Synetic Theater | ARLnow.com

Published March 2, 2026 at 8:30AM

Signature Theatre in Shirlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Signature Theatre earned more Helen Hayes Award nominations than any other theater company in the Washington region this year.

The Shirlington-based theater received 28 nominations across five productions, leading all 38 theaters recognized by Theatre Washington for the 42nd annual Helen Hayes Awards, announced last Monday (Feb. 23). Its most-nominated production was “The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical” with eight nominations, followed by “Play On!” with seven and “Fiddler on the Roof” with six.

News

Amid Kennedy Center turmoil, two Arlington theater companies broke sales records in 2025

By Dan Egitto

Published December 22, 2025 at 3:45PM

A performance of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" at Signature Theatre earlier this year (via Signature Theater/Instagram)

During a year of shake-ups and flagging sales at the Kennedy Center, several performing arts groups in Arlington enjoyed significant success in 2025.

Leaders of local groups say that it’s difficult to tell whether they’ve directly benefited from this year’s upheaval across the Potomac, which most recently included a vote to rename D.C.’s premier performing arts center as the “Trump-Kennedy Center” last week.

News

Plans for future library, theater in Crystal City come into advisory panel’s focus

By Scott McCaffrey

Published October 8, 2025 at 10:00AM

Synetic Theater was forced to vacate its longtime Crystal City home in 2024 (photo via Synetic Theater)

Finding a site for a new library and a home for Synetic Theater after its displacement remain two key goals for leaders in National Landing.

At a recent leadership gathering, County Board Chair Takis Karantonis brought no definitive updates on either issue. But, he said, both remained on the county government’s radar.

Around Town

Synetic Theater continues search for new home after ‘a year of big changes’

By Katie Taranto

Published January 2, 2025 at 1:15PM

Vato Tsikurishvili and Josh Lucas in "Little Comedies" (courtesy of Katerina Kato)

After leaving its 15-year homebase in Crystal City last spring, Synetic Theater has kept up Arlington performances as it continues to seek a new home.

The theater company, which vacated 1800 S. Bell Street in April 2024 amid redevelopment plans, is currently premiering a new comedy at Theatre on the Run in Green Valley and preparing to produce at least two 2025 shows in D.C.

News

Synetic Theater’s Paata Tsikurishvili injured in “serious” crash, delaying show

By Matt Blitz

Published December 19, 2022 at 1:45PM

Synetic Theater's Beauty and the Beast (photo courtesy of Synetic Theater/Johnny Shryock)

Synetic Theater’s premiere of War of Worlds has been delayed after co-founder Paata Tsikurishvili suffered what are described as serious injuries in a vehicle crash.

In an update last Friday, the Crystal City-based theater company said that its co-founder and artistic director Tsikurishvili had been hospitalized for a number of days “as a result of injuries he sustained in a serious car accident.”

Events

Crystal City’s Synetic Theater debuting a “bloody” adaptation of Dracula next month

By Matt Blitz

Published September 27, 2022 at 10:30AM

Dracula returns to Synetic Theater in Crystal City next month (photo courtesy of Synetic Theater)

Just in time for the spooky season, Crystal City’s Synetic Theater is debuting a “bloody” adaptation of Dracula.

The two-decade-old, local non-profit theater is bringing one of the world’s most famous horror stories to its stage next month, with shows starting on October 13. The show is set to run Thursday through Sunday through Nov. 6.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 15, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated July 15, 2022 at 9:31AM

The Rosslyn farmers market (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Student Organizes Concert for Ukraine — “The granddaughter of a refugee from Ukraine who was forced to leave her home due to World War II, Sofia Parfomak knows all too well what millions of present-day Ukrainians are going through since the Russian invasion began in February. Parfomak, a dual enrollment student at Marymount University and Bishop O’Connell High School, has taken the crisis to heart.” [Marymount University]

Synetic Prepares for New Season — “Arlington-based Synetic Theater has announced plans for its 2022-23 season, which will explore ‘otherness’ and relationships to those who are different. ‘When I first came to this country as a refugee, I did not speak the language; it was disorienting but also magical,’ said Paata Tsikurishvili, cofounder and artistic director of the troupe.” [Sun Gazette]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 8, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated October 17, 2022 at 11:25AM

