"...during the performance, I felt myself come alive as the actors moved with primal energy and danced seductively. The dialogue played across my body, casting a spell on me and taking me places I dared to go. The bluesy rendition of the military cadence “Mama Mama Can’t You See”...haunts me—I can’t get it out of my mind and heart. And to be honest, I don’t want to."

"The voices intermingled with movements, with the support of soothingly beautiful singing, deeply penetrate between sleeping and waking state...What a brilliant cast!!! It seems that every single actor was precisely chosen and crafted by an extraordinary, brilliant director, Zach Davidson, who created a production that will never be forgotten. The collaboration and passion of their talents make all the heavy moments to be interwoven with deep love and compassion."

"I can’t think of a single other production...where meticulously synchronized movement and dance backed by a pulsating, explosive sound design and original music...have played such an integral role in bringing a script from page to stage....French, Leary, Mekertichyan, and Trujillo are every bit as memorable as women who have lost friends, family members, and lovers to war..."

"It’s a strong cast, who give as much emotionally as they do physically. Their synchronized moves — and even a little bit of breakdancing — capture the chaos of war. Such moments are then beautifully juxtaposed against intimate scenes between soldier and sex worker that are surprisingly tender."

"The women take on the role of easing the pain of the war through their sexual prowess which allows the men to escape the danger that surrounds them at every turn. They morph from mother, wife, and lover seamlessly..."

"Above all, the talented actors offer a finely nuanced portrayal of war and its lasting effects. And they can even sing up a storm."

"Particularly memorable in this riveting performance in the synchronized choreography orchestrated by director Zach Davidson–half hiphop, half modern dance, all powerfully athletic–coupled with jarring lighting and sound effects that underscore the confusing dissonance of warfare."

"No, I'm Black and Armenian. I'm Black Armenian. You can accept me in my wholeness. You don't have to accept me in spite of my Blackness and try to ignore and erase that part of me. "

"...true unity, it needs to include all Armenians. And that means Armenians who may not fit into stereotypes of 'Armenianness.'...We shouldn’t have to overcompensate to be considered Armenian and to be valued. "

"The Three Witches are a blast, switching effortlessly between roles: I tip a pointy hat to Carene Mekertichyan, Bukola Ogunmola, and Sabra Williams."

"Mekertichyan and Morales evince a credible charisma as the young lovers..."

"...in updating the tale, adaptor/director Chalsma has made certain that the women of [PESTLE] have plenty of backbone...she is greatly aided in this endeavor by Hootman, Mekertichyan and especially Ogunmola."

"The standards were drafted by a majority BIPOC, majority female, intersectional, intergenerational collective, including representation from the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized populations. Members of the collective include [Carene Rose Mekertichyan]"

"All summer they’ve been collecting money for the group SELAH, a neighborhood homeless coalition. 'That’s another great thing about being back in person. We can be connected to everyone in our community and serve our community,' Mekertichyan added."

"Chalsma: Oh, it has great resonance with the pandemic. It’s about a group of people who’ve been isolated for years, and whose only path forward is forgiveness and a welcoming love as they emerge into the larger world. It’s exactly the show our community needs now."

"The budding romance between Ferdinand and Miranda is absolutely adorable. When Miranda tells Ferdinand that her father is “hard at study,” we see Prospero standing in the near darkness. Miranda pouts a bit when Ferdinand mentions other women he has known, which is cute. When the others are searching for Ferdinand, Antonia and Sebastiane call out his name with an obvious lack of interest in finding him, which is funny."

"The structure of this new play development has ensured that the white supremacy that is so steeped in our theatrical institutions (and this country) will take up no space in our art making."

"From my honors thesis production of Ntozake Shange’s “for colored girls” to the plays I write, tackling issues like the intersectional erasure of Black women, assault, and racism in the cannabis “industry”, to my physical presence on stage to the work I do as an arts advocate and educator; my career has been centered on using the power of art to create a societal shift. "

"The United States must also provide reparations for their own genocide of Black and Indigenous people. It is my sincere hope that the members of the Armenian community who are new to organizing continue to fight for Armenian liberation and the liberation of ALL people. "

"Over the past six months, I have also used my social media platform to mobilize all of my communities in support of Armenians and Black lives in addition to other movements for the indigenous, incarcerated, and undocumented. As an artist, I choose to center marginalized narratives through my writing."

"We know what happens when governments choose neutrality over people and we refuse to allow this attempt at ethnic cleansing to go unnoticed."

