‘Where Is Your Groom?’ NYC Finale Performance June 20

The highly praised Armenian comedy, “Where Is Your Groom? (Pesad Oor Eh),” a play by writer/director Taleen Babayan, will mark its New York City finale performance on Sat., June 20, at the SVA Theatre.

Since its debut at Greenwich Village’s the Players Theatre almost two years ago, the group has performed to Armenian communities across the country, including in New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. This performance will be the group’s third in New York City.

A scene from ‘Where Is Your Groom? (Pesad Oor Eh)’ featuring (L-R) patriarch Koko Keshishian (played by Aris Hamparsumian), matriarch Siroun (played by Daniella Baydar), Mike the ‘odar’ (played by Joseph Hovsepian), brother Saro (played by Haig Minassian), Medz Mayrig (played by Lori Cinar), and daughter Lara (played by Taleen Babayan)(Photo: Jon Blankenberg)

The play and its cultural message, veiled in humor, has struck a chord with Armenians of all generations in the diaspora. The story follows the life of an Armenian family living in the United States, whose older generation is preoccupied with finding suitable Armenian partners for their children. From the choreg-baking mother, Siroun, who creates a hars (bride) list for her son—even attempting to fly someone in from overseas—to a funny opening scene of an odar (foreigner) who wants to take the daughter of the family out on a date but has to go through her parents’ questioning first, the play delivers many laughs.

The cast and crew have performed to more than 2,000 audience members to date, bringing both laughter and a touching story that shows the lengths this tight-knit Armenian family will go to in order to preserve their culture while living in the diaspora.

“Audience members have had a great positive attitude toward these performances because they are authentic,” said Roy Shant Tuncarslan, a New Jersey native who plays the role of a seminarian set up to date the daughter.

Tuncarslan, who is a senior associate at Crédit Agricole Bank, adds that “it feels so good to know that the writer/director has paid close attention to the Armenian trends, both past and present.”

Over the course of its productions, more than 30 Diasporan Armenians have participated in the play both on stage and behind the scenes, including natives of Australia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and the United States.

“My experience with ‘Where is your Groom?’ has been extremely rewarding,” said Jack Jamgochian, a Long Island native studying engineering who plays the role of Jiro the Jeweler. “Not only have I connected with fellow Armenians but I have also felt a connection to the audience. As members of the Armenian Diaspora, I feel it is our duty to further our cultural awareness.”

“Where Is Your Groom? (Pesad Oor Eh)” is Babayan’s debut play. She has since written and directed “From Sacred Wrath,” a play about an Armenian-American family grappling with the legacy of 1915, which performed two sold-out shows at the Davenport Theatre in New York City last April.

A New Jersey native, Babayan is a graduate of Tufts University and Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism.

“The experience of being in ‘Pesad Oor Eh’ has been nothing short of epic,” said Tuncarslan “As a group, we enjoy each other’s company, and have built friendships throughout this journey.”

The finale performance of “Where Is Your Groom?” will take place on Sat., June 20 at 7 p.m. at SVA Theatre, located at 333 West 23rd St. in New York, N.Y.

For tickets visit https://whereisyourgroom.ticketbud.com. For more information about the play, visit www.whereisyourgroom.com and facebook.com/whereisyourgroom.