Street scene near Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Trash Collection Starting Earlier — “In an effort to get a jump on the day and maybe beat a bit of summer heat, curbside collection crews will be starting their routes 30 minutes earlier in the morning beginning next week. The new start time of 6:30 a.m. is considered a pilot, with the results to be evaluated after a few months. As usual, recycling/trash/organics carts need to be at the curb by 6 a.m. on weekly pick-up day. Putting them out the night before is perfectly fine–if that’s how you roll.” [Arlington County]

Bezos Space Firm Has Arlington Office — Blue Origin “has a small existing office at 1530 Wilson Blvd. in Arlington… which the Blue Origin website describes as its ‘East Coast business office supporting government relations, sales and business development efforts.’ A lobbying disclosure form filed last month with the federal government also puts Blue Origin’s presence at that address. The Rosslyn office will remain open after Blue Origin occupies its new Reston space.” [Washington Business Journal]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 24, 2022 at 7:30AM | Updated October 17, 2022 at 11:25AM

Rainy day in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

‘Midsummer’ Starts Next Month — “Synetic Theater, the home of American Physical Theater and movement-based storytelling, announces the return of its acclaimed adaptation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed and choreographed by company co-founders Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili. The production runs June 30 through July 24.” [Synetic Theater]

Local Donut Shop Expanding — “The owners of a Ballston doughnut shop and cafe are building out a commercial kitchen in Tysons to support a growing wholesale business and its own planned expansion… Charles Kachadoorian, a Good Company co-owner, said the shop has outgrown its capacity at 672 N. Glebe Road in Ballston, from which it produces sweets for its cafe, for other coffee shops to sell retail, and for its own catering business. It plans to expand across all of those avenues, Kachadoorian said, including with a new shop in Crystal City in the shorter term and one in D.C. in 2024.” [Washington Business Journal]

Events

Local performing arts orgs are back in-person just in time for the holidays

By Matt Blitz

Published November 18, 2021 at 2:00PM

Encore Stage’s Enchanted Bookshop Christmas (Photo courtesy of Encore Stage/ Cindy Kane Photography)

As the region creeps back closer to normal, and with the holiday season now upon us, in-person performing arts are making a comeback.

Local theaters are once again welcoming back audiences for an assortment of concerts and productions.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 12, 2021 at 7:30AM

A Metro train heads east as traffic heads west along I-66 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Running Store Coming to Pentagon City — “Federal Realty Investment Trust has leased the last bit of vacant retail space at Westpost, the 14-acre mixed-use development a short walk from where Amazon.com Inc.’s new headquarters buildings will stand. The leases put the roughly 297,000-square-foot retail center on course to be fully occupied in the first half of 2022 after a handful of notable vacancies, including the nearly 34,000-square-foot former Bed, Bath & Beyond to be replaced by a Target store, and the roughly 4,500-square-foot space where Road Runner Sports will replace a shuttered Unleashed by Petco.” [Washington Business Journal]

Library Seeking Latino History Donations — “Over the last three decades, Arlington’s Latino community has rapidly grown and stockpiled a wealth of history. And this week, librarians and historians at the Center for Local History at Arlington Public Library are asking for donations of documents to archive the county’s Hispanic history. The project is called Re-Encuentro de Arlington Latinos.” [WTOP]

Around Town

After Surviving Shutdowns, Local Arts Groups Prepare for New Season

By Dana Munro

Published August 17, 2021 at 9:00AM | Updated August 17, 2021 at 9:33AM

Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra 100th Anniversary of Armistice Day (file photo)

Arlington arts organizations may have lost as much as $10 million in 2020 due to the pandemic, but they were able to get by with help from friends of the arts.

Many arts groups in the county reported losing 41-60% of their expected income, according to Embracing Arlington Arts, a group of local residents who work toward bolstering the arts in the county. But the arts organizations survived on a combination of government and private grants, generous locals and virtual performances.