WHAT: “Sagayn” performance (in Armenian), in Texas, organized by St. Sarkis ACYOA
WHERE: Kechejian Hall. Dallas.
WHEN: Saturday, May 18, 2013 8:00 p.m.
HOW: Admission: $30.00

WHAT: Levantine Cultural Center presents “Los Angeles-Beirut,” a literary exploration of the two cities through the eyes of novelist Aris Janigian with Vahé Berberian & Ara Oshagan, two Beirutis transplanted to Los Angeles. Janigian is the author of recently published This Angelic Land.
WHEN: Thursday, Jan 17 2013 7:00pm
WHERE: Levantine Cultural Center & Inside/Outside Gallery, 5998 W Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90035-2657
HOW: RSVPs suggested: 323.413.2001.

Latsia, Cpyrus

WHAT: Vahe Berberian performing “Sagayn” for the first time in Cyprus
WHERE: Cyprus Bank Sport Club
WHEN: Wednesday, October 17, at 8.00 p.m.
HOW: For reservations call: Harout Tahmazian, 994 88 915

Paris, France

WHAT: Vahe Berberian performing “Sagayn”
WHERE: Auditorium du Conservatoire Niedermeyer
d’Issy-les-Moulineaux. 11-13, rue Danton 92130 ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX (Métro : Mairie d’Issy)
WHEN: Thursday, October 18, at 8.30 p.m.
HOW: For reservations call: École Hamaskaïne-Tarkmantchatz 01 46 45 60 55; Epicerie ENIZ, 01 46 45 27 52; Epicerie OR’YAN, 01 23 45 67 89

Troinex, Geneva

WHAT: Vahe Berberian performing “Sagayn” for the first time in Geneva
WHERE: Armenian Center of Troinex, Geneva
WHEN: Wednesday October 24, at 8:00 p.m.
HOW: For reservations call: Leyla, 41 76 56 54 419 or Zella, 41 78 841 85 84

Tickets for Vahe’s new play, Gyank, are now on sale. For more information about the play, visit our Gyank page.

When: March 16 – April 1, 2012. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. Sundays at 7:00 p.m.
Where: El Portal Theatre. 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601
How: Purchase tickets at http://www.itsmyseat.com/Gyank/

By Ana Sirabionian

How can we get Armenian kids to gain an interest and even work towards enriching the Armenian arts? And, who will be the next generation of Armenian artists and playwrights working out of the diaspora (who can read, write, and speak Armenian)? Students with an interest in the arts, who have also had a formal education in the Armenian language from an Armenian school, would probably be the best candidates…

I attended an Armenian school for 14 years (pre-K-12th) and have taught at two different Armenian schools in the past seven years. Through my experiences as both student and teacher, I can safely say that private Armenian school students tend to have little to no interest in pursuing the arts. It’s not that the talent is lacking. As an English teacher I’ve come across great writers, and as a Drama teacher I’ve come across great actors. I’ve also come across kids who aren’t very good at either, but love math and want to major in engineering. But when asking the writers/actors of the class what line of work they’re interested in, the answer is usually something like, “LAW”. That’s a fine career choice, but if all the Armenian kids who show artistic/creative potential go into unrelated fields, where does the future of our culture lie?

I also taught at a public school for a year. There, the “theater kids” had talent and spunk. They could sing, dance, and act and they were proud of it and they wanted to actually build on their talents and pursue a career in the arts. What a crazy thought! Was there no one in their household to advise them to study law or medicine instead?

Many Armenian schools offer Drama classes or clubs as well. Our departments may not be as well funded or equipped, but most students, at one point or another, are given the opportunity to be involved in a small production. From my experiences, these productions are usually fun while they last, parents and other guests take their snapshots, but the gratification and inspiration gained from them is short-lived, and then it’s off to more important things. It’s just never taken too seriously.

The truth is we are a small community in a large diaspora, and we are striving to keep our identity and respect as a people. Thus, we cultivate our kids to become successful adults who hold important positions. There’s nothing wrong with that. We need Armenian doctors, lawyers, politicians, CEO’s, in order to gain respect for ourselves in American society. However, what will happen to the arts if we make doctors and lawyers of all the talent our youth has to offer? I grew up with an understanding that a culture is defined mainly by its art: theater, dance, music, literature…Without these, a culture becomes indistinguishable. A united set of attitudes and values is also essential in defining a culture. Perhaps that’s the problem; our values are a bit skewed. We know how important art is, but in a land of so much other opportunity, we’re afraid to sacrifice our kids to art.

By Shahe Mankerian

“History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” – Mark Twain

“Because it often does, let’s assume history repeats itself,” I address a classroom full of sleepy 8th graders, “and let’s assume the genocidal claws of a new, bloodthirsty nation attempts to annihilate the disaporan Armenians in Los Angeles. And let’s assume within this speculative pogrom, the dark forces decide to assemble the intellectual elite of the Armenian populace: the poets, the playwrights, the painters, and the musicians—just like the times of old—the ceremonial cutting off the head before the mass extermination. Who amongst us will be the contemporary Siamanto or Varujan and lose his precious, scholarly head?” Silence.

I notice a brave hand in the back of the room eager to participate. “Yes, Mr. Mouradian, shed some light on this conundrum.” Mouradian, the archetypal impish 8th grader, with hair in disarray, the cornerstone of every blessed classroom, responds with pride, “Baron,” he says, “the guys from System of a Down—they, they will be our new martyrs.” The class erupts in laughter. May God multiply the Mouradians. The schools of the world do not have enough performance classes to flourish these spotlight-grabbing, laughter jockeys. Unfortunately, it is not clear if Mouradian’s statement is in jest or in earnest.

Moosig, the freckled-faced spokesperson for the girls, rambunctiously says, “Young people nowadays don’t care about the Arts.”

I say, “That’s like saying, fish nowadays don’t care about water.”

On my drive home, I partially blame parents for perpetuating the notion that poetry or splattered paint or post-pubescent plays do not generate prosperity but poverty. I continue flinging my frustration toward principals and misguided teachers for fanning the mantra that being an artist does not produce fame but famine. Then I point ten accusatory fingers at me. I am that parent, that principal, and that misguided teacher. I am that impostor.

Wallowing in self-pity is like swimming in wet cement on a hot day. Before it hardens and becomes concrete, get out. Subconsciously, I do want my three-year-old to grow to be a brain surgeon at Cedars-Sinai or somewhere close to home. I do want her teachers to encourage her to take drawing assignments little less seriously and thrust the periodic table delicately down her baby throat. As a Principal of an Armenian school, I do want a brand new science lab in place of the Art studio. More parents will praise my mature foresight for the advancement of the children.

But when was the last time a society advanced without the Arts? All children gravitate toward the paint, the paper, and the pulse of the melody. All children learn initially to the poetics of the nursery rhyme. Go ahead, take away the crayons and the colored pencils, they’ll soon find mud and turn it into Monet. They’ll turn dung into Rodin. Next to starvation, the only other evil we can do to children is to rob them of the Arts. Long before the death march to the desert, the architects of the genocide silenced the artists, and then came the starvation.

Shahe Mankerian is the Principal & Middle School English Teacher of St. Gregory A. & M. Hovsepian School in Pasadena, CA.