Queens College Audience Enchanted by Saroyan Celebration

On Sunday, November 23, 2008, the most anticipated celebration of the William Saroyan Centennial took place in LeFrak Concert Hall of Queens College, Flushing, NY. The program of drama, music, readings, and an exhibit were well received by an appreciative audience of well over 150 dazzled Saroyan fans. Even before the actual start of the program, a pleasant mood was created by an ensemble of Queens College music students, directed by Ben Arendsen, playing Vivaldi and Mozart, followed by "Missouri Waltz," one of Saroyan's favorite numbers, by pianist Ivy Adrian.

A few years before William Saroyan died, he penned a few lines in appreciation of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, as follows: "Always we are pleased about the astonishing, heroic, magnificent achievements of the AGBU, which means simply all Armenians concerned about all Armenians - gone, here, & scheduled to arrive. My profound admiration and gratitude."

With this link between the world's most renowned Armenian writer and the world's largest charitable organization, it was only fitting that AGBU responded favorably to a request for financial assistance to mount a William Saroyan Centennial Celebration, presented by the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, in conjunction with the Anthropology Museum of the People of New York and the Armenian Cultural Educational Resource Center Gallery.

Introductions about the readers and comments about Saroyan and his legacy were made by Drew Keil, director and master of ceremonies. The famous quote, "The Armenian and the Armenian," from Inhale and Exhale, was read by writer/translator Aris Sevag, after which Stephen Valenti, Professor of Accounting and Finance at NYU and an actor in his own right, enlightened the audience about the worldwide Armenian population of around 10 million. Keil then evoked Saroyan's memory by reading from the preface to Saroyan's play "The Time of Your Life."

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Margaret Tellalian-Kyrkostas, Executive Director of the Anthropology Museum and Armenian Center Gallery, who had worked tirelessly for several months to ensure the program's success.

A musical interlude followed, with Ms. Adrian giving a spirited rendition of "Ellis Island," Opus 3, a 1987 concerto written by Margaret's late son Mark Kyrkostas. Readings in tandem about Saroyan's life and works were done humorously by Edward Jamie, Jr., Chairman, and Raymond Tellalian, President of the Museum and Gallery. Aris Sevag followed with brief passages pertaining to the beginning and the end of the illustrious writer's life, bringing tears to many eyes. After the reading of short stories by Valenti and Sevag, the audience delighted to the performance by the aforementioned ensemble of Arno Babadjanian's composition for the Armenian production in Yerevan of "My Heart's in the Highlands."

The main feature, a gem of a production, was the moving presentation of Saroyan's 1941 one-act play, "Hello Out There."  Actors Andrew Keil, Sarah King, Theo Kyrkostas, Annie Schlegel-Kyrkostas, and Stephen Valenti, under the direction of Drew Keil, played out man's dilemma with life's predicaments, a theme that festered in Saroyan's psyche and works. Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar of the Armenian Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America (Eastern United States), reminisced about meeting Saroyan in Lebanon in the early 1970's and summarized the writer's legacy as respect for both spiritual life and our material environment.

The program came to a close with Saroyan's own voice in a recording of his 1939 CBS "Radio Play," followed by closing remarks from Margaret Kyrkostas and the playing of "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze" by the Queens College orchestra.  A birthday cake was rolled out on stage and the audience joined the performers in singing happy birthday to "Bill," followed by the Armenian version sung by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian and Aris Sevag.

Having gained a greater familiarity with Saroyan's legacy, most audience members availed themselves of the opportunity to visit "William Saroyan Remembered," an exhibit of photos and text about his life and works expertly and lovingly prepared by Margaret Kyrkostas, which was on display at the entrance to LeFrak Concert Hall. The exhibit was also displayed at the Saroyan event at the Diocesan Center on 2nd Avenue on Friday, December 5. The exhibit is now on display at the Rosenthal Library of Queens College until February 28, 2009; for hours, call the Museum at (718) 428-5650.

A reception in the Atrium of the Music Building afforded audience members the opportunity to share their decidedly positive impressions of the program, which was a most fitting tribute to the enduring legacy of this worthy Armenian-American writer.