Synetic Theater is a non-profit physical theater company located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. It performs at the Crystal City Theatre in Arlington Virginia.[1] Since its formation its productions have received numerous awards.
Synetic Theater
Theatre Logo
Formation
2001
Type
Theatre group
Purpose
Physical Theater: fusing drama, movement, dance, mime, and music
Location
Arlington VA / Washington, D.C.
Artistic director(s)
Paata Tsikurishvili (Founder)
Notable members
Irina Tsikurishvili (Founder, Choreographer)
Website
http://www.synetictheater.org/
Historyedit
Founded in 2001,[2] Synetic Theater began as an artistic subgroup within the now defunct Stanislavsky Theater Studio which performed at the Church Street Theater in Washington, D.C. – the result of an artistic split by the husband and wife team of Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili from Andrei Malaev-Babel, the other co-head of The Stanislavsky Theater Studio.[3][4] It made its artistic debut in April 2002 with a wordless adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet, known as Hamlet…the rest is silence. The production was remounted the following season, receiving the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Resident Play, Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Director.[5] Despite the artistic split, Synetic Theater and The Stanislavsky Theater Studio continued to share resources and performance space into the following season, but in 2003, after a series of disagreements over financial matters, Synetic set off on its own. The following year Synetic merged with Classika Theater,[6] a children's theater based in Shirlington, Virginia.[7]
In 2014 Synetic Co-Founders Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili were honored as Washingtonians of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine for their contributions to the Washington theater community.[8] In 2010, the American Theatre Wing awarded Synetic with their National Theatre Company Grant.[9]
Facilitiesedit
The Synetic Theater's offices and administrative spaces are located 2155 Crystal Plaza Arcade, T-19, Arlington, VA 22202 in the Crystal City area of Arlington.[10] Until 2010 Synetic performed most of its shows in the Arlington County run Rosslyn Spectrum. In September 2010 it moved into the Crystal City Theatre space outfitted by the Arena Stage after the latter moved back into its newly renovated spaces in Washington D.C.[11] Between 2006–2010, it performed one show each spring in the Kennedy Center.[12] In the 2009–2010 season it produced the premiers of its "Silent Shakespeare" series at the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Lansburgh Theatre.[13] With the company's move to Crystal City, the relationship with the Shakespeare Theatre Company and the Lansburgh Theatre ended.
Since many of Synetic's company members were from Georgia, Host and Guest was remounted in reaction to the Russian invasion of Georgia in August 2008.[20] The production replaced the originally scheduled stage adaptation of the vintage horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
† Remounted
Significant eventsedit
In 2010 Synetic Theater moved to the Crystal City Theatre in Arlington VA.[21]
Synetic Theater was invited to perform in Tbilisi, Georgia. Remount performances of King Lear and Host and Guest were presented at the Rustaveli Theatre 3-19 Nov 2012. The tour was supported by the U.S. Department of State, the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation and the Trust for Mutual Understanding.[22][23]
In 2013 Synetic raised funds for new studio space in Crystal City near the theater space. The studio has 3 classrooms that can be used for camps, classes and rehearsal space as well as a green room and a reception area.[21]
In 2014 Synetic Theater produced its 10th "silent Shakespeare" adaptation "Twelfth Night."[24]
In 2014, Synetic Theater's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream was invited to the 10th Festival Internacional in Chihuahua, Mexico. Subsequently, they also performed at Teatro Victor Hugo Rascon Banda, Juarez, Mexico.[25]
Significant past productionsedit
Silent Shakespeare seriesedit
Synetic is noted for performing well known Shakespeare plays without words. Hours long plays are pared to 90 minutes of highly stylized dance, movement, acrobatics, pantomime, music and story without a word being spoken.[26] In a letter to patrons in a program, Michael Kahn, the Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company, says: "Synetic's signature blend of music, movement, and dance represents a novel approach to Shakespeare"[27] In the Directors Notes of The Tempest program Paata Tsisurishvili stated "Since our first production in 2002, I have often been asked, without the language, is what we do really Shakespeare? I believe it is. Since Shakespeare has been translated into multiple languages, his words having found multiple expressions and becoming a truly universal institution in the process, we believe the language of movement is no less valid method of exploring his work than any other. As Shakespeare himself painted with words, we attempt to paint his words with our images, offering an archetypical Shakespeare that we know, as one reviewer put it, 'in our bones'"[28]
Productions are regularly remounted in the years following their initial production.
The series includes the following well reviewed and award-winning productions:
† – Named one of the year's "10 best" by the Washington Post[35]
In January 2011 A Midsummer Night's Dream was remounted by invitation at the '62 Center for Theatre and Dance at Williams College in Williamstown, MA,[42]
Overall, Synetic has earned a large number of Helen Hayes Nominations and won many Helen Hayes Awards in ten seasons. Most of the awards have been for its wordless Shakespearean repertoire.[5][53] Its more prestigious awards include:
2005 Outstanding Choreography: Resident Production, Irina Tsikurishvili, The Master and Margarita.[5]
2003 Outstanding Resident Play, Hamlet … the rest is silence.[5]
2003 Outstanding Director: Resident Play, Paata Tsikurishvili, Hamlet … the rest is silence.[5]
2003 Outstanding Choreography: Resident Production, Irina Tsikurishvili, Hamlet … the rest is silence.[5]
Other items of noteedit
The name Synetic was coined by founding artistic director Paata Tsikurishvili from the words Synthesis (the coming together of distinct elements to form a whole) and Kinetic (pertaining to or imparting motion; active ... dynamic ...) yielding "Synetic Theater – a Dynamic Synthesis of the Arts"[54]
^"The 42nd Washingtonians of the Year Luncheon (Photos) | Washingtonian (DC)". January 17, 2014.
