YEREVAN, November 19 (Noyan Tapan). From October 23 to November 7, the National Academic Theater after Sundukian was on a jubilee tour in the US in connection with the 80th anniversary of its foundation. The Sundukian troupe performed Levon Shant's "Old Gods" and American playwright Ray Coon's "Night Feast" plays at the famous "Alex" and "Academy-Police" auditoriums of Los Angeles. Vahe Shahverdian, Artistic Director and head producer of the theater, said during a press conference that the tour was a great success, and nine valuable diplomas of gratitude, including the diplomas given by the US Senate, the Governor of California, the municipal authorities of Los Angeles to the troupe are the evidence of this fact. "Old Gods" received an especially enthusiastic welcome, that's why Levon Shant's this work was performed instead of two announced performances of "Night Feast". V. Shahverdian noticed that the tour was finished with the jubilee celebration held at "Academy-Police" on October 29. Representatives of foreign embassies, two members of the Armenian higher orders of clergy, the RA Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs, the American high-ranking officials, Armenian philanthropists from the Diaspora were also present there. It was also noticed that the tour was widely covered by the Diasporan and American press. According to V. Shahverdian, the tour was held at the private invitation of the Armenian- American Cultural and Musical-Theatrical Union, but then it turned to an arrangement of state level due to its quality and good organization. The organizers also invited the troupe of the theater to give performances in the US next year.

---