The Open Competencies Theatre (TOK) was Russia’s first youth-led mentorship initiative in the field of theatre and the creative industries, launched by the art collective STARUHA 2.0.

The theatrical art laboratory introduced participants to key theatre professions. Its format allowed young creators to immerse themselves in the full production process and to try on the roles of sound designer, costume designer, scenographer, technical artist, lighting designer, producer, theatre scholar, and even performer.

For teenagers aged 14 and above, the laboratory offered an intensive programme of lectures and hands-on workshops. Participants created objects and costumes, practiced acting and movement, and collaborated within a real creative environment. The laboratory culminated in a public performance of “The Blue Bird.”

The unifying theme of the programme was Maurice Maeterlinck’s play “The Blue Bird,” chosen in honour of the 160th anniversary of the playwright’s birth. The text holds particular significance for the formation and development of the artistic principles of the Moscow Art Theatre.