DEAR ARMEN STOPS IN PORTLAND ON ITS OCTOBER TOUR OF THE PACIFIC COAST
Dear Armen follows the story of a genderqueer writer and student, Garo, as they study the life and work of Armen Ohanian, an enigmatic Armenian performer and survivor of the early 20th-century anti-Armenian pogroms in Baku. As Garo grapples with the discrepancies between Ohanian’s biography and memoirs, they are forced to confront memories from the past, unraveling experiences around gender, sexuality, ethnicity, family, and the role of the artist. An interactive-theatre experience blending traditional Armenian dance, erotic performance, monologue and live music, Dear Armen weaves together the voices and struggles of three generations of gender nonconforming Armenians. Unveiling fragmented legacies of genocide and displacement, the narrative kaleidoscopes stories that highlight the complexities of survival.

SHOW DETAILS:
October 16th 8:00pm
Performance Works NW
4625 SE 67th Ave, Portland, OR

TICKETS:
$10-$15, Sliding Scale
Available via Brownpaper Tickets http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2252495
Provided we do not sell out, there will be cash sales at the door.

TRAILER: https://vimeo.com/75593828

CAST AND CREW:
created, produced and performed by lee williams boudakian & Kamee Abrahamian
directed & co-produced by Anoushka Ratnarajah
featuring live music by Haig Ashod Beylerian

ACCESSIBILITY:
More specific info coming soon!
We are committed to creating increasingly accessible theatre. This means that we are actively growing in our awarenesses of different access needs. We are looking forward to making changes and modifications to our work and our understandings, so that with each production we move closer to realizing a greater spectrum of access. Please visit our event pages and feel free to contact us at unpackingableism@gmail.com with any questions, feedback and/or suggestions.

ADDITIONAL PACIFIC TOUR DATES/LOCATIONS:
San Francisco: https://www.facebook.com/events/821838257934211/
Berkeley/Oakland: https://www.facebook.com/events/1467086040284264/
Los Angeles: https://www.facebook.com/events/1619576828315964/
Seattle: https://www.facebook.com/events/490064511168665/
Vancouver: https://www.facebook.com/events/414216292106228/

NOTE FROM CREATORS:
Dear Armen centres the struggles and successes of queer, trans* and gender nonconforming Armenians, exploring the intersections of identity, history, and cultural memory. By remembering Armen Ohanian, we bring to the fore an avant-garde Armenian figure who is too little discussed or remembered, and highlight the parallels that exist between her story and contemporary experiences. In so doing, this work hopes to break through memoricide, ensuring more of our cultural memories are passed down and used to help heal the intergenerational trauma left by genocide and displacement. Our hope is to connect these stories with both Armenian and non-Armenian audiences, and in particular, to reach those who see themselves on the fringes, and who are searching for representations of themselves on the stage and in stories.