BRIEF SYNOPSIS
When Two of Us Meet tells the story of a spirited family’s turbulent journey from Armenia to America in the early 20th century, emphasizing the pivotal roles of faith, hope, and love in their personal, familial, and cultural evolution.
In the idyllic village of Ghasmali, Armenia, 1915, Avo and Shogho, along with their progressive teenage children, find their lives upended as tension escalates between Ottoman authorities and the Armenian people. As the shadows of tragedy loom, the family grapples with love, loss, and the pursuit of freedom.
Amidst the chaos, the narrative takes a riveting journey around the world, from Armenia to the Republic of Georgia, then Havana, Cuba, and eventually to Los Angeles, CA, where the family faces discrimination and the daunting task of rebuilding their shattered lives. The relentless trials of social injustice, displacement, and separation become the crucible in which the family forges an indomitable spirit, embodying the resilience of those who persevere in the face of adversity.
Pictured above: Getap, Armenia, formerly "Ghasmali", in the Shirak Region, July 2023. Photo by Emily Simonian.
BACKGROUND, DEVELOPMENT AND TRUE STORY
BACKGROUND/DEVELOPMENT
This isn't a story about the Armenian genocide, but rather, a narrative about love, adventure, passion, and a very special culture, which begins against the backdrop of the 1915 tragedy.
"With all due respect, our culture is so much more than a survival story. What happened after the genocide, what the Armenian diaspora looks like today, and themes like resilience and family
love— that's what this story is about. Themes that resonate universally, beyond one specific culture." -Emily Simonian (Creator)
Composer/lyricist/librettist Emily Simonian began writing When Two of Us Meet in 2020. In 2022, Simonian partnered with her cousin, Rebecka "Kazarian" Webb, a studied musical theatre director and educator, and together, the two created a roadmap for Emily to bring the story to life through music and lyrics. After Emily gathered historical information, Simonian's father, Wayne, recalled secondhand accounts of his grandparents, Avo and Shogho's tumultuous experiences in Armenia and America.
In early 2023, Emily met orchestrator/arranger Alena Kutumian through an ASMAC (American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers) webinar led by musical theatre giant, Marc Shaiman. Kutumian, a graduate of NYU's Steinhardt, signed on and started orchestrating the musical scores. Simonian, Kutumian, and Webb are currently preparing the musical for a New York City concert reading in March 2025.
The story sparkles like a new "old classic" with a wholesome old world charm, brimming with catchy melodic hooks and clever lyrics.
Using contemporary language and music, Simonian weaves each character's heart-warming story through historical tragedy with grace, and even humor. Indeed, this is not a story about the Armenian genocide. Some might call it a love letter to the Armenian diaspora, and to Emily, it's also "a tribute to memorialize and honor a lost family member: my great-aunt Filor."
INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY
AVO
Before the Armenian Genocide began in 1915, Avo Simonian was delivering crops to a village near his hometown of Ghasmali when he was confronted by two Ottoman men. Armed with large machetes, the men aggressively approached Avo in the field, rummaging through his cart and making it clear they intended to kill him. Alone and defenseless, Avo made a split-second decision that would not only save his life but alter the course of his family’s history.
Seizing an opportunity, Avo stealthily moved behind one of the men, swiftly pulled the machete from his belt, and killed him. The second man bolted across the field, but Avo gave chase, his youthful speed earning him the nickname he would later recount with pride: “I ran like a deer,” he’d say. “In those days, I was young and fast, and I could run like a deer.” Avo caught the fleeing man and killed him, too.
This harrowing act of survival became a cornerstone of Simonian family lore, told and retold over the years with Avo’s signature gusto. While there were many tales of evading Ottoman hostility, this story stood out—not just for its drama but for its profound impact on the family’s survival. Few Armenians successfully resisted during those dark times, and those who did often survived through a mix of courage, ruthlessness, luck, or all three.
Avo’s act of defiance did not go unnoticed, and it ultimately landed him in prison. How long he remained incarcerated, why the Ottomans chose imprisonment over execution, and the circumstances of his release remain mysteries. What is certain, however, is that sometime between 1915 and 1920, Avo regained his freedom and embarked on a journey to secure a better future for his family.
He first found work in Tijuana, Mexico, before joining an Armenian friend in Los Angeles, California. There, he started a rubbish hauling business, working tirelessly to save enough money to reunite with his family. Meanwhile, his wife, Shogho, and their children—Mamigon, Aleck, and Filor—lived as refugees near Batumi in the Republic of Georgia. Eventually, Avo sent for them, bringing them to the United States to begin a new chapter of their lives.
Over a century later, Avo’s story remains a testament to resilience and determination, a vivid reminder of the extraordinary lengths one man went to ensure the survival of his family during one of history’s darkest chapters.
FILOR
By the time Avo and Shogho's daughter, Filor, reached her teenage years in the 1920s, she and her family were preparing for their long journey from Batumi to the United States. Yet, Filor’s story remains one of the great mysteries of the Simonian family—a silence rooted in her mother Shogho’s refusal to discuss the painful events of their emigration.
What little is known paints a haunting picture. Filor fell gravely ill during the voyage and was forced to disembark when the ship stopped in Havana, Cuba. Hospitalized and alone, her story ends there. Shogho, along with her sons Aleck and Mamigon, continued to America, arriving without Filor.
Shogho’s reticence to speak about this trauma left the family to grapple with unanswered questions, sparking theories about Filor’s fate. One possibility is that Filor succumbed to her illness in the hospital, with her mother at her bedside—a loss too devastating for Shogho to fully acknowledge or share. Another theory suggests an even more wrenching decision: Shogho may have been forced to leave Filor behind in Cuba, intending to return for her later. To miss re-embarking would have meant losing her passage to America and her chance to reunite with Avo, leaving her stranded with her children, no money, and no understanding of the language in a foreign land.
Whatever the truth, the shadow of Filor’s story lingers across generations, a poignant reminder of the unthinkable sacrifices and heartbreaking decisions faced by so many Armenian families seeking refuge and survival.
WRITING AN ENDING
If Filor survived, the Simonian family never found her. Avo and his loved ones had already endured unimaginable hardships in Armenia—famine, poverty, imprisonment, separation, and the harrowing escape from genocide. Avo crossed the world to build a better future, while Shogho spent years as a refugee, holding onto hope for their reunion. They overcame so much, only to lose a nearly grown daughter when they were on the brink of a new beginning.
Moved by her great-aunt Filor’s untold story, Emily became determined to give her the ending she deserved. "She was so young, and they were so close to a happy ending. I can’t bear the thought that she might have suffered alone," Emily shared. Inspired by Filor, Emily created a heroic young female protagonist to honor the 'lost girl' whose story was left unfinished.
Want to know how the story ends? When Two of Us Meet will receive a concert reading in New York City in March 2025.
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