Rorschach’s Klecksography and the future of theatre

Subtitled “The Future of Theatre,” Rorschach Theatre’s annual Klecksography (Klex20) project comes along just as we are all pondering exactly what that future will be.

Klecksography 2020 opens Sunday night, August 9 at 7pm.

Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach called the childhood game he later developed into his inkblot test, Klecksography. For the past decade, Rorschach Theatre has been using the idea of a single image, viewed by creative teams, as springboards into new works. Taking it further, the short plays are written within 24 hours, and produced live within one week.

This year, amidst a changing theatre world, Rorschach reports that 200 playwrights, actors and directors replied to their summer Open Call. For inspiration, teams were allowed to choose from one of six artworks depicting DC’s statehood. And, of course, rather than meeting, producing and performing the works in a studio at Atlas Performing Arts Center, most performances are being rehearsed online (a film project or two may shoot under carefully constricted circumstances) and the entire project is being presented online.

What hasn’t changed is Klex20’s rapid response style. Last Friday, Day 1, Rorschach chose 12 directors and playwrights from their open call to connect up with 18 area Artistic Directors who then formed into producing teams. Saturday, with 38 more actors, playwrights, directors and filmmakers joining in, this year’s art inspirations were revealed. Sunday, the 24 hour clock began for the writers to develop first drafts. “These beautiful brains came up with some wild, honest, and magical stories,” Rorschach Co-Artistic Directors Jenny McConnell Frederick and Randy Baker wrote.  From there,  it’s been on to First Reads, rehearsals, film shoots, all happening as you read this.

The result: on Sunday, August 9, starting at 7pm, 16 short works of theatre and film will be presented in 90 minutes.

The future of theatre, while unknownable, can be glimpsed with programs such as Klecksography 2020 connecting creatives, writers and editors developing new capabilities to rapidly respond to the changing culture, and audiences being reached in new ways.