Photos: Synetic Theater Presents HOST AND GUEST

Synetic Theater opens its 2022-2023 season with Host and Guest, September 12 through October 2 at Synetic's home theater in National Landing. The heartbreakingly beautiful tale of warring factions garnered international acclaim and established Synetic's signature style when it first premiered 20 years ago as an artistic response to 9/11. Tickets are on sale now at www.synetictheater.org.

"Given all that is happening these days in the United States, in Ukraine, in the Caucasus, and around the world, the entire Synetic company felt that now was the right time to revisit Host and Guest; its themes of respect, hospitality, honor, and humanity are so important in this moment," said Synetic Theater's co-founder and Artistic Director Paata Tsikurishvili.

Host and Guest is a timely tale of war, strife, the beliefs that tear us apart and the humanity that brings us together. Based on Georgian poet Vazha Pshavela's 19th-century narrative poem, the story follows a family who takes in a stranger, only to discover he is from an enemy clan, and the family's valiant attempt to save their guest when their village seeks violent vengeance.

Synetic Theater co-founders Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili first brought Host and Guest to the stage in 2002, as an artistic response to the cultural upheaval in the wake of 9/11, and restaged it in 2008 in response to Russia's re-invasion of their homeland of Georgia. It has since toured internationally, earning high praise, with the Washington Post naming it one of the best performances of the decade (2000-2009) and the New York Times praising it as "beautifully choreographed...gory and breathtakingly sad."

Marking its 20th anniversary, this production of Host and Guest returns with updated sets, costumes and production design to complement the award-winning staging and choreography. As the sole U.S. theatrical performance of Host and Guest, the cast will feature Romanian-born, Los Angeles-based actor Dan Istrate as Joqola and Georgian-born, founding company member Irakli Kavsadze as Musa, the role originated by his late father. Irina Tsikurishvili will reprise her role as Joqala's wife Agaza. Complete casting and creative crediting are below.

"We first put on this powerful play following the tragedy of 9/11. In 2008, Russia invaded my home country again and I brought Host and Guest back to advocate for peace. Now in 2022, I feel déjá vu with the war in Ukraine, and the 'Red State, Blue State' divides here in the U.S., I feel like I am traveling in time and watching history repeat itself," remarked Tsikurishvili. "Without even uttering a word, Host and Guest says a lot. It's teaching us a lot about the world and about finding unity and common ground within a divided society."

Host and Guest opens Synetic Theater's 2022-2023 season, and is immediately followed by an updated production of Dracula and will finish off the 2022 year with the enchanting holiday story, Snow Maiden.