From: Hovig Tchalian <criticsforum@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Critics’ Forum Article – 1.3.09

Critics’ Forum
Theater
Theater in ’08: The biggest and the Best
By Aram Kouyoumdjian

It may seem that not much happened in Armenian theater this year
except for the revival of works by a certain playwright in
commemoration of the centennial of his birth. Yes, it was the Year
of Saroyan. But much else did happen in Armenian theater, which was
big this year. Quite big. Yet, as I reflect upon the past 12
months, I realize that the play that made the biggest impression on
me was actually the smallest one of all.

Let’s start with Saroyan, though.

On the anniversary of the great playwright’s 100th birthday, his best
known work, The Time of Your Life, had the good fortune to land at
the Pacific Resident Theatre in Venice. That accomplished troupe
delivered a memorable production of the whimsical, heartbreaking, yet
ultimately life-affirming play, which unfolds over a single day in a
waterfront saloon populated by eccentric characters.

The Time of Your Life had suffered an entirely forgettable production
last year at Cal State Northridge, which had gotten an early jump on
the centennial celebration. This year, two sister Cal State campuses
caught the revival frenzy, unearthing rarely staged works from the
1950s. Cal State L.A. tackled The Cave Dwellers in a vast,
intriguing production about dashed dreams, while Cal State Fresno
opted for The Slaughter of the Innocents.

Even rarer than rare was Martin Bedoian’s revival of Love’s Old Sweet
Song, a Syzygy Theatre Group production (in Burbank), which
illustrated how strong direction can save a problematic script – in
this case, a romance unfolding amidst surreal circumstances. By
contrast, Tamar Hovannisian’s overdone rendition of My Heart’s in the
Highlands at the Luna Playhouse (in Glendale) exemplified how a
strong script can be hindered by problematic direction.

THE BIGGEST

Saroyan may have been the biggest name on the theatrical scene
in ’08; but no production could compare in size to the mammoth
undertaking of Zemiré, the "opera semiseria" by Dickran Tchouhadjian,
which the Ardavazt Theater Company and Lark Musical Society staged at
the cavernous Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

I did not review Zemiré as a theater piece, since it really is an
operetta and music is its dominant feature. But its very staging
constituted a tremendous achievement. It involved nearly 150
performers, including a symphony orchestra; required a lavish set and
period costumes; and demanded a budget to match – estimated at
$350,000 to $400,000. Its impressive scope was testimony to ambition
realized through organizational synergy and multi-disciplinary vision.

So why did Zemiré leave me conflicted? Because I could not help
wondering how many smaller productions could have been funded – or
how many original works commissioned – with a $350,000 or $400,000
sum. There is, of course, immense value in preserving our cultural
legacy. But what about enhancing it with new creations? How do we
allocate resources between preservation and inspiration? Where do we
find equilibrium? Those are questions that our theater community
must confront as it matures and grows in strength.

One original work that managed to secure the funding for a major
premier production was Red Dog Howls – a haunting play by Alexander
Dinelaris about a 91-year-old Genocide survivor with a devastating
secret. Broadway veteran Kathleen Chalfant headlined the production
on the main stage of the El Portal Theatre in the NoHo Arts District,
under Michael Peretzian’s skilled direction. The intricately woven
script by Dinelaris stood out for its taut dialogue but was hampered
by overuse of expository monologues that verged on the melodramatic.

THE BEST

The play that stayed with me all year did not have big production
values, a big budget, or a big cast. It had a big heart – and it
touched mine. My favorite Armenian theater experience was the ultra-
modest staging of Susanna Harutyunyan’s "A Fitting End" – a one-act
chamber piece that served as the endnote to the production
of "Soldiers" at Luna.

"A Fitting End" is a dialogue between a gravedigger burying soldiers
killed in a battle and one of the surviving soldiers of that battle.
In the midst of their philosophical discussion, the gravedigger
realizes that he has no body for his last plot – and looks to his
conversation partner as the solution to his dilemma.

Astutely funny and miles deep, this smart meditation on life and
death was directed with beautiful simplicity by Maro Parian, who had
to be the director of the year. After helming "A Fitting End" – in
her own translation from the Armenian – she took on Fool for Love in
English and delivered a moody and evocative interpretation of Sam
Shepard’s visceral play, before turning to Federico García Lorca’s
iconic The House of Bernarda Alba in Spanish – all at Luna.

The intimate Luna space was home to From Toumanyan’s World as well.
This staging of fables by Hovhannes Toumanyan was a surprise
pleasure, thanks to the modern sensibility and surreal humor that
director Aramazd Stepanian had deftly injected into the traditional
tales, while keeping true to their spirit. Aiding the effort was
Tigran Kirakosyan, displaying fearless comic range in his portrayal
of myriad characters.

I missed Ani Minassian’s adaptation of another Toumanyan work, Kach
Nazar. Her song-and-dance-infused production had only a single
performance at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse.

Outside of these adaptations, the only original Armenian-language
play to see light this year was Vahe Berberian’s Baron Garbis. It
was Berberian’s first full-length play in nearly 20 years, and it
extended the life of that endangered species known as theater in the
Western Armenian dialect.

Berberian’s title character himself was a man on the verge of
extinction – representing a generation of Armenians who came of age
in Beirut during the middle decades of the last century. Baron
Garbis encapsulated their distinct mannerisms and speech, captured
with masterful authenticity in Berberian’s script. Maurice
Kouyoumdjian (no relation to me) seemed born to play the role, while
Sako Berberian was excellent as his son. Equally excellent were Ara
Baghdoyan and Ara Madzounian as members of the production’s alternate
cast.

Berberian and his cohorts will return to the stage in February for
one of their zany comedy nights. Zaniness will surely be on the menu
of Lory Tatoulian’s upcoming show, which promises to focus on all
themes Armenian. And a revival of Little Armenia is in the works,
aiming for a May bow.

We may only be in the first days of the new year. But Armenian
theater is already stirring.

All Rights Reserved: Critics’ Forum, 2009. Exclusive to the Armenian
Reporter.

Aram Kouyoumdjian is the winner of Elly Awards for both playwriting
("The Farewells") and directing ("Three Hotels"). His latest work
is "Velvet Revolution."

You can reach him or any of the other contributors to Critics’ Forum
at comments@criticsforum.org. This and all other articles published
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