Talene Monahon’s sharp new play blends history and satire, tracing Armenian identity across two centuries.
Meet the Cartozians weaves together two timelines to explore identity, legacy, and assimilation through the lens of Armenian American experience. In the 1920s, an Armenian man fights for legal recognition in a United States that questions his right to citizenship. A century later, his descendant navigates a different kind of struggle—pursuing social media fame while negotiating her cultural heritage and public image.
Written by Talene Monahon, the play blends historical drama with biting satire, juxtaposing courtroom battles with influencer culture. Drawing from both real events and the constructed reality of social media, the story examines how visibility, belonging, and representation shift across generations.
With its dual narrative structure, Meet the Cartozians interrogates the tension between public perception and private identity, and the evolving costs of cultural acceptance in America.
Ask ChatGPT