WILLIAM SAROYAN GETS A BIRTHDAY PARTY
Donald Munro

The Beehive
August 29, 2008 Friday 12:22 PM EST

Aug. 29, 2008 ( delivered by Newstex) — The shiny new road sign on
display Thursday night in the lobby welcomed folks to " Country." I’m
not sure what the famously grouchy author would have thought of this.

You have to remember that he made it very clear that he didn’t
want anything named after him. And now there will be signs with his
name posted all over a special downtown district. Then again, his
birthday party was being held in the lobby of the William Saroyan
Theatre. If he’s in a position to care about such things, he’s
already come to terms with the name thing. The celebration marking
the 100th anniversary of his birth was a festive night: lots of
Armenian delicacies, a clown named Scruffy, a memorabilia auction
that included a bottle of Marilyn Monroe merlot, a stage flanked by
two old-fashioned bicycles just like the one that Saroyan used to
tool around on downtown. Lots of glammed-up members of the local
Armenian community sipped wine. Larry Balakian, chairman of the
and a devoted disciple to the preservation of the author’s memory,
was seemingly everywhere in his crisp summer suit, chatting with
sponsors and making sure the evening flowed smoothly. The highlight
of the concert was a performance by the led by Aram Gharabekian
(pictured). The 25-member ensemble alternated between a lush, vibrant
sound in such Armenian songs as Aram Khachaturian’s "Dance of the Rose
Maidens" to absolutely plucky with Strauss’ Pizzicato Polka." The ,
singing arrangements by artistic director David Hensley, offered
such Saroyan-themed fare as "What a Fellowship" from "The Human
Comedy." Local singer Rhonda Grove offered a version of "Come on-a
My House." And Fresno opera icon Edna Garabedian, dolled up in two
knockout concert gowns (including a cream-colored beauty whose bodice
suggested "Venus on the Half Shell"), offered several strong arias
by Xavier Montsalvatge. (It’s rare that you get a chance these days
to hear Garabedian sing.) The audience reception was enthusiastic —
even wildly so, which was no surprise given the distance that most
of the musicians had traveled and the sentiment behind the event.

Turnout was light, however, with entire rows of the theater
unfilled. "It’s disappointing," one woman said to me, looking around
at the auditorium during intermission. "There are enough Armenians
in Fresno to fill this place up." No birthday party is complete
without a cake, of course, and after the concert, the audience
filed out to eat some sugar in honor of the big guy. In the lobby,
a lifesize cardboard cutout of Saroyan from his younger days — and,
my, what a dashing figure he cut — was propped up with a raft of
balloons attached overhead. As the crowd filed out, one young woman
glanced at the display and said cheerily, "Happy birthday!" Newstex

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress