Torange Yeghiazarian: Threading an Artistic Journey

Correct. I have no regrets about choosing theater instead of medicine. But I love science and often incorporate my knowledge of medicine in my plays.

Really? And how?

For example, in my play “444 Days,” a character suffers from a very specific disease the details of which are central to the plot line.

I am sure you inherited your artistic talent from your mother, Vida Ghahremani, a renowned film and stage actress in both Iran and the U.S. Despite many cultural similarities, intermarriages between Armenians and Persians have always been rare. What is it like to carry this dual heritage?

My Armenian grandmother was born in Tabriz, Iran, and my grandfather in Davalu, nowadays Ararat, in Armenia. They met in Tabriz. I grew up primarily with my Armenian father’s family in an artistic environment. My father, David Yeghiazarian, ran the night club Couchini in Tehran and was a talented music producer, writer and painter. My aunt, Mary Yeghiazarian, was educated in Yerevan’s music conservatory and worked extensively at Iran’s Ministry of Art and Culture as a choir conductor, in addition to being a fantastic singer. My sister, Termeh Yeghiazarian, was a musician and visual artist. There were always musicians, writers, and filmmakers hanging out in our house, both Iranian and international artists.

My dual heritage deeply shaped my identity and world outlook. Being both inside and outside cultures is natural to me. Having experienced that in Iran should have made the move to the US easier but of course, it was not easy at all. But finding community in Nor Seroond helped me adjust. It was there that I learned to read and write Armenian to be able to act in an Armenian play. It was “Digineh ge Nnjeh” (Madame is Taking a Nap), a comedy where I played the part of the house-keeper!

I reconnected with my mother more after moving to California to study theater. Through our work together in theater, I was able to know my mother better and appreciate her breathtaking acting skills, as well as writing and painting. She had such an amazing presence on stage. Even when she was standing still, all eyes were on her. I learned a lot from my parents. They were both rule-breaking pioneers guided by passion. I should be so lucky to stand on their shoulders.

Armenian themes have also been part of your work. You were the first to stage Leslie Ayvazian’s once-famous play “Nine Armenians” in San Francisco.

Yes, it was such a joy to discover Leslie’s play. I so identified with the family dynamics and the personalities she depicted. It was our biggest production to date at Golden Thread in 2002, and we would not have been able to do justice to the play without the Armenian community’s support. This play was my introduction to the Bay Area’s vibrant Armenian community and its many talented artists. It led to my helping produce The Armenian Film Festival in San Francisco and developing and producing the world premiere of Night Over Erzinga by Adriana Sevan at Golden Thread. Bay Area’s Armenian community made this all possible.

You have also written plays with Armenian themes. Your play ABAGA (The Future) (2001) tells the story of a love affair between an Armenian man and a Turkish woman in Constantinople in 1915 and beyond. Do you think such love stories have become a cliché in literary works about historical conflicts?

An intimate love story is often my entry into a global political conflict. In “ABAGA,” I wanted to depict the continued cycle of violence and inhumanity from the Armenian Genocide to the Nakba, the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948, without actually showing any of it. Constantinople and Jerusalem were major urban hubs at the time with thriving diverse populations. Then it all changed… I wanted to trace the change and its impact on people’s lives through the personal story of one family. Golden Thread produced a 20-minute version of “ABAGA” at the ReOrient Festival. But the play is actually longer and could even be a film.

Except of this, in my play “Princess Tamar Rescues Nazar the Brave” I combined the tales of Kaj Nazar and Akhtamar as told by Toumanian, to create a story within a story. Joyce van Dyke’s “The Girl’s War,” which I directed, also has an Armenian theme.

Have you been in Armenia and do you have future Armenia-related projects?

Yes, I have visited Armenia twice and would love to visit again. My next Armenia-related project is about Komitas. I am dreaming about a play that depicts a moment in his life and music. He lived such an expansive life with many accomplishments. It may be difficult to do it justice but I’m hoping to have a clearer idea after reading his biography by Rita Soulahian Kuyumjian, Archeology of Madness, Komitas, Portrait of an Armenian Icon.