PRESS RELEASE
AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.agbu.org
Wednesday, January 11, 2011
AGBU Buenos Aires Chapter Launches New Theater Company Named After
Krikor Satamian
The launching of the Krikor Satamian Theatre Company of the AGBU Buenos
Aires Chapter occurred on November 18, 2011, with the presentation of
Hairus Ov Eh?, the Armenian version of Ray Cooney's comedy play It Runs
in the Family, as translated by Krikor Satamian for the Ardavazt Theatre
Company of Pasadena and adapted by director Silvia Kalfaian. Two other
full-house performances followed, ensuring the company's successful
debut.
The cast of the company, which stages plays in Armenian, consists of
amateur actors (some of whom have emigrated recently from Armenia,
Lebanon, and Turkey) who are interested in reviving the Armenian
language and culture within the Buenos Aires Armenian community. The
state of Buenos Aires is home to some 90,000 Armenians consisting of
third- or even fourth-generation individuals. To encourage as many
theater enthusiasts as possible to attend, Spanish subtitles were
offered on a screen above the stage.
"The concept for a theater company all started while visiting our sister
school in Canoga Park, California [AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School].
Mr. Satamian gave us some material to work with and it felt only natural
that we name our troupe after him. His visit to Argentina in the past
had also left a vivid impression on our community," says Miriam
Tabakian, coordinator of the Exchange Program between the local AGBU
Marie Manoogian School and the Manoogian-Demirdjian School. Tabakian
also added that the theater troupe plans to recruit younger actors for
future productions, including students and alumni from the school. The
entire play can be seen through the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYmJ6RPtd6I.
The naming of this new theatre group after Krikor Satamian is a most
fitting exclamation point to the golden jubilee celebration of the
prominent actor and director, which took place on October 30, 2011, at
the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Center in Pasadena, with over 600
attendees applauding his numerous achievements. Over the past 50 years
and on many stages in the world, Satamian has directed 75 plays, taken
the lead role in 84 productions, and translated 20 plays into Armenian
from both English and French. One after the other, tributes were offered
by AGBU Western District Chairman Haig Messerlian, former editor of Nor
Or weekly Sarkis Minassian, prominent member of the London Armenian
community and former colleague of the honoree Assadour Guzelian,
chairman of Ardavazt Executive Committee Ara Babayan and others.
Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world's largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit
www.agbu.org.
AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.agbu.org
Wednesday, January 11, 2011
AGBU Buenos Aires Chapter Launches New Theater Company Named After
Krikor Satamian
The launching of the Krikor Satamian Theatre Company of the AGBU Buenos
Aires Chapter occurred on November 18, 2011, with the presentation of
Hairus Ov Eh?, the Armenian version of Ray Cooney's comedy play It Runs
in the Family, as translated by Krikor Satamian for the Ardavazt Theatre
Company of Pasadena and adapted by director Silvia Kalfaian. Two other
full-house performances followed, ensuring the company's successful
debut.
The cast of the company, which stages plays in Armenian, consists of
amateur actors (some of whom have emigrated recently from Armenia,
Lebanon, and Turkey) who are interested in reviving the Armenian
language and culture within the Buenos Aires Armenian community. The
state of Buenos Aires is home to some 90,000 Armenians consisting of
third- or even fourth-generation individuals. To encourage as many
theater enthusiasts as possible to attend, Spanish subtitles were
offered on a screen above the stage.
"The concept for a theater company all started while visiting our sister
school in Canoga Park, California [AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School].
Mr. Satamian gave us some material to work with and it felt only natural
that we name our troupe after him. His visit to Argentina in the past
had also left a vivid impression on our community," says Miriam
Tabakian, coordinator of the Exchange Program between the local AGBU
Marie Manoogian School and the Manoogian-Demirdjian School. Tabakian
also added that the theater troupe plans to recruit younger actors for
future productions, including students and alumni from the school. The
entire play can be seen through the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYmJ6RPtd6I.
The naming of this new theatre group after Krikor Satamian is a most
fitting exclamation point to the golden jubilee celebration of the
prominent actor and director, which took place on October 30, 2011, at
the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Center in Pasadena, with over 600
attendees applauding his numerous achievements. Over the past 50 years
and on many stages in the world, Satamian has directed 75 plays, taken
the lead role in 84 productions, and translated 20 plays into Armenian
from both English and French. One after the other, tributes were offered
by AGBU Western District Chairman Haig Messerlian, former editor of Nor
Or weekly Sarkis Minassian, prominent member of the London Armenian
community and former colleague of the honoree Assadour Guzelian,
chairman of Ardavazt Executive Committee Ara Babayan and others.
Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world's largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit
www.agbu.org.