SPARKED: The Vanishing at Buzzard Point
Step inside an electrifying new immersive story inspired by true events of 1933.
Two lovers disappear amidst a once-in-a-lifetime storm. A neighborhood unravels as residents try to explain the unexplainable. Step inside an electrifying new immersive story inspired by true events of 1933. SPARKED: The Vanishing at Buzzard Point invites audiences into the Five Dead Horses Tavern, a bar outside of time. The bar’s regulars lead guests on an exploration through space and time, weaving in and out of four different locations at The Stacks while the stories of one unimaginable occurrence unfold through audio, video, visual installations and performances. ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE: Audiences will walk between four performance spaces – they are all within 200 feet of each other and each space is ADA accessible. There will be chairs in each space. All the performance locations are unfinished future retail spaces and do not have AC or Heat. We will also be walking outside between scenes. We suggest you dress in layers, depending on the weather. Expect bright and flashing lights including an extended sequence of strobe lights. There are also rooms that are very dimly lit. Guides will be with your group and help you navigate these rooms. The action will unfold up close for an intimate experience—but don’t worry, you’ll stay a spectator. The audience is never part of the performance.
Organizer
Rorschach TheatreVenue
The Stacks at Buzzard Point
Category
Immersive TheatreTag
Spooky SeasonStart date
October 22nd, 2026
End date
November 15th, 2026
Audience Role
Tavern guest
Ages: 13 +
Content Advisories
Interaction Advisories
Mobility Advisories
3
Events
6
Years on EI
About Rorschach Theatre
Through uncommon uses of environment and intimate passionate performances, Rorschach Theatre seeks to lure its audiences beyond the limits of ordinary theatrical experience so that they may discover new elements of their own humanity. Rorschach Theatre tells stories that allow for innovative design and visceral performances. The company treats productions as “installations” that surround the audience with the world of a play. The work centers on the intersection of magic or impossible moments and engaging human experiences. Without proselytizing, it provides a complex, intellectual catalyst for self-exploration of challenging subjects. Rorschach is also a vital launching pad for emerging artists. By trusting early-career actors, directors, playwrights and designers with substantive artistic responsibilities, and surrounding them with established professionals and ample resources, the company has become an essential showcase for new talent. In addition to its regular season, Rorschach produces “Magic in Rough Spaces,” an annual new play development series; “Klecksography,” an annual new artist development event (for actors, local playwrights, and directors); and “Fight Camp,” a stage combat training program held every summer. The company also organizes “Other People’s Ink,” a monthly offering of non-theatre social events that speak to the company’s aesthetic. The Helen Hayes award winning Rorschach Theatre has produced more than fifty plays seen by tens of thousands of people in the Washington area. The company has been recognized more than a dozen times by the Helen Hayes Awards; won a Mary Goldwater Award; been a finalist for the Mayor’s Arts Award; and has been the recipient of multiple grants and awards from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The company’s work has garnered the attention of The New York Times, The Washington Post, American Theatre magazine and National Public Radio, as well as countless local publications. Rorschach Theatre is an associate member of the National New Play Network (NNPN). Rorschachtheatre.com * facebook.com/rorschachtheatre * @rorschachdc “Good storytelling is a sort of fearless magic act, in which events move too quickly to tolerate objection… And this is the way the Rorschach troupe tell this story: with such assurance and commitment that the impossible seems true.” – DC Theater Scene