American Guild of Variety Artists

The American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) is an American entertainment union representing performers in variety entertainment, including circuses, Las Vegas showrooms and cabarets, comedy showcases, dance revues, magic shows, theme park shows, and arena and auditorium extravaganzas. There is some overlap between the jurisdictions of AGVA and Actors' Equity.

AGVA was the successor to the American Federation of Actors organized by Sophie Tucker and others in the late 1930s, and affiliated with the American Federation of Labor. In 1939 the AFL dissolved the AFA due to financial irregularities, and issued a new charter to AGVA (although some members went to Equity instead).

When actress Penny Singleton (who had been active in supporting the 1967 strike of the AGVA-represented Rockettes against Radio City Music Hall), was elected president of AGVA in 1969, she became the first woman to be president of an AFL-CIO union. The most recent Executive President was poet, songwriter, composer, and singer Rod McKuen, who has held the post for 19 years until his death in 2015.

Ağva

Ağva, aka Yeşilçay, is a populated place and resort destination in the Şile district of İstanbul Province, Turkey.

Geography

Ağva is a coastal place at Black Sea, situated between two rivers, Göksu in the west and Yeşilçay in the east. In fact, the name Ağva means "between the rivers". Yeşilçay is known one of the main source of İstanbul urban water system, the Yeşilçay Drinking Water Plant.

Its distance to İstanbul centrum is 97 km (60 mi) and to Şile 38 km (24 mi).

History

The area around Ağva was a part of ancient Bythinia. During the Ottoman era, Turkmen people were settled around Ağva. Up to 20th century, a sizeble Greek population also dwelled in Ağva. However, according to population exchange between Greece and Turkey agreement in the 1920s, they were replaced by Turks from Greece.

Living

With a picturesque scenery, Ağva is one of the popular resorts of İstanbul. In addition to the 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) beach there are many boarding houses and restaurants. Göksu River is well known for boat excursions and the settlement became shooting place in a number of television serials.