This column is sponsored by Arlington Arts/Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.
We’ve all enjoyed watching the kids delight in their superhero costumes during the annual revels of Halloween, their primary goal being to score a haul of sugary treats at your door. Now, Arlington’s Synetic Theater offers an eerie treat for grownups — a play with real food for thought. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus is a myth forged in real time. Both intimate and epic, it asks not only what it means to create life, but what kind of life is worth creating.
In a barren world at humanity’s end, a man dares to steal fire and bring life to the dead — only to create something he cannot control. Inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic, this bold reimagining trades candlelit laboratories for storm-ravaged wastelands, where rhythm, ritual and elemental force breathe life into a new Creature. A visually raw and immersive meditation on grief, hubris and what it means to remake ourselves when the world has collapsed.
Synetic has earned more than 100 Helen Hayes Award nominations, accolades from the American Theatre Wing and the title of “Washingtonians of the Year” from Washingtonian magazine for its founders. Founded in 2001 by Georgian immigrants Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili, Synetic has redefined storytelling in the Washington, D.C. area. The duo, who emigrated from Georgia in 1995, combine dance, theater and film with Caucasus traditions and distinctly American styles.
This production is presented with support from Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development which delivers public activities and programs as Arlington Arts. Our mission is to create, support and promote the arts, connecting artists and community to reflect the diversity of Arlington. For an array of activities across the visual and performing arts, including our upcoming annual spotlight Winter Arts Highlights, please visit the Arlington Arts Website.
Directed by Paata Tsikurishvili, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus runs Nov. 1 through Nov. 23, at Thomas Jefferson Theater, located at 125 S. Old Glebe Road. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Synetic Theater’s website.
