Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

BY ARAM KOUYOUMDJIAN

“Beast on the Moon” – Richard Kalinoski’s chamber play about two survivors of the Armenian Genocide – has been produced by “countless theaters across the country and around the world,” according to its promotional materials. Sure enough, I myself have now seen it four times in four different cities, most recently in Long Beach, where the play is being revived by the International City Theatre through September 8.

The two Genocide survivors at the heart of the play are Aram Tomasian, a photographer living in Milwaukee, and his child-bride, Seta; both of them have lost their families in horrific ways during the carnage of 1915 and are trying to form a new family together. In fact, Aram’s sole focus in life is to reproduce offspring in order to fill the void of the family that was wiped out. The play recounts, in quiet tableaux, the perfunctory sex that the Tomasians have in order to procreate – an act that proves futile because the starvation that Seta suffered during the Genocide years has left her unable to conceive.

Haunted by the past and unable to create a future for themselves, Aram and Seta settle into a dismal dynamic – an altogether patriarchal one. Aram reads to his wife from the Bible in sermonizing tones, expecting domesticity and obedience from her. Over the years, however, Seta learns to weaponize silence – as a scene that unfolds over a lamb stew dinner grippingly illustrates – and eventually asserts her own voice, even quoting the Bible herself to advance her arguments. The couple’s lonely existence changes unexpectedly when a neighborhood boy comes into their lives. Vincent, a precocious street urchin, also hails from miserable circumstances, adding to the collective suffering of the play’s characters.

And suffer they do. Kalinoski’s script – chock-full of revelations about the horrors of the Genocide – is fraught with peril; while it can pack a punch if handled the right way, it can also devolve, quite easily, into overwrought sentimentality. Years ago, an Off-Broadway production directed by Larry Moss played against sentiment and unleashed shattering performances by Omar Metwally and Lena Georgas in the process; the ITC revival presents a rather mixed bag of both lovely and unfortunate choices (such as an overreliance on the plaintive strains of duduk music).

Director caryn desai [sic] stages the action in a straightforward manner, and Travis Leland’s performance as Aram is serviceable, although his portrayal rarely involves layering beyond dourness. Rachel Weck brings far more range to her role, and while her portrayal of Seta as a 15-year-old is not entirely convincing, she grows nicely into the character’s older years and achieves moments of deep poignancy.

Still, the performances are marred by some dreadful accents, which grate to the point of distraction. Why do Aram and Seta speak with accents to each other anyway? Presumably, they’re conversing in Armenian; how else could Seta, having newly arrived in Milwaukee, have perfect diction? Oddly, they have the same accents when they’re speaking English with Vincent, whose own overblown Italian accent adds to the stereotyping and diminishes what may have been a subtle, yet effective, commentary on the “melting pot” of immigration.

JR Norman Luker’s scenic design features a mammoth cross that extends horizontally over the stage. Far more interesting are the design elements – a mish-mash of human bones and scattered household items, fossilized, ashen, and macabre – that provide a visually arresting frame for an otherwise sparse set; but they remain at a remove from the stage action.

Kalinoski’s play has become the go-to drama about the Genocide since its premiere in 1995; this is, in part, due to the sheer paucity of plays on the subject and, in part, due to the play’s own reductive style, which makes its story and characters accessible to non-Armenian audiences. The opening night crowd, which included Kalinoski himself, was warmly receptive to the performance and rewarded it with a standing ovation. For me, re-experiencing the play for the first time since the Genocide centennial and since our discourse about the Genocide has evolved from one of mourning to one of resilience and reparations, “Beast” came across as an aging tale of victimhood, a story we Armenians have heard too many times.

YEREVAN—Armenia Tree Project and the American University of Armenia Acopian Center for the Environment, co-organizers of an upcoming global forestry conference in Yerevan, Armenia, are proud to announce that the event’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Anthony S. Davis, Interim Dean and Professor at the College of Forestry at Oregon State University. The three-day conference will bring leading minds in forestry to Armenia’s capital for discussion, education, and networking.

Dr. Davis will deliver the keynote address at the inaugural Forest Summit: Global Action and Armenia on Tuesday, October 22, and will urge participants to consider the opportunities—in Armenia and around the world—to use science-based practices in advancing forest restoration, conservation, and management for multiple values. His background in working at the local level to develop the finest practices in seedling production, tree planting, and long-term management builds on a global suite of experiences that can inform management and policy decisions in Armenia’s forest sector.

“It’s with great enthusiasm that I prepare to share my learnings and experience with the attendees of the inaugural Forest Summit,” stated Davis, who has been working on forest restoration and tree planting with several organizations in Armenia, including ATP. “It’s an honor to be able to share my passion with so many like-minded professionals, and to do it in a country that has made a commitment to double its forest cover by 2050. This conference comes at a critical time for forest health worldwide. More than ever we are cognizant of the wide-ranging values forests provide—as a sink for carbon, a source of renewable materials, and habitat for critical wildlife including the Caucasian Leopard. I look forward to participating in this dialogue,” he concluded.

Dr. Davis serves as the Chief Executive of the College of Forestry at Oregon State University, which is broadly recognized as one of the world’s leading forestry research, teaching, and extension institutions. Under his leadership, the Corvallis, Oregon-based College of Forestry crafts research projects with various constituencies around the globe to expand forest-driven economies, steward forest resources, and to translate new discoveries into tools and techniques that can be used to advance livelihoods and sustain ecosystems.

With three days of discussion and collaborative dialogue on the conservation and reforestation efforts much needed in Armenia and countries across the world, Forest Summit: Global Action and Armenia will offer field visits to Dilijan National Park and ATP’s reforestation nursery and forest plantings in Margahovit Village, as well as social and networking opportunities.

In addition to hosting the conference in October, Armenia Tree Project will celebrate the planting of its six millionth tree in Armenia this fall. For more information about the conference, AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, or Armenia Tree Project, please visit the website.

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia, promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity and conservation, greening the built environment, clean energy, and energy efficiency, as well as information technology and the environment. Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values. For more information, visit the website.

Armenia Tree Project, a non-profit program based in Massachusetts and Yerevan, conducts vitally important environmental projects in Armenia’s cities and villages. Since 1994, ATP has made enormous strides in combating desertification in the biologically diverse but threatened Caucasus region. More than 5,700,000 trees have been planted and restored, and hundreds of jobs have been created for Armenians in seasonal tree-related programs. ATP works to further Armenia’s economic and social development by mobilizing resources to fund reforestation. These vital new trees provide food, wood, environmental benefits, and opportunities for economic growth. ATP has a full time staff of over 80 in Armenia. The Yerevan office manages four state-of-the-art tree nurseries and two environmental education centers, partners with villagers to create tree-based micro-enterprise opportunities, creates urban green belts for public use, restores degraded forest lands, and employs hundreds of part-time workers to plant new forests. For more information, visit the website.

LOS ANGELES—Prelacy Schools reopened their doors to welcome students to the 2019 – 2020 academic year on Tuesday. On behalf of Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, local parish pastors participated in back-to-school ceremonies, offered prayers and read the Prelate’s message.

Prelate Mardirossian presided over the back-to-school ceremony of Rose and Alex Pilibos School, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. He was accompanied by St. Garabed Church Parish Pastor Archpriest Vicken Vassilian.

In attendance were ARF Central Committee representative Garo Ispenjian, Board of Regents member Sarkis Ourfalian, representatives of St. Garabed Church Board of Trustees and of community organizations, school administrators, faculty, parents, and students.

The program began with the invocation by Fr. Vicken. Student Council members led the pledge of allegiance and national anthems. English teacher Patil DerHovagimian delivered welcoming remarks as the day’s MC. Representatives of Congressman Adam Schiff, State Senator Anthony Portantino, and L.A. City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell were in attendance, and delivered congratulatory remarks. Armenian teacher Sona Madarian delivered her message and well wishes for a bright new school year. Students delivered remarks and presented cultural performances.

Principal Dr. Alina Dorian delivered her message, reflecting on the School’s 50 year legacy of excellence, integrity, heritage, community, and unity, adding that the school has, for half a century, not just educated students, but elevated their minds, spirits, faith, and heritage. She thanked all past and present teachers, faculty, and staff for their hard work, and, addressing the students, urged them to continue to strive for excellence, to set their minds to great heights, and to always remain true to the core values of our faith and nation.

The Prelate began his message by greeting Principal Dorian, Assistant Principal Maral Tavitian, and the entire school family as they embark on their golden anniversary year and move forward to greater heights with the legacy of a rich past, strong present, and hopeful future. He blessed and commended all the teachers who serve with heart and soul, and the parents for their love, sacrifice, and devotion. He wished for the new academic year to abound with the Lord’s blessings and to be successful and fruitful.

In his message to the students, the Prelate urged them to always remember and appreciate the privilege of attending an Armenian school, which is not an ordinary place of learning but a distinctive institution where students grow and develop in their identity as Armenians. “Take advantage of the unique instruction you are fortunate to be offered; learn our uplifting prayers and our language, learn about our rich history and heritage, our ancient faith and homeland, and think of how you can contribute to the advancement of our nation,” stressed Prelate Mardirossian. He concluded by, once again, blessing and commending all those who play a part in the continued success of our schools, the members of the Board of Regents, local school boards, principals, directors, faculty, and volunteers.

The program concluded with the benediction and singing of the Lord’s Prayer.

GRANADA HILLS—The Armenian National Committee of America North San Fernando Valley Chapter will host a Candidate Forum on Thursday, July 25, ahead of the upcoming LA City Council District 12 Special Runoff Election which will take place on August 13. The Forum – featuring candidates John Lee and Loraine Lundquist – will take place at 7 p.m. at the Melkon and Angel Melkonian Armenian Center located at 17422 Chatsworth St, Granada Hills, CA 91344. The event is free and open to the public.

“As a grassroots public affairs organization, it is important for us to provide our community-at-large with an opportunity to learn more about the candidates running to represent them in the LA City Council,” remarked ANCA-NSFV Chair Kevin Boyadjian. “We are grateful that both campaigns agreed to partake in the Candidate Forum, which will explore the candidates’ positions on a number of issues facing the twelfth district.”

John Lee is a father, husband, community leader, and San Fernando Valley native with nearly 20 years of experience working for and delivering results for the communities of Los Angeles’ Twelfth Council District. A long-time community leader, John has served on the boards of various non-profit organizations in the San Fernando Valley.

Loraine Lundquist is a scientist, activist, and mom. She was raised by a career army soldier and a middle school math teacher, and lived all over the country before settling in Northridge for the past 9 years. She has a Ph.D. in physics from UC Berkeley, and served as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Academy of Sciences and a research scientist at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

The ANCA-NSFV is the largest and most influential nonpartisan Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the North San Fernando Valley. Working in coordination with a network of offices and supporters throughout the region, the ANCA-NSFV advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues in pursuit of the Armenian Cause.