"[Mekertichyan] also recognized that Armenian allyship must be inclusive of those members of the Black community who are struggling the most. 'If your activism does not include Black Trans women, then it’s not good activism,' she upheld."

"In this time of awakening and action, it is imperative that we as artists not only create empathy through our work, but also actively dismantle systems of oppression."

"I fight for the Armenian Community just as much as I fight for the Black Community. You all should understand that this is your fight too."

"If you're an actor you really need to do your homework and study your theater history; you shouldn't just be a puppet."

"To be a Black Armenian woman is to be the legacy to two failed Genocides."

"You have to do what speaks to you as an artist."

"Carene Rose Mekertichyan as rival cookie-maker Whitney amps up her spoiled-girl privilege for maximum eye rolls, and Mekertichyan is somehow still too likeable to hate; we can all identify with going to questionable lengths to get what we want."

"Mildred Marie Langford (as Andie) and Carene Rose Mekertichyan (as Cassie) are talented actresses that provide valuable support to the lead."

"Troy, a musical riff on Euripides' The Trojan Women, chronicles the story of a single-mother struggling to save her family from homelessness amidst rent-increases in her neighborhood. Troy is inspired by true stories of homeless families in Los Angeles. It is a Hero Theatre commission.."

"Marina doesn’t come into the plot until later, but Mekertichyan makes good use of her time onstage with her firm yet gentle portrayal. Indeed, each performer brings a striking and vibrant humanness to roles that can often come off as stiff when played by actors who fail to grasp the intricacy of Shakespeare’s work."

"[Twelfth Night] is not so much an updating as a delightful defilement. Impudently modern, often just plain silly, the production melds vintage tunes from the Great American Songbook with contemporary language that would likely outrage many Shakespeare purists."

"Theatre Lovers enjoyed a free performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at Griffith Park. Presented by Independent Shakespeare Co., the show runs until September 1st."

"Independent Shakespeare Co. presented Twelfth Night at Griffith Park, for their Summer long series of shows."

"Love is lost and found again in one of Shakespeare's most spellbinding plays. The young Pericles sets out for adventure, but gets more than he bargains for. Twenty five years later, it's his daughter's turn to sail to the high seas as she seeks to unravel the mystery of her birth."

"The humor ranges from slapstick to clever, then vulgar, ensuring there’s a little something for everyone. Each performer also embodies memorable quirks to enhance their character’s comedic timing."

"A situation that should have broken me, restored my faith in the LA theater community instead."

"All routes culminate in the title’s promised fiesta, by which point you won’t want the adventure to end."

"Ultimately Señor Plummer’s Final Fiesta is a celebration of family and community, and it’s entertaining as hell. Marvels, magic, and moments brilliance abound. The Rogue Artists Ensemble have created something truly special, a certain source of pride for the whole city. And that’s no tall tale."

"Señor Plummers’ Final Fiesta is the best kind of living history, one that I hope finds a way to become an LA perennial."

"Rigel Harris, Carene Rose Mekertichyan and Virginia Ogden are mesmerizing as the three witches. They interact powerfully as a group with its own code and secrets, and radiate cunning and mystery."

"Dartmouth College student Virginia Ogden and recent graduate Carene Rose Mekertichyan play the other two witches. All of them more than hold their own..."

"Still, Rigel Harris, Carene Rose Mekertichyan and Virginia Ogden were an absolute delight as the three ominous witches. This review won’t reveal how the production wove them imaginatively and seamlessly into a contemporary scenario. You’ll have to see the show to find out."

"The witches, in their multitude of roles, are played in convincing creepy fashion by Rigel Harris, Carene Rose Mekertichyan, and Virginia Ogden. Kudos to the show's makeup artist for those haunting faces"

"Her crowning achievement was this spring’s production of Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, for which she served as dramaturg—working closely with guest director Deena Selenow—and played the Lady in Red."

"As the choreopoem came to an end, the women held hands, facing the outside world which had once pushed them to consider suicide in solidarity. Yet as they chanted “i found god in myself/ and i loved her/ i loved her fiercely” over and over, the audience felt both empowered and overwhelmed."

“Guest director Deena Selenow—who last year was named a 'Person to Watch' by American Theater Magazine—is helping Mekertichyan bring her vision to the stage, thanks to the theater department’s VOICES initiative, which supports the presentation of works by and for artists from underrepresented communities."

"Mekertichyan said that she constantly thinks about the way her roles represent women of color, particularly when she is the only woman of color on stage."

"Mekertichyan is delightful, capturing an elegance that seems simultaneously maternal and friendly as well as calculating and vicious."