poems, prose, expressions and short stories.

Despite Keshishian’s effort to combine creative talents, her group
lacks funding and the much needed space for rehearsals.

Members often meet at her home to rehearse, but require a larger area
and needs funds for costumes and props.

“We need to be given a space,” Keshishian said.

“We deserve so much. This is so rare, to have such talented and
devoted people. Arena needs a home.”

Aside from the work with her theater group, Keshishian is also the
founder of the then-Armenian Language and Arts School, which served
the Glendale and Los Angeles communities for over 15 years.

Keshishian’s school offered writing, art and literature classes to
children for a nominal fee, which she collected to pay the rent for
the school facility.

“When you bring people together through the arts, you see humanity
come together,” Keshishian said.