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Meet the Cartozians Opens Off Broadway With Strong Early Reviews

Early reviews praise a two-act exploration of Armenian American identity that pairs sharp comedy with sober history.

Overview

  • The play opened November 17 at Second Stage’s Signature Center and is scheduled to run through December 7.
  • Playwright Talene Monahon’s production is directed by David Cromer, with critics highlighting standout work from Will Brill and Andrea Martin.
  • Act one dramatizes a 1923–24 Portland naturalization fight over whether Armenians qualified as legally white, drawing on U.S. immigration and naturalization law.
  • Act two moves to contemporary Glendale with a reality-TV setup that reignites arguments over ethnicity, representation, and how Armenians identify on the U.S. census.
  • Reviews commend the witty writing, precise comic timing, and respectful treatment of the Armenian genocide, while noting some uneven pacing and praising Tatiana Kahvegian’s set and Enver Chakartash’s costumes.