Constantinople Reviews
Broadway World- Highly Recommended
"...Kouyoumdjian tells the story with a new voice. A modern voice. Today's voice. The language is not dated to fit early 1900's style, however the set, costumes, and some of the blocking appeared to be stylized to reflect that era. A brilliant piece of staging utilizes the transitions between the scenes. With original music composed by Ara Dabandjian and Ken Press, the opportunity to continue the story with emotion so high or prominent that the dialogue would not suffice was executed. It was this reviewer's favorite moments in the production."
LA Splash- Recommended
"...CONSTANTINOPLE is a collection of moments in their lives expertly woven together by gifted director Aram Kouyoumdjian (who also wrote the piece) and a talented cast focused on one goal - letting the world know about Armenian history and how it impacts us to this day. To this end, author Kouyoumdjian creatively ends the tale by bringing it into the present moment. Alan Tollefson's scenic design is spare but reminiscent of the stark lives of these freedom fighters. Henrik Mansourian's lighting is clever, allowing for stage business to go on even when the house lights dim - thus allowing a seamless transition from one scene to the next."
The Tolucan Times- Recommended
"...Aram Kouyoumdjian's one-act play Constantinople depicts a critical, yet underreported period in the history of the Armenian people."
NoHoArtsDistrict- Highly Recommended
"...I found it heartbreaking and very powerful and I was deeply moved by the strength of Vehanoush in the face of overwhelming odds. Everyone is perfectly cast, there are some truly lovely performances. It's an extremely significant story quite beautifully told and I cannot recommend it highly enough."