Synetic Theater

Synetic Theater’s mission is to redefine theater by blending innovative techniques and movement, investing in artists' growth, and creating unforgettable, visceral experiences for any audience. Synetic is unique in the United States for our signature kinetic stagings of classic literary works, folktales, and devised works leveraging our original “Body of Mind” technique that combines distinct movement styles that emphasize character-based storytelling. The high-voltage athleticism and stunning visuals of Synetic Theater’s productions make it the Greater Washington region’s premier physical theater company and significantly contributes to the community vitality of the region, especially South Arlington where we call home.

We bring our specialized skills in adaptation and ensemble work to our camps and classes, where students work on movement, mime, clowning, acrobatics, and bold acting that culminates in group performance. This physical theater approach offers a uniquely active form of expression for our students. At Synetic, we believe art has the ability to cross all cultural, linguistic, and geographic barriers, and we are dedicated to redefining the theater experience by synthesizing a variety of techniques to help our students tell powerful, affirming stories. Additionally, Synetic has an increasingly prolific outreach program. Through partnerships with public libraries, school districts and other community-based organizations, we bring engaging, accessible live performance and educational experiences to thousands of youth in underserved communities annually. Students often first encounter our work and approach through assemblies and workshops in their schools, and then choose to enroll in one of our in-studio camps or classes. The most engaged students then jump over into our training programs with our Pre-Teen and Teen Companies, a pre-professional program dedicated to developing the next generation of athletic performers. Many of these students then go on to join our professional company.

Synetic Theater was founded in 2001 by Georgian immigrants Irina and Paata Tsikurishvili, who fled the former Soviet country during the liberation movement to escape political and artistic repression. In Georgia, they had trained extensively in physical theater, gymnastics, dance and film, and brought the Eastern European tradition of movement- and visuals-driven theater to the U.S. As we conclude our 20^th anniversary season, we reflect on our growth from street performances to our current legacy of awards and acclaim, adapting two or three major classic stories annually.

Artistically, Synetic has consistently produced highly acclaimed productions, having received 35 Helen Hayes Awards and 143 nominations to date. Synetic has been featured in The Catalogue for Philanthropy of Greater Washington, most recently in the 2019-20 edition, and we regularly receive critical acclaim from publications such as The Washington Post, Washington City Paper, and DC Metro Theatre Arts.