Konstantine Lortkipanidze News

Synetic Theater kicks off its 2013-2014 season with a new adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, directed by Synetic Founder and Artistic Director Paata Tsikurishvili. Synetic's reinvention of this classic tale features dynamic movement and multimedia, and promises to be a unique fusion of visual and verbal poetry that will explore the internal and external dimensions of Wilde's only novel, which many consider his most personal work-a timelessly supernatural story of man's endless conflict with the nature of mortality.

While the adaptation of the classic tale is not particularly inspiring, this show is one to see for the creative staging and design work as well as a talented group of actors led by the extraordinary Alex Mills.

Synetic continues its 2012/13 season with a brand-new adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas' novel, The Three Musketeers. Opening tonight, May 9 at Synetic Theater in Crystal City.

Synetic continues its 2012/13 season with a brand-new adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas' novel, The Three Musketeers. Opening on Thursday, May 9 at Synetic Theater in Crystal City.

This production is immensely entertaining and mesmerizing.

Although this production is certainly one that favors style over substance, the creativity at work is undeniable.

Arlington's innovative Synetic Theater adds yet another strong production to its collection of wordless world premieres.

The winners of the 28th Helen Hayes Awards, a program of theatreWashington, have been announced. The most-awarded production was Synetic Theatre with six awards. Signature Theatre follows closely behind with five awards won.

Last night before a crowd of 200 theatre makers and theatre lovers, theatreWashington announced the nominees for the 28th Helen Hayes Awards. The National Theatre's Helen Hayes Gallery set the scene for the announcement of nominees in 26 categories for artistic excellence and the announcement of the recipient of the 2012 John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company. The Helen Hayes Awards is one of the most prestigious honors for artists and theatre companies in Washington's vibrant theatre scene.

November has over 60 more openings in the professional, community, universities, and children's theaters in the DC/MD/VA area. A week has already passed in November and over 20 new productions have opened. To read reviews of these shows, go to Maryland Theatre Guide, where I am the Editor and a columnist. A recent back surgery kept me from posting this earlier, so we have some catching up to do.

The humidity is starting to climb and it's what we call around here -- 'corn weather'. But in the air-conditioned theatres in the Nation's Capital there is a harvest of new shows opening. So if you're here visiting the monuments and the Smithsonian museums, get out of the heat and come see a play or a musical.

With over 30 new productions opening on DC area stages, 4 large festivals, and 2 world premiere musicals, it may still be chilly outside, but DC area stages are sizzling and bursting with great theatre. So come visit the Nation's Capital and visit our vibrant theatre scene.

As we welcome in a new year of great theatre in the nation's capital, I thought it would be fun to do one of those “Best of 2010' lists as well as preview what's opening in January on DC area stages. So let's raise our glasses and offer a toast to all those theatre companies who gave us great productions in 2010, and to the upcoming 2011 theatre season!

As the leaves are turning into a rainbow of colors, and we await the first snowflakes to fall, DC theatergoers are anticipating Arena Stage's first two productions in their new Mead Center, while Harry Connick, Jr. introduces children to a friendly elf, and Snow White and a red rose and a guy named Fred make a stop at The Kennedy Center. That red-haired orphan brings Sandy and a bitchy Ms. Hannigan and a pooch named Sandy to Olney, MD. Synetic Theater Artistic Director and his wife/choreographer reunite on the stage, a Ziegfeld Folly stars in a one-woman show, and doughnuts are served at The Studio Theatre.

DC's Premier Physical Theater Company Finally has a Home and Makes a Big Splash in Crystal City, VA to Celebrate their 10th Anniversary Season.

A signature event with three days of free theater - mark your calendars for Sept. 3-5, 2011

As the Helen Hayes Awards ceremony on April 5th honors performances and productions from the past year, DC theatergoers will be hearing two gorgeous scores by Jason Robert Brown and Jeanine Tesori, and seeing a new opera about a boxer, a splashing pool on stage, Tyne Daley as diva Maria Callas, Maurice Hines tapping his way on the Lincoln Theatre stage, Mrs. Robinson seducing Benjamin, a red balloon thrilling young audiences, Harvey Fierstein wishing he was a rich man, tales and songs from a Scottish Jewish composer, a new children's show with lots of princesses, a little musical with the title in [ ], a triumphant mounting of a short-lived Broadway musical, and a wordless Kafka classic performed in Georgian style. The crocuses, cherry blossoms, and azaleas will be in full bloom, as the nation's capital will be awash in beautiful colors. It's the perfect time to visit and see some great shows in our DC area theatres.

As we celebrate Christmas and await the New Year, here's a new audio interpretation of 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry, written and recorded by local DC actors and designers who make up The Audible Group. It is Christmas Eve, 1935. In a small apartment in the H Street NE neighborhood of Washington, DC where James and Della Young, a young couple who, though rich in love, but down to their last pennies, still manage to give each other the perfect gift. It will fill you - from head to mistletoe - with the holiday spirit. Listen here