Road to the Stage

The protagonist, Lyonya, the youngest son of the respected Professor Yengibaryan, dreams of working in the circus. However, his parents strongly oppose his aspirations. Despite their disapproval, Lyonya secures a job as a uniformed assistant, though he approaches his responsibilities with little seriousness.

One day, Lyonya impulsively decides to step beyond his assigned duties by performing as a clown during a show. Ill-prepared for his debut, he ruins the performance. Overwhelmed with shame after his failure, Lyonya decides to leave the circus.

Meanwhile, a meeting takes place in the circus director’s office. The director expresses his dissatisfaction, stating that Lyonya lacks talent. However, the acrobat Irina is the only one who doubts the director’s harsh judgment.

The director resolves to confront Lyonya and visits his home, where he meets Lyonya's parents. At the same time, Lyonya reflects on his mistakes and makes a firm decision to dedicate himself to rigorous training in preparation for the next performance.

• Road to the Stage at IMDb
• Road to the Stage (1963) on YouTube, National Cinema Center of Armenia (in Armenian)