^BWW News Desk. "American Theatre Wing Announces 2010 National Theatre Company Grants". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
^Synetic Theater. "Directions". Retrieved September 7, 2011.
^"Synetic Theater Takes The Stage In Crystal City". rystalcity.org. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
^The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (March 1, 2006). "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announces a New Five-Year Partnership with Synetic Theater". Retrieved November 11, 2009.
^"Synetic Theater announces a new alliance with The Shakespeare Theatre Company during their Leadership Repertory" (PDF). May 4, 2009. Retrieved November 11, 2009.
^"2014/15 Synetic Season Subscription". www.synetictheater.org. Synetic Theatre. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
^"2014/15 Synetic Season Subscription". www.synetictheater.org. Synetic Theatre. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
^Synetic Theater. "2012/13 Season". Retrieved October 28, 2012.
^"Synetic Theatre 2011–12 Main Stage Season" (PDF). Retrieved August 26, 2011.
^"Synetic Theatre Season 2010–11". Retrieved August 26, 2011.
^ ab"Synetic Theatre Season". Retrieved November 27, 2009.
^Marks, Peter (August 20, 2008). "Synetic Theater Stages a Reaction To Georgia War". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^ ab"Synetic to move to Arena's Crystal City theatre". April 6, 2010.
^"Synetic Theater Off to Republic of Georgia for Week of Performances". October 27, 2012. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
^Goldstein, Jessica (October 30, 2012). "Backstage: Crystal City's Synetic Theater has Georgia trip on its mind". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
^"Synetic Theater to Bring A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM to Mexico". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
^Healy, Patrick (January 21, 2011). "Hamlet (and Others) as the Strong, Silent Type". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
^Kahn, Michael (January 28, 2010). Letter in Synetic Theater's Antony and Cleopatra Program. Washington, D.C.: Harmon Center for the Arts.
^Tsikurishvili, Patta (February 21 – March 24, 2013). "Directors Notes". The Synetic Theater The Tempest Program Book.
^Triplett, William (April 8, 2002). "Synetic's 'Hamlet': The Rest Is Silence". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
^Toscano, Michael J. (February 22, 2007). "Synetic Theater's 'Macbeth' Leaves the Actors Speechless". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
^Marks, Peter (January 29, 2008). "'Romeo and Juliet': Such Sweet Sorrow". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
^Marks, Peter (June 1, 2009). "Synetic's Wordless, Wondrous 'Midsummer'". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
^Ramanathan, Lavanya (January 29, 2010). "Synetic Theater's 'Antony and Cleopatra' is silent". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^Marks, Peter (February 4, 2010). "Review: The rising passion, and artistry, of Synetic's 'Antony and Cleopatra'". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^ abMarks, Peter (December 18, 2010). "Peter Marks' Top 10 of 2010". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
^Marks, Peter (April 1, 2011). "Peter Marks reviews Synetic Theater's 'King Lear'". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
^Marks, Peter (June 9, 2010). "THEATER REVIEW: Silently but eloquently, Synetic Theater captures fury and passion of 'Othello'". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
^Marks, Peter (April 2, 2012). "A 'Shrew' on two fleet feet from Synetic Theater". Retrieved October 28, 2012.
^Marks, Peter (February 28, 2013). "A frothy new 'Tempest' bubbling to the surface". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 5, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
^Marks, Peter (January 1, 2014). "Synetic Theater offers a saucy, dancing 'Twelfth Night'".
^Wren, Celia (February 23, 2015). "A good bet: 'Much Ado About Nothing' at Synetic Theater".
^"Synetic Theater A Midsummer Night's Dream". williams.edu. Retrieved January 24, 2011.
^Marks, Peter (September 29, 2008). "'Host and Guest': Back With a Vengeance". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
^Traiger, Lisa (September 9, 2005). "'Dracula' in the Flesh and Blood". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
^Marks, Peter (September 16, 2006). "'Frankenstein': Synetic Creates A Monster To Remember". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
^Marks, Peter (February 17, 2006). "'Dybbuk' Possesses Dazzling Moments". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
^Marks, Peter (May 2, 2006). "Dances With the Devil; Synetic's 'Faust' Turns Up the Heat". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
^Marks, Peter (June 2, 2008). "From Synetic, A 'Carmen' That's Lithe On Its Feet". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
^Ritzel, Rebecca (June 10, 2011). "Synetic Theater lilts at windmills". The Washington City Paper. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
^Pressley, Nelson (May 16, 2013). "'Three Musketeers' at Synetic goes full throttle on the senses". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 19, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
^Marks, Peter (December 27, 2009). "Best of the decade: Theater". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^"Synetic Theater to Perform Post's "Best of Decade" Host and Guest in New York City" (PDF). Press Release. Synetic Theater. February 3, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
^ abcdeReorganized Helen Hays Awards Web Site. "HHA Nominees & Recipients". Theatre Washington. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
^The Kennedy Center Playbill – Synetic Theater presents Carmen. Washington, D.C.: The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. June 2008.
^"Members of the League of Washington Theatres". Retrieved November 11, 2009.