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Critics' Forum
Theater
Occupy Armenian Theater
By Aram Kouyoumdjian
In the year-end article I wrote last December - months before the
Occupy movement launched in New York and spread to 80 countries - I
began a quiet protest, lamenting the state of Armenian theater in our
corner of the diaspora and calling for increase - and improvement - in
its cultural production. This past year, however, delivered neither
quantity nor quality, let alone both. Armenian-themed productions
numbered in the single digits, and I recall only one full-length work
- Ardavazt Theatre Company's "Ser Yev Dzidzagh" (Love and Laughter) -
favorably. And next year? Vahe Berberian's new play, "Gyank" (Life),
looms on the horizon, but whether it will usher in a lively theater
season remains to be seen.
For now, I've had enough of the status quo, so I hereby occupy
Armenian theater. These are my demands:
1. That diasporan Armenian theater embrace a bold vision, reflect our
exilic identity and condition, and serve as historical record and
social commentary. Let's have some respite from the inane comedies
and farces that have hijacked Armenian theater. I endured
"Chorekshapti ... Sirelis" (Wednesday ... My Darling) but could barely
get through the semi-literate announcement for "Don Juan" - a
plagiarized version of "Boeing, Boeing" about "a woman's doctor" (you
mean "gynecologist"?) and the "flight attendant girls" he is
simultaneously romancing.
I actually enjoy comedies and farces - when they're actually comedic
and farcical. But our theatrical output of the past few years would
lead an outsider to believe that marriage and marital infidelity were
our community's sole concerns.
Perhaps I exaggerate - but not much. There is some serious fare out
there; the Genocide and its aftermath are recurrent themes in dramatic
works, but where are the plays about the conflicts of diasporan life
and psyche; about the longing for homeland and, in light of Armenia's
independence, the myth of return; about belonging (and non-belonging)
in a host society?
All this may be a great deal to ask of an Armenian art form that has
never been sufficiently developed. Even during the renaissance
("zartonk") of Armenian literature in the 19th century, Ottoman
censorship stifled drama, and the Genocide rendered it virtually
non-existent in the early decades of the 20th century. Only in the
heyday of the Armenian diaspora in Lebanon did theater become viable -
at least, until the outbreak of civil war.
It can thrive again in California, where a large, educated, and
affluent Armenian community can support serious work. For that to
happen, however, Armenian playwrights must recognize the potential of
banding as a collective and creating a theater of diaspora - theater
that is provocative and not solely concerned with commerciality. In
so doing, they may well form a new literary circle, in the tradition
of the "Mehian" (Temple) writers of Constantinople (circa 1914), who
were devoted to celebrating the Armenian spirit, and the "Menk" (We)
writers of Paris (circa 1931), who confronted issues of post-Genocide
exile.
2. That diasporan Armenian theater have institutional patronage.
Theater is an expensive undertaking, and its funding should not be the
burden of artists but of arts institutions. Neither the Hamazkayin
Educational and Cultural Society nor the Tekeyan Cultural Association
has made any sustained commitment to theater. The Armenian General
Benevolent Union subsidizes Ardavazt, but that company rarely ventures
beyond the lightest of fare. An industry organization, the Armenian
Dramatic Arts Alliance, biennially administers the William Saroyan
Playwriting Prize (and its substantial $10,000 award), but its backing
of productions has been limited to staged readings.
In order for Armenian theater to make significant strides, funding for
it must increase exponentially. Is such ambition realistic?
Absolutely. Ten years ago, the Armenian community raised a million
dollars so that the San Francisco Opera could stage "Arshak II" for
six performances. A comparable amount could fund a well-managed
theater company and repay the community in cultural dividends for
years! It's high time to make that investment.
3. That diasporan Armenian theater have a home - and residents. How
is it that Armenians in California have built myriad churches,
schools, and community centers - but not a single theater? A theater,
after all, is the space where the community's voice is expressed, both
literally and metaphorically. Armenian diasporans in (and from)
Beirut know this; the Hagop Der Melkonian Theater has nourished the
cultural life of that community for decades.
A theater would not only serve as a gathering place for the community,
it would provide a permanent home for resident companies, allowing
members (actors, directors, designers, and choreographers) to obtain
training between productions, and furnishing a venue for developmental
workshops of new plays.
4. That diasporan Armenian theater enjoy high production values.
I've previously railed against amateurish sets, lights, costumes, and
sound. (I'm talking about black curtains or painted outlines of doors
and windows serving as backdrops, or phones that continue ringing
onstage long after actors have picked them up.) While I don't mean to
repeat myself, my demands would not be complete if I did not insist on
professionalism in the technical aspects of theater. Talented
designers and competent stage crews are as critical to successful
productions as playwrights, directors, and actors.
5. That my demands be met with utmost haste, so that I can end this
occupation and return to the business of appreciating and enjoying
Armenian theater. If not, I'm prepared to hold out.
All Rights Reserved: Critics' Forum, 2012.
Aram Kouyoumdjian is the winner of Elly Awards for both playwriting
("The Farewells") and directing ("Three Hotels"). His latest work is
"Happy Armenians."
