Gyank
Synopsis
In this moving play set in current day Los Angeles, the central characters are a married couple, Haig and Sona, whose relationship has reached an impasse. Going back and forth in time, the play juxtaposes the past, a family on the brink of a breakdown, with the present, where Haig lies in a coma. Gathered around Haig's comatose body are his wife, their two daughters, and his mother. As the story unfolds we watch the members of the family deal with the circumstances with a plethora of emotions. Often resorting to humor they each cope with the situation in their own way.
Once more, the playwright offers a work where tragedy and comedy meet at a fragile crossroad, bringing us another look at what it means to be human.
Location
El Portal Theatre
5269 Lankershim Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91601
Cast and Crew
Vahe Berberian
With his four one-man shows: Yevaylen, Nayev, Dagaveen and Sagayn, Berberian has established himself as the leading Armenian monologist. His material is funny, witty and insightful, rich with observations on the Armenian condition, indeed the human condition.
Playwright, director, actor, Berberian has been involved in theatre from a very young age, having been a member of the Experimental Theatre and Theatre 67, in Lebanon.
Before settling in Los Angeles in 1977, he spent a year in Canada, where a production of his play, Night Visitor, won three awards from the Ontario Multi-Cultural Association.
In Los Angeles he co-founded the Armenian Experimental Theatre, which produced his plays Pink Elephant, Quicksand, 200, the latter written with Ara Madzounian and Betty Berberian, to sold out audiences. Pink Elephant, has been translated into English and performed in Edinburgh, London, Sacramento and Los Angeles. In 2011, Pink Elephant was also translated into Greek and performed at the Athens Municipal Theater.
In 2008, Berberian directed his play Baron Garbis, with a four month run in Los Angeles, followed by a tour in Toronto, Canada. In 2011 this same play was performed in Beirut, Lebanon.
Vahe is also an acclaimed novelist. His Letters from Zaatar and In the Name of the Father and the Son have made him one of the most respected and widely read contemporary authors of the Armenian Diaspora. Letters from Zaatar’s second edition was published in Beirut in 2008. In the Name of the Father and the Son was translated into Turkish and published in Istanbul in 2010.
Berberian’s is also a prolific painter, and has had numerous exhibitions all over the United States and abroad.
For more information about Vahe, feel free to roam around this website!
Anne Bedian
Anne was born in Montreal, Canada, where she began her career in film and television. An avid Meisner actor, she trained with Jacqueline McClintock in Montreal/Toronto and Ron Stetson in NYC, both from the famed Neighborhood Playhouse in NY. She has worked with Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm as Shara the Palestinian, with JJ Abrams on the HBO pilot Anatomy of Hope, with Kevin Bacon on The Closer, as the psychic Marina on CBS’s The Ex List, as a flashback character “Amira” on ABC’s Lost. Her credits also include: Law & Order Criminal Intent, CSI Vegas, The Unit, NCIS, Meteor, The Grid, Lie To Me and Combat Hospital.
This is Anne's first performance on stage, as well as her first performance in Armenian.
Maro Ajemian
Born in Jerusalem, Maro fell in love with theatre in childhood, staging plays for her friends and family by the age of 10. After living in Beirut for a while, Maro moved to Los Angeles.
She has been part of the Ardavazt Theatre Company for many years, appearing in such plays as Le Din Don, Filomena Marturano, The Importance Of Being Ernest, Boing-Boing, Baby Mine, Dress For Dinner, Armenians In LA, That Night, Une Fille A La Patte, Lost Letter, Run For Your Wife, The Perils Of Politeness and Touch And Go.
Maro has participated in the staging of two of Tchouhadjian’s Operettas, Zvart, and Leblebiji Hor Hor Agha. She has appeared in director Jeff Solema’s Adjusting Honor and worked with The Fountain Theatre and Tiramisu Music Company.
Paleny Topjian
Paleny grew up dancing from an early age, and dedicated most of her life to reach her goal of becoming a professional ballerina. After many competitive auditions during her senior year of high school, she sadly let go of her dream to pursue higher education. She attended UCLA and graduated with a BA in Communication Studies. During her college years she took several acting classes at UCLA and found them to be great cathartic experiences, reviving her love for performing and giving her a glimpse into the world of acting. Paleny volunteered in Armenia through the Birthright Armenia program for two months after graduation. She forged a deep bond with the country and decided to return for a longer experience. She later returned to Los Angeles to pursue a master’s degree in computer science.
Paleny joined Vahe Berberian’s improvisation workshops, to engage her passion in the performing arts, which led her to join the cast of Gyank.
Houri Mahserejian
Houri Mahserejian grew up in an environment steeped in the arts. Theatre, music, and all the arts had center stage both inside and outside the home. Naturally, as curious children do, Houri began sampling art’s different mediums from a very young age. Music became the gateway that lead to the theatre, and a love affair was born.
With a BA in Theatre, Art History, and Fashion Merchandising, Houri pursues her career in the entertainment industry as a Wardrobe Stylist. She has worked on films, award shows, plays, and editorials, as well as on music videos for Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, and Serj Tankian. She has also worked on productions for Danny DeVito, and events for Cirque Du Soleil, the Emmy’s, and the Academy Awards.
Houri has acted on stage in a variety of plays, including The Imaginary Invalid by Molière, Tartuffe by Molière, The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman, and Angels of America by Tony Kushner.
Needless to say, when the opportunity arose to escape back into the world of theatre, she could not resist. Taking part in a play written and directed by Vahe Berberian, who has been an inspiration since childhood, fulfills her passion and desire to indulge in her favorite ‘affair’ - the theatre.
Roupen Karakouzian
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Karakouzian has always been fond of the theater. He has performed parts in “The Pumpkin Merchant” and “Teenage Wasteland”. Karakouzian played Khajag in Vahe Berberian’s production of “Baron Garbis”.
