INDELIBLE: April-June 2020

Rorschach has always had a love affair with what we call “impossible stage directions.” We are drawn to moments in which playwrights invite us to create theatre magic and to embody something abstract in a tangible way. In the coming weeks, we’re going to explore the phenomenon of Impossible Stage Directions through a new project called Indelible.

Each week we’ll announce a new challenge: an actual stage direction from a play we’ve produced. Rorschach artists will have a week to interpret that stage direction by photo, video, or audio. SCROLL DOWN to see what artists have already created!

Friends and fans of Rorschach are encouraged to play along too. Just send your art to info@rorschachtheatre.com by Wednesday of the following week or tag us on Facebook (/rorschachtheatre) or Instagram (@rorschachdc). And remember, in the Rorschach test there are no wrong answers. We are what you see.

Rorschach is offering small honorariums to our artists for creating these works. If you like what you see and you’d like to support Rorschach and help underwrite these little indelible masterpieces you can make a donation anytime by CLICKING HERE.


Week #1 Challenge:

“SHE SMASHES THE DISCO BALL

WITH HER UMBRELLA.

IT EXPLODES INTO GLITTER.”

 

DEAD CITY

by Shelia Callaghan, (Rorschach 2009)


TORI BOUTIN
Actor
(Sing To Me Now, She Kills Monsters)

DEB SIVIGNY
Set & Costume Designer
(She Kills Monsters, Neverwhere, Forgotten Kingdoms and many more)

 

SCOTT MCCORMICK
Actor
(Neverwhere, The Gallerist and many more)

CASEY KALEBA
Fight Choreographer
(pretty much everything you’ve ever seen at Rorschach that had a fight in it.)

Week #2 Challenge

 

“HIS HEAD BECOMES THE SUN.

A HUGE, BLINDING, WHISTLING LIGHT CONSUME HIM.

SHE UNZIPS HIS SKIN AND INSIDE HIM IS THE SKY.”

 

THIS STORM IS WHAT WE CALL PROGRESS

by Jason Grote (Rorschach 2008)


GORDON NIMMO-SMITH
Sound Designer
(Toxic Avenger, Sing To Me Now and many more.)

JENNY MCCONNELL FREDERICK
Co-Artistic Director
(Sing To Me Now, Neverwhere, Truth & Beauty Bombs and many more)

JONELLE WALKER
Associate Producer, Playwright & Scholar

SYDNEY MOORE
Costume Designer
(Reykjavik)


Week #3 Challenge

 

“HE STARTS TO HUM THE SONG

OF GREAT SORROW + BEAUTY AS THEY WAIT.

LITTLE PIECES OF THE SONG ECHO IN THE WORLD AROUND HIM.”

 

A BID TO SAVE THE WORLD

by Erin Bregman (Rorschach 2016)


ROBERT PIKE
Company Member
(She Kills Monsters, Truth & Beauty Bombs, A Bid to Save The World)

JULIE CRAY LEONG
Costume Designer
(Annie Jump & The Library of Heaven)

SWEDIAN LIE
Graphic Designer & Set Designer
(SING TO ME NOW)

SARAH TAURCHINI
Actor
(Neverwhere, Truth & Beauty Bombs)

KYLOS BRANNON
Video Designer
(Toxic Avenger, She Kills Monsters, Annie Jump, Reykjavik, 401[Gone])


Week #4 Challenge

 

“HE WAVES HIS HAND AT THE SKY.

THE SPACE IS SUDDENLY BATHED BY UNDULATING GREEN, BLUE & YELLOW LIGHT. IT’S THE AURORA BOREALIS SHINING DOWN. DANCING.”

 

REYKJAVIK

by Steve Yockey (Rorschach 2019)


Louis Davis
Actor
(She Kills Monsters, A Bid to Save the World)

KATIE MCCREARY
Company Member & Lighting Designer
(ANNIE JUMP, REYKJAVIK, TOXIC AVENGER)
CATHERINE TRIPP
Director
(The Gallerist and Brainpeople)

LEE LIEBESKIND
Actor, Director
(Neverwhere, Bid To Save The World, Glassheart)

CAM MAGEE
Actor
(Electric Baby, Neverwhere, Sing To Me Now)
SYDNEY MOORE
Costume Designer
(Reykjavik)
ROBERT PIKE
Actor
(She Kills Monsters, Truth & Beauty Bombs, A Bid to Save The World)


Week #5 Challenge

 

“THE MOON, STANDING ON AN OLD REFRIGERATOR, PLAYS THE VIOLIN: SOMETHING LUSH AND SENTIMENTAL”

 

REFERENCES TO SALVADOR DALI MAKE ME HOT

by José Rivera (Rorschach 2007)


VERONICA J. LANCASTER
Sound Designer
(Annie Jump, Neverwhere, Glassheart)

NATALIE CUTCHER
Actor
(BID TO SAVE THE WORLD, GLASSHEART, FORGOTTEN KINGDOMS)

SARA BARKER
Actor
(TRUTH & BEAUTY BOMBS, A MAZE, THE GALLERIST)


Week #6 Challenge

 

A SPRY SORT OF FEMININE PERSON ENTERS, CARRYING SUITCASES. SHE WEARS AN UNUSUAL HAT, SHAPED BASICALLY LIKE A LAMPSHADE. SHE IS BASICALLY A LAMP. WITH A DECISIVE CLICK, SHE PULLS A CORD THAT DANGLES FROM HER EAR. HER HAT LIGHTS UP, ILLUMINATING THE ROOM.

 

GLASSHEART

by Reina Hardy (Rorschach 2014)


ROBIN COVINGTON
Actor
(Annie Jump, A Maze)

RIZAL IWAN
Actor, Writer
(FORGOTTEN KINGDOMS)

MEGAN REICHELT
Actor, Dramaturg
(NEVERWHERE, GLASSHEART)

YASMIN TUAZON
Actor
(410[GONE], VERY STILL & HARD TO SEE)
LINDA BARD
Actor
(410[GONE], BID TO SAVE THE WORLD, TRUTH & BEAUTY BOMBS)