Audience Love
What People Are Saying About
When Two of Us Meet
"I really can't put into words what I thought about this musical.
So poignant and gripping, with wonderful music!
Loved it!
Amazing voices and an amazing story!"
-Linda Belmonte
(March 2025 audience)
"Loved the performance!
The composer possesses incredible talent, and I look forward to seeing more of the story"
-Mariann Illingworth
(March 2025 audience)
"Really savvy lyrics!"
-Dzovig Kutumian
(March 2025 audience)
"The orchestrations and vocal arrangements were excellent;
and this story needs to be told"
-Susan Drew
(March 2025 audience)
"One evening I had a tune running through my head, an earworm, if you will.
I couldn’t place it at first
but then I suddenly realized
it was 'Rise Up'
[from When Two of Us Meet].
The song is incredibly memorable!"
-Scott Bennett
Theatre Critic
(March 2025 audience)
"A Broadway-worthy stage musical!"
-Lisa Kradjian
Playwright
(March 2025 audience)
"Wow, was that special!
We really dug the contemporary themes, especially the young girl wanting to not be bound
by tradition, as well as the love story."
-Armand and Becky Lenchek
Musical Theatre Writers
(March 2025 audience)
"It was such a good experience on many levels--the message was important, and the music was engaging and catchy"
-Elenne Najarian
(March 2025 audience)
"A triumphant immigrant success story, with music that will leave you awestruck"
-Silva Katchiguian
President, Armenian Int'l Women's Assoc.
(March 2025 audience)
"Where has Simonian been hiding? The music is iconic, and catchy! So catchy!"
-Ani Kablikian
Artist
(March 2025 audience)
"Insanely good.
People sitting near me
were weeping."
-Julia Long-Lerno
(March 2025 audience)
"This show is going all the way. You rarely see this level of quality—music and story alike. It’s epic."
-Andrea Reimer
(March 2025 audience)
"I loved every moment.
This story is a great one,
and I love all of the music. Particularly these songs:
A Different Dream for A Girl
Hands Start Shakin'
Rise Up & Light Every Light"
-Dr. Ron Nichols
Legacy Sponsor
(March 2025 audience)
"I loved the opening song the most, and I really hope this soundtrack becomes available.
This musical makes me proud to be Armenian."
-Joseph Diacheysn
(March 2025 audience)
"This is a hard subject matter to tackle. The story could be too dark or too light--it's a hard thing to do, but Emily [Simonian] has walked that line perfectly!"
-Izzy Toumanian
(March 2025 audience)
"My favorite song was Nellie.
I love the 90s boy band vibe. Sonically, it stood out the most to me, along with
Fighting for Your Life"
-Chris Graham
Actor
(March 2025 performer)
"I think this show is phenomenal!
It's beautiful, and it's full.
All of the songs are so good, but my favorites are:
The Simple Life
Great Escape & Underneath.
I'm still singing them!
I full heartedly believe
in the show!"
-Eva Abramian
Actor
(March 2025 performer)
"Nellie became my favorite song, but I'm a huge fan of: The Simple Life
Rise Up
You Can’t Be Lost in Havana, & The Rubbish Haul.
All of them spanned musical genres that congealed the story without losing integrity of the subject matter.
-Adam Meshejian
Actor
(March 2025 performer)
"I love the music overall—it presents an array of different genres that reflects on the specific tastes, upbringing, and background of the composer, on top of serving the story well narratively.
My favorite song is:
Underneath"
-Michael Koutelos
Actor
(March 2025 performer)
"The Caucasus song [Fighting for Your Life]
was great--especially the rapping!"
-Janilla Azarian
(March 2025 audience)
"I got chills listening to the music. This is not your typical bold and brash 'Broadway musical' type of music."
-Rosie Nisanyan
Screenwriter
(March 2025 audience)
"My favorite songs were: Nellie
The Oldest Rhythm
The Darkest Night
I loved how we got to meet Nellie and Aram in Nellie!
-Joseph Keegan
(March 2025 audience)
"Beautiful. Simonian has achieved a major feat of theatrical storytelling."
-Greg Bachman
Composer, lyricist, librettist
(March 2025 audience)
"The female characters are especially interesting, and I think the strongest character is mother! In Armenian culture, the matriarch is always the heart of every family!"
-Hunter Hope Barnett
Actor
(March 2025 performer)
-Unbiased & total random reviewers
(2022 focus group)