Show casts humorous light on a serious topic

GLENDALE — A comedy cabaret show that ranged from edgy to lighthearted helped raise funds for the final week of commemorations on a more serious matter.

Nearing the end of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Glendale YWCA organizers opened their doors Friday night for a one-woman cabaret show called “Pomegranate Whiskey.”

Lory Tatoulian’s show opened with a thinly veiled criticism on the Iraq War as she impersonated a Midwestern cosmetics salesman who touted the virtues of “taking over and making over.”

“I would say she’s edgy,” said Jesse Beers, 25, who was one of the about 50 people in the audience. “She deals with issues that are going on today. Although she’s edgy, it’s not in a way that’s hurtful.”

Tatoulian also did an impersonation of an Armenian woman with a thick accent — a bit that had many of the Armenian woman in the house bellowing as they caught the inside jokes.

“She’s great,” said Anahit Takhtalian, 27. “I really liked the Armenian-woman skit … because coming from that background, I could relate to it.”

Tatoulian came into the crowd and got some audience participation as she poked at the different connotations of Glendale neighborhoods.

“Oh, you live in Glendale,” Tatoulian asked an audience member. “But not in the hills, right? Where do you live, south of Lomita?”

The show was a markedly lighthearted event, considering the seriousness of upcoming events on sexual-assault awareness.

But Eiza Karagesian, volunteer coordinator for Glendale YWCA, said the event was a fundraiser to help support other events.

“The hope was to bring comedy, laughter and relief to kick off the week,” she said.

The Glendale YWCA, the city’s commission on the status of women, and nonprofit organization Peace Over Violence will host the Take Back the Night rally on Friday. Supporters are welcomed to gather at city hall at 4:30 p.m. to raise awareness on the victims and survivors of sexual assault.

One in five women will be abused in their lifetime and sexual assault is one of those abuses, said Kathie Mathis, Glendale YWCA’s director of domestic violence programs.

Because the subject is not talked about much, it is also one of the most underreported crimes, she said.

Events such as the rally aim to raise awareness, Mathis said.

But on Friday, with hors d’oeuvres, wine and martinis going around to audience members, the goal was geared toward raising funds and bringing people together for a good time, Karagesian said.

“It’s not a sexual-assault show,” she said. “It’s a comedy. It’s our way of bringing the community together.”