Synetic Company Sets ALICE IN WONDERLAND Cast

Synetic Company Member Kathy Gordon was born in Oxford, England and grew up among the places that inspired Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. The actress now brings her childhood familiarity with that world to the title character in Synetic Theater's 2015/16 season opener Alice in Wonderland.

"One of my favorite Oxford Alice in Wonderland connections is the Christ Church's Great Hall," Gordon says. "It's lined with stained glass windows depicting the characters from the book and whenever I visited, I liked to pretend I was the only one who knew they were there."

Alice in Wonderland is written by Lloyd Rose for the Women's Voices Theatre Festival of Washington, D.C. In anticipation of the 150th anniversary of the first publication of the classic fairytale, Synetic co-founders Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili will give Wonderland a gothic makeover.

Gordon remembers "becoming lost in the world Lewis Carroll created" when her mother read Alice in Wonderland, and invites the audience to become immersed in Synetic's darker rendition of Wonderland, and to see the classic tale in a new light.

Press opening will be Saturday, October 3 at 8p.m.

Alice's story takes a sharp turn as she falls down the rabbit hole into the dark and mysterious Wonderland. The Tsikurishvilis will combine their signature cinematic style with a script by recent Helen Hayes Award nominee Lloyd Rose (The Island of Dr. Moreau), that promises to be a fresh take on Lewis Carroll's fairy tale of the absurd. Synetic's famously physical ensemble will bring new life to favorite characters such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and murderous Queen of Hearts, throughout Alice's fantastical adventure.

This production is rated 13+ for moments that younger children may find frightening.

Dates: Sept. 30, 2015 >> Nov, 8 2015

Location: Synetic Theater, Crystal City, VA - 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington, VA 22202

Regular Run: Wednesday - Saturday, 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: $35 and up. Student tickets start at $15. Senior citizens and military receive $5 off. Group discounts are available.

About the Cast

Cast will include Kathy Gordon as Alice, Alex Mills as the Cheshire Cat, Tori Bertocci as the White Rabbit, Dallas Tolentino as Mad Hatter, Justin Bell as March Hare, Zana Gankhuyag as Dormouse/Card, Vato Tsikurishvili as Caterpillar/Humpty Dumpty, Eliza Smith as Mock Turtle/Card, Renata Loman as Queen of Hearts, Janine Baumgardener as Cards, Augustin Beall as Tweedledee, and Thomas Beheler as Tweedledum.

About Kathy Gordon

Kathy Gordon is a Synetic Theater Company Member who grew up near Oxford, England. Kathy has appeared at Synetic in Much Ado About Nothing (Margaret), The Island of Dr. Moreau, Twelfth Night (Olivia), The Picture of Dorian Gray (Lady Carlisle), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Peaseblossom), The Three Musketeers and Othello (Emilia U/S performed). Kathy performs in both Synetic Outreach shows The Music Box and The Magical Balloon and choreographed 2015's Teen Production of Hamlet...the rest is silence (original choreography by Irina Tsikurishvili).

Kathy has choreographed and produced the annual Dark Night Showcase, a showcase of performances by Synetic Company Members. Other credits include work with Urban Arias, Contradiction Dance Co., Forum Theatre, The United States Air Force Band, Temple Theatre, Palace Theatre, Spirit of the Dance Productions, London Palladium, and Disneyland Paris.

About the Playwright
Lloyd Rose received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Adaptation for Synetic Theater's 2014 production of The Island of Dr. Moreau. She has written for The New Yorker, The Washington Post (Theatre Critic: 1989 - 2001), and The Atlantic among others, and has served as a Dramaturg for Round House Theatre, Theater J, and Synetic Theater.

About the Director

Paata Tsikurishvili is the Founding Artistic Director and CEO of Synetic Theater. A native of the Republic of Georgia, he is an innovative, award-winning international artistic director, director and educator with more than 20 years of experience fusing the classical elements of drama, movement, dance, mime and music.

About the Choreographer
Irina Tsikurishvili is a 32-time Helen Hayes Award nominee for both choreography and acting and has won the Award for Outstanding Choreography eight times. She is a co-founder of Synetic Theater and choreographed and starred in over two dozen productions. Her choreography was also featured in the 2013 film Swan Song.

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