‘Initiative’ mini-interview
What inspired this play?
The idea came to me fully formed. I've gradually chipped away at it over the years, but the real inspiration was from never feeling like I saw the real EXPERIENCE of playing table top RPGs reflected at me in a play. It's great to play games and have fun with your friends, but when you make worlds with real stakes, it changes everything. I wanted to see a play that invested in the emotions connected to this game that has meant so much to me all these years. Plus it's my love letter to my friends. To the family you choose.
What’s your favorite line in the show?
It's a stage direction! "Dave raises his head to 'look' at her without opening his eyes. Like a flower to