Gabriel Sundukyan State Academic Theatre

Gabriel Sundukyan State Academic Theatre was established in 1921, and was officially open in 1922 as the first state academic theater with the first comedy performance “Pepo” (producer Levon Qalantar). Through the efforts of Isahak Alikhanyan and Leon Kalantar, the peculiarity and aesthetic style of the national theater was established, harmonizing the traditional and the new. In 1937 the theater was named after playwright Gabriel Sundukyan, and in 1967 it was awarded the title of academic theater. The current director of the theater is Armenian actor Vardan Mkrtchyan, the artistic director is theater director, RA honored artist Armen Elbakyan. Over time, the theater has discovered a number of bright personalities. Vahram Papazyan, Hovhannes Abelyan, Hrachya Nersisyan, Gurgen Janibekyan, David Malyan, Sos Sargsyan, Azat Gasparyan, Varduhi Varderesyan and others created their creative path here.

The rise of the theater was conditioned by many performances i.e. “Hamlet”, “My heart's in the highlands”, “Mascarade”, “The living corpse”, etc. Harutyun Movsisyan, Murad Janibekyan, Armen Marutyan, Norayr Ghorgyan, Gorg Chepchyan, Nelli Kheranyan, Tigran Nersisyan, Greta Mejlumyan, Julieta Stepanyan and others are now in the troupe.