‘Gamavor Story’ Comes to St. Gregory Armenian Church in Philadelphia

By Silva Santerian

A scene from the “Gamavor Story”
A scene from the “Gamavor Story”

On Sun., March 15, the “Gamavor Story” came to life at St. Gregory’s Founders Hall in Philadelphia. The play, written by Hourig Papazian Sahagian and performed by “The Way We Were Ensemble,” is a wonderful way to commemorate the Centennial, as it represents American citizens who went back into the genocide to search for and rescue survivors. These heroes are the unheralded soldiers of World War I. More than 100 guests enjoyed the brilliant performance that told the story of these selfless volunteers (“gamavors,” in Armenian) who fought the Turks.

The cast is made up of New York/New Jersey area Armenians in a variety of professional fields. They represent three generations and bring historic themes of Armenian life to stage through music and song, drawing inspiration from the enduring soul of the survivors. Guests sang along to patriotic songs throughout the performance, waving flags and cheering the performers.

The story, about heroism and patriotism, was at times comical and at

The play was written by Hourig Papazian Sahagian and performed by “The Way We Were Ensemble”
The play was written by Hourig Papazian Sahagian and performed by “The Way We Were Ensemble”

times full of woe. Many were moved to tears during certain scenes. Feelings of pride swept through the audience scene after scene. Several guests had family members that were heroic gamavors themselves and shared photos of their relatives with cast members. Many members of the community had never seen the performance before, while others claimed that this was their third time! Everyone departed with songs of “Hye Hokee” in their hearts.

Guest Contributor

Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles or press releases written and submitted by members of the community.

1 Comment

  1. This is a part of our history that I did not know. I am grateful for the brave men who fought for us, and did their utmost to protect us! Where can we find more information about this wonderful chapter of history?

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