The uproarious theatrical comedy "Papa Rum" (μπαμπάδες με ρούμι), crafted by the brilliant duo Reppas and Papathanasiou, captivated audiences in a dazzling presentation by the Theater image0.jpegimage1.jpegimage2.jpegimage3.jpegimage4.jpegimage5.jpegimage6.jpegimage7.jpegWorkshop "Logos and Praxis" from the Academy of Hellenic Paideia, as part of the celebrated Timarete Festival.
HDN Newsroom
The curtain fell on this enchanting experience on the evening of Sunday, June 15, 2025, leaving spectators in stitches with its unpredictable twists and turns. Directed with finesse by the talented Ioanna Katsarou, the cast brought exceptional charisma and energy to the stage. The highly anticipated performance made its debut at the THESPIS Theatre, the crown jewel of the Hellenic Cultural Center in the vibrant neighborhood of Astoria, New York, captivating audiences since its premiere on May 17.
On stage, a vibrant fusion of youthful energy, seasoned talent, and professional artistry graced the performance, creating an unforgettable theatrical spectacle. This flawless production was not only a remarkable artistic triumph but also a heartfelt celebration embraced by the Hellenic-American community. After the unprecedented lull of the 2020-2022 pandemic, this enthusiastic return to the theater stages of Astoria symbolizes a flourishing revival of cultural expression and connection, reigniting the joy of live performance in the hearts of the audience.
In addition to the impressive turnout of the audience, especially for the final performances, what delighted everyone involved in the production and at the Hellenic Cultural Center NYC was the presence of a large number of younger viewers.
The impeccable direction of the play was by Ioanna Katsarou, who reaffirmed her reputation as one of the top Greek-American directors on the East Coast of the USA. Through the knowledge, talent, and creativity of Ioanna Katsarou, she successfully brought to life on the stage of the THESPIS Theatre a production from a theater workshop that rivaled professional productions frequently seen at the Hellenic Cultural Center NYC, whether from Greece, Cyprus, or THE United States.
An awe-inspiring set, masterfully crafted by Ioanna Katsarou, particularly shone in the cemetery scene, which captivated the audience's imagination. This remarkable visual spectacle was brought to life with the invaluable support of Alexandros Ammohostianos, the artistic director of the center, whose vision complemented Katsarou's artistic brilliance, resulting in a truly unforgettable theatrical experience.
The result on stage was remarkable, earning the best reviews from the audience. The good chemistry among the cast, their energy and the incredible transformation of the actors, who became one with their theatrical characters, produced the performance that we all enjoyed on stage.
Despina Paras at the role of Veska impressed with her innate acting talent and the naturalness she displayed on stage. None of us could believe our ears when Dimitra Varsami, the director of the Academy of Hellenic Paideia and organizer of the festival, mentioned that this performance was essentially Despina's first theatrical experience.
Despina portrayed her role so flawlessly as if she had been on stage for years, acting as a housemaid from Bulgaria, to the extent that some theatergoers in Astoria who did not know her personally believed she was genuinely from Bulgaria. Without exaggeration, from this performance, a talent was born and shone on the stage of THESPIS theater, and her name is Despina Paras.
Martha Argiriou played Ms. Vasso. Through this character, the multi-talented Martha Argiriou showcased talents, abilities, and techniques that we find in career actors. She was a character who needed to perform on three levels, and Martha Argiriou, who appeared on the THESPIS stage for the second time, managed to elevate her role.
Aris Tentes, in the contrasting role of the good-natured (naive) Panagiotis, dazzled on stage. This performance is Aris's third at the THESPIS Theatre, and for the first time, we see him in an entirely contrasting role, which, as we say in theatrical language, he 'nailed' the character of Panagiotis onto the demanding theatrical stage of New York.
Athanasia Lekka, as Jenny, transported us to something new that we have not experienced from her in the theater in recent years. She reaffirmed her innate talent and demonstrated that her theatrical repertoire is rich and that she can transform, support, and improvise whenever necessary. Once again, Athanasia found herself on stage playing the wife of the artistic director of the Hellenic Cultural Center, Mr. Alexandros Ammohostianos, and inevitably, she tapped into her inexhaustible improvisational talent, giving the performance that 'something' that elevated its level.
And who doesn’t know the pure theatrical talent by the name of Natassa Protopsalti? In this theatrical twist and turn, Natassa played Roi. An actress with experience, professionalism, and a commanding stage presence, Natassa excelled alongside her theatrical husband, Aris.
In this play, Natassa managed to blend harmoniously her years of experience on stage with her positive aura, creating a fusion of new, seasoned, and professional actors on stage.
The charismatic Alexandros Ammohostianos surprised with his presence on stage, as he has not appeared in any production of any theater workshop over all these years. Despite the enormous workload at the Cultural Center in his role as artistic director, he volunteered from the outset to participate in the play if needed.
As we learned, he believed in the abilities and quality of the team (director, actors, and production team) and suggested for the first time that instead of three performances, there should be eight.
He took a risk and brought "Papa Rum" (μπαμπάδες με ρούμι) to the stage as the main Hellenic community theater production of spring 2025, and he was absolutely justified.
As for Alexandros himself, on stage, his experience, energy, theatrical movement, and careful improvisation resonated, encouraging the others to ‘liberate’ themselves theatrically.
Excluding Alexandros, who is a professional actor, as well as Natasha and Athanasia, who are permanent members of the productions (both Greek and English) at the center and beyond, Despina, Martha, and Aris represent relatively new faces in the theatrical scene of Astoria. And as such, they have much more to offer to the theater not only of THESPIS but, if they choose, to the American/English theater as well.
Finally, last but not least we have to congratulate the tireless Dimitra Varsami of the Academy of Hellenic Paideia and Konstantinos Doikos, who once again brought the Timarete Festival to Astoria.
A festival that is a landmark for the Greek community, offering culture and Hellenism like no other institution on the East Coast of America.
