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'GEORGETOWN BOYS' COMMEMORATES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
by Rosemary Ford
The Eagle-Tribune
April 17, 2008 Thursday
North Andover, Massachusetts
Apr. 17--It was the first genocide of the 20th century.
More than 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks between
1915 and 1923.
Thousands of children were orphaned. A group of 109 were sent to
Georgetown, Canada, to learn to be farmers.
What happened to that group will be explored in "The Georgetown Boys"
by renowned Armenian playwright Dr. Herand Markarian.
The Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee of the Merrimack Valley
will bring this original play to North Andover Sunday for its New
England premiere, before it heads on a tour of the United States.
"We heard it was excellent, excellent," said chairwoman Sossy
Jeknavorian of Chelmsford.
The committee honors survivors of the genocide every year -- a dozen
still live in the Merrimack Valley. The group previously brought
another play by Markarian, "Mirrors," here to great acclaim.
"We never forget -- we have to honor the survivors," Jeknavorian said.
Markarian's bilingual (English and Armenian) play will be staged by the
24 children and adults of the Hamazkayin of New Jersey Youth Theater
Group. The Hamazkayin is a worldwide organization that bolsters the
Armenian culture among those who left the country after the genocide.
The story follows the boys -- all between the ages of 8 and 12 --
who worked on farms in the suburb of Toronto and eventually became
farmers in their own right.
"We are very fortunate to be staging this production," said committee
member Tom Vartabedian of Haverhill, who is also a columnist for the
Haverhill Gazette, a sister publication of The Eagle-Tribune.
A service for the victims of the genocide will precede the play,
accompanied by the Armenian Choral Group of the Merrimack Valley.
If You Go
What: "The Georgetown Boys"
When: Sunday, April 20, at 3 p.m.
Where: North Andover Middle School
How: Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students. For advance
tickets, please call either 978-373-1654 or 978-256-2538.
by Rosemary Ford
The Eagle-Tribune
April 17, 2008 Thursday
North Andover, Massachusetts
Apr. 17--It was the first genocide of the 20th century.
More than 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks between
1915 and 1923.
Thousands of children were orphaned. A group of 109 were sent to
Georgetown, Canada, to learn to be farmers.
What happened to that group will be explored in "The Georgetown Boys"
by renowned Armenian playwright Dr. Herand Markarian.
The Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee of the Merrimack Valley
will bring this original play to North Andover Sunday for its New
England premiere, before it heads on a tour of the United States.
"We heard it was excellent, excellent," said chairwoman Sossy
Jeknavorian of Chelmsford.
The committee honors survivors of the genocide every year -- a dozen
still live in the Merrimack Valley. The group previously brought
another play by Markarian, "Mirrors," here to great acclaim.
"We never forget -- we have to honor the survivors," Jeknavorian said.
Markarian's bilingual (English and Armenian) play will be staged by the
24 children and adults of the Hamazkayin of New Jersey Youth Theater
Group. The Hamazkayin is a worldwide organization that bolsters the
Armenian culture among those who left the country after the genocide.
The story follows the boys -- all between the ages of 8 and 12 --
who worked on farms in the suburb of Toronto and eventually became
farmers in their own right.
"We are very fortunate to be staging this production," said committee
member Tom Vartabedian of Haverhill, who is also a columnist for the
Haverhill Gazette, a sister publication of The Eagle-Tribune.
A service for the victims of the genocide will precede the play,
accompanied by the Armenian Choral Group of the Merrimack Valley.
If You Go
What: "The Georgetown Boys"
When: Sunday, April 20, at 3 p.m.
Where: North Andover Middle School
How: Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students. For advance
tickets, please call either 978-373-1654 or 978-256-2538.