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.
Theater
Occupy Armenian Theater
By Aram Kouyoumdjian
In the year-end article I wrote last December - months before the
Occupy movement launched in New York and spread to 80 countries - I
began a quiet protest, lamenting the state of Armenian theater in our
corner of the diaspora and calling for increase - and improvement - in
its cultural production. This past year, however, delivered neither
quantity nor quality, let alone both. Armenian-themed productions
numbered in the single digits, and I recall only one full-length work
- Ardavazt Theatre Company's "Ser Yev Dzidzagh" (Love and Laughter) -
favorably. And next year? Vahe Berberian's new play, "Gyank" (Life),
looms on the horizon, but whether it will usher in a lively theater
season remains to be seen.
For now, I've had enough of the status quo, so I hereby occupy
Armenian theater. These are my demands:
1. That diasporan Armenian theater embrace a bold vision, reflect our
exilic identity and condition, and serve as historical record and
social commentary. Let's have some respite from the inane comedies
and farces that have hijacked Armenian theater. I endured
"Chorekshapti ... Sirelis" (Wednesday ... My Darling) but could barely
get through the semi-literate announcement for "Don Juan" - a
plagiarized version of "Boeing, Boeing" about "a woman's doctor" (you
mean "gynecologist"?) and the "flight attendant girls" he is
simultaneously romancing.
I actually enjoy comedies and farces - when they're actually comedic
and farcical. But our theatrical output of the past few years would
lead an outsider to believe that marriage and marital infidelity were
our community's sole concerns.
Perhaps I exaggerate - but not much. There is some serious fare out
there; the Genocide and its aftermath are recurrent themes in dramatic
works, but where are the plays about the conflicts of diasporan life
and psyche; about the longing for homeland and, in light of Armenia's
independence, the myth of return; about belonging (and non-belonging)
in a host society?
All this may be a great deal to ask of an Armenian art form that has
never been sufficiently developed. Even during the renaissance
("zartonk") of Armenian literature in the 19th century, Ottoman
censorship stifled drama, and the Genocide rendered it virtually
non-existent in the early decades of the 20th century. Only in the
heyday of the Armenian diaspora in Lebanon did theater become viable -
at least, until the outbreak of civil war.
It can thrive again in California, where a large, educated, and
affluent Armenian community can support serious work. For that to
happen, however, Armenian playwrights must recognize the potential of
banding as a collective and creating a theater of diaspora - theater
that is provocative and not solely concerned with commerciality. In
so doing, they may well form a new literary circle, in the tradition
of the "Mehian" (Temple) writers of Constantinople (circa 1914), who
were devoted to celebrating the Armenian spirit, and the "Menk" (We)
writers of Paris (circa 1931), who confronted issues of post-Genocide
exile.
2. That diasporan Armenian theater have institutional patronage.
Theater is an expensive undertaking, and its funding should not be the
burden of artists but of arts institutions. Neither the Hamazkayin
Educational and Cultural Society nor the Tekeyan Cultural Association
has made any sustained commitment to theater. The Armenian General
Benevolent Union subsidizes Ardavazt, but that company rarely ventures
beyond the lightest of fare. An industry organization, the Armenian
Dramatic Arts Alliance, biennially administers the William Saroyan
Playwriting Prize (and its substantial $10,000 award), but its backing
of productions has been limited to staged readings.
In order for Armenian theater to make significant strides, funding for
it must increase exponentially. Is such ambition realistic?
Absolutely. Ten years ago, the Armenian community raised a million
dollars so that the San Francisco Opera could stage "Arshak II" for
six performances. A comparable amount could fund a well-managed
theater company and repay the community in cultural dividends for
years! It's high time to make that investment.
3. That diasporan Armenian theater have a home - and residents. How
is it that Armenians in California have built myriad churches,
schools, and community centers - but not a single theater? A theater,
after all, is the space where the community's voice is expressed, both
literally and metaphorically. Armenian diasporans in (and from)
Beirut know this; the Hagop Der Melkonian Theater has nourished the
cultural life of that community for decades.
A theater would not only serve as a gathering place for the community,
it would provide a permanent home for resident companies, allowing
members (actors, directors, designers, and choreographers) to obtain
training between productions, and furnishing a venue for developmental
workshops of new plays.
4. That diasporan Armenian theater enjoy high production values.
I've previously railed against amateurish sets, lights, costumes, and
sound. (I'm talking about black curtains or painted outlines of doors
and windows serving as backdrops, or phones that continue ringing
onstage long after actors have picked them up.) While I don't mean to
repeat myself, my demands would not be complete if I did not insist on
professionalism in the technical aspects of theater. Talented
designers and competent stage crews are as critical to successful
productions as playwrights, directors, and actors.
5. That my demands be met with utmost haste, so that I can end this
occupation and return to the business of appreciating and enjoying
Armenian theater. If not, I'm prepared to hold out.
All Rights Reserved: Critics' Forum, 2012.
Aram Kouyoumdjian is the winner of Elly Awards for both playwriting
("The Farewells") and directing ("Three Hotels"). His latest work is
"Happy Armenians."
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.