31.07.2024
Tamara Sevunts, who portrayed a survivor of the Armenian Genocide in the New York play "Daybreak," recently visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute (AGMI). The play, based on the lives of Varter Nazarian-Deranian and Elmas Sarachian-Boyadjian, two friends who survived the genocide and dedicated themselves to aiding displaced Armenians, is a testament to their resilience and heroism.
Decades after the genocide, the descendants of Varter and Elmas sought to preserve their ancestors' stories for future generations. Elmas’ granddaughter, playwright Joyce Van Dyke, first brought their story to the stage in 2007 with "Deported: A Dream Play." The play premiered in Boston in 2012 and was later revised as "Daybreak" in New York in 2018.
During her visit to the AGMI, Sevunts toured the exhibition "Armenian Woman: Victim and Heroine of the Armenian Genocide" with Seda Parsamyan, AGMI's exhibition coordinator. Sevunts expressed that portraying Varter was an incredibly challenging experience for her.
