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Critics' Forum Article - 1.3.09

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  • Critics' Forum Article - 1.3.09

    From: Hovig Tchalian <[email protected]>
    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 [email protected]. This and all other articles published
    in this series are available online at www.criticsforum.org. To sign
    up for a weekly electronic version of new articles, go to
    www.criticsforum.org/join. Critics' Forum is a group created to
    discuss issues relating to Armenian art and culture in the Diaspora.
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