{"id":3387,"date":"2013-12-23T09:48:41","date_gmt":"2013-12-23T09:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hamazkayin.com\/?page_id=3387"},"modified":"2019-06-09T21:18:14","modified_gmt":"2019-06-09T21:18:14","slug":"kasbar-ipegian-theater-company","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hamazkayin.com\/en\/kasbar-ipegian-theater-company\/","title":{"rendered":"Kasbar Ipegian Theater Company"},"content":{"rendered":"

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For a quarter century, Kasbar Ipegian was an unquestionable authority as a talented director and actor in Tbilisi, Constantinople, Tehran, Baghdad, and Egypt.<\/p>\n

Kasbar Ipegian, as one of Hamazkayin\u2019s founders, was instrumental in the rise of a theater movement in the organization, just as Hamazkayin\u2019s educational and publishing achievements could be attributed to Levon Shant and Nigol Aghpalian\u2019s efforts.<\/p>\n

In 1930, Kasbar Ipegian settled in Beirut. Barely a year later he successfully directed the premiere of Levon Shant\u2019s \u201cOshin Bail.\u201d In 1934, he successfully staged his own play: \u201cAra and Shamiram.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the president of the Beirut Committee of Hamazkayin, in 1941 Kasbar Ipegian formed the Hamazkayin Theater Association. The Association aimed to reestablish and spread the art of theater in the diaspora. The Association also aimed to enhance Armenian theater\u2019s educational role in the preservation of national identity. The Hamazkayin Theater Association\u2019s debut performance was \u201cThe princess of the fallen fortress,\u201d by Levon Shant in 1942. It was followed by Papken Papazian\u2019s \u201cMy baby\u201d in 1943, Levon Shant\u2019s \u201cAncient gods\u201d in 1944, and finally \u201cThe Caesar\u201d in 1945.<\/p>\n

Kasbar Ipegian died in 1952. In his memory, the Hamazkayin Theater Association renamed itself Hamazkayin Kasbar Ipegian Theater Company, the name it still carries today.<\/p>\n

Kasbar Ipegian\u2019s worthy successor, George Sarkissian, served as stage director and actor with great passion.<\/p>\n

The Kasbar Ipegian Theater Company consistently strives to preserve the purity of the Armenian language, fosters Armenian customs, and spreads Armenian culture.<\/p>\n

The staged plays had educational missions. The plays cultivated the public\u2019s artistic taste in a unique cultural atmosphere. As a result, a cultural boom was seen not only in Lebanon, but also in the Middle East and other far-off Armenian communities, where the theater company toured.<\/p>\n

For 30 years, Georges Sarkissian ignited enthusiasm wherever he went through his devoted work. Due to his efforts, the Lebanese Armenian community acquired its own theater, the Hagop Der Melkonian Theater House. The theater was constructed and equipped due to the gracious donations of benefactor Hagop Der Melkonian.<\/p>\n

Following Georges Sarkissian\u2019s death, the theater company ceased its activities for a few years. Later attempts were made to revitalize the theater company.<\/p>\n

The theater company resurrected its activities for a period, under the direction of Dr. Papken Papazian. The company staged the plays \u201cOshin Bail\u201d and \u201cBarouir Haigaz and Movses Khorenatsi.\u201d The theater company once again ceased its activities for a period. Then, the company\u2019s members made every effort to re-stage Georges Sarkissian\u2019s last work: Jacques Hagopian\u2019s \u201cThe crane calls.\u201d However, this effort was unable to resurrect the theater company\u2019s glorious past.<\/p>\n

The year 1988 was a turning point in the theater company\u2019s history. On Hamazkayin\u2019s 60th anniversary, the central and regional committees in Lebanon asked director and actor Varoujan Khedeshian to stage a grand production sponsored by the two committees. Indeed, the staging of Levon Shant\u2019s \u201cAncient gods\u201d resonated well with the audience and signaled the beginning of a new era: that of cooperation with Varoujan Khedeshian.<\/p>\n

Varoujan Khedeshian took his early steps in theater in the Kasbar Ipegian Theater Company and was a member of the company for 30 years. He was the most suitable candidate to take upon the task of reorganizing the theater company, from which he had risen as an actor and director. Varoujan Khedeshian received stage and theater education in London. For some time he directed the Levon Shant Theater Company of the Bourj Hamoud chapter of Hamazkayin in Lebanon. Afterward, he created his own theater company, Tadron 67, which ceased to operate after several years. Thus, Varoujan Khedeshian, under the sponsorship of the Regional Committee of Hamazkayin, assumed the leadership of Kasbar Ipegian Theater Company. At that time, taking into consideration the modifications within the structure of Hamazkayin and the formation of new regional committees in various new countries, the Kasbar Ipegian Theater Company ceased to be an independent unit of the Central Committee of Hamazkayin and recommenced its activities under the sponsorship of the Regional Committee of Hamazkayin in Lebanon.<\/p>\n

For around 15 years, Varoujan Khedeshian conducted led the company. He staged the plays of numerous Armenian and foreign playwrights, including \u201cAncient gods,\u201d \u201cThe Caesar,\u201d \u201cBy way of sky,\u201d \u201cUntil where?\u201d and others. The play \u201cThe price\u201d stood out among the works of foreign playwrights Varoujan Khedeshian staged. The play introduced to the Lebanese-Armenian stage the marvelous performance of two prominent actors from Armenia: Sos Sargsyan and Vigen Stepanyan.<\/p>\n

Because of his academic background, Varoujan Khedeshian succeeded in blending the old with the new. He brought freshness to the theater company, and earned several honors, the last of which was the \u201cMesrob Mashdots\u201d medal bestowed by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the House of Cilicia. Varoujan Khedeshian was also decorated with the honor of the Central Committee of Hamazkayin.<\/p>\n

Succeeding Varoujan Khedeshian, director and actor Davit Hakobyan from Armenia directed the theater company for a while. He staged a series of plays.<\/p>\n

The theater company\u2019s achievements could not attained such success without the sacrifice and devotion of hundreds of actors and volunteers who worked behind the scenes, and who have carried the theater along with the stage directors. Together, and as an entity, they all have succeeded in preserving the theater company\u2019s good name and have achieved new milestones.<\/p>\n

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