Gyumri State Drama Theater named after Vardan Ajemyan, Classical theater in Gyumri, Armenia

The Gyumri State Drama Theater named after Vardan Ajemyan is a theater building located in Gyumri, Armenia. Its structure features a stone facade and balanced proportions that reflect traditional Armenian architectural design.

The first theatre in Alexandropol (now Gyumri) was brought to the city in 1865 by Captain Alexander Melik-Haikazyan, who rented a hall from the merchant Khachatur Hovhannisyan and built a small stage with a 150-seat auditorium. The present company was founded in 1928 and opened on 1 November with Furmанов's "Khrоvоy" ("Revolt"), directed by A. Gulakyan. It was called the Second State Theatre until 1938 and later bore the name of Askanaz Mravyan before being named after director Vardan Ajemyan.

The theatre is named after Vardan Ajemyan, its director, who staged Gorky's "In the Depths" in 1932, Schiller's "Intrigue and Love" and Paronyan's "Honourable Beggars" in 1934. Its first actress troupe reportedly included the sisters Katrine and Lusntag Zitoghtsyan. In 1965 the theatre received the Order of the Red Banner of Labour.

The theatre stands in the centre of Gyumri, at the address on Abovyan Street. Performances are given in Armenian, and the repertoire mixes classical drama with contemporary plays. The auditorium seats an audience of several hundred, so arriving before the start is advisable. The box office opens on performance days.

The theatre was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1965. Its stage nurtured actors Varduhi Varderesyan and Mher Mkrtchyan, and in 1956 it performed in Moscow during the decade of Armenian art and literature.