In observance of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, Center Theatre Group, in partnership with the Armenian Dramatic Artists Alliance (ADAA), will present "Staging the Un-stageable: The Esthetics of Dramatizing Atrocity" at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, Tuesday, April 28 at 8 p.m.
"Staging the Un-stageable" features Emmy-winner and Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo ("House of Sand and Fog"), Sam Anderson ("different words for the same thing," KDT), Leslie Ayvazian ("Nine Armenians," Mark Taper Forum), Ken Davitian ("Borat"), Michael Goorjian ("David's Mother," Emmy Award), Karen Kondazian ("The Rose Tattoo," LADCC Award), Christine Kludjian and Hrach Titizian ("Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo," Taper).
Directed by Michael Arabian ("Waiting for Godot," Taper), "Staging the Un-stageable" is a reading of excerpts from the plays "15/15" by Leslie Ayvazian, "Forgotten Bread" by Sevan Kaloustian Greene and "I Wish to Die Singing: Voices from the Armenian Genocide" by Neil McPherson. All three dramatize in different ways the Armenian Genocide, which was the systematic extermination (beginning in April 1915) by the Ottoman Empire of its minority Armenian subjects.
The performance will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by LA Weekly Critic at Large Steven Leigh Morris with notable guests from the Armenian community and with Los Angeles theatre artists who have grappled with the responsibilities of bringing historical tragedies to the stage. Panelists include playwright Leslie Ayvazian, Greg Hittelman, director of communications at the Enough Project, playwright Julie Marie Myatt, director Michael Peretzian and director José Luis Valenzuela.
Key to the discussion are the questions – does theatre have a role in ensuring that communities around the world never forget historical sins, and how can a theatre-maker bring such trauma to the stage?
Tickets for "Staging the Un-stageable" are priced at $10 and can be purchased at http://www.CenterTheatreGroup.org or by calling (213) 628-2772.
The presentation of "Staging the Un-stageable" is part of the DouglasPlus programming at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. DouglasPlus provides the flexibility to explore new work and push boundaries through fully and minimally staged events, workshops and readings and traditional and non-traditional performance configurations.
April 16, 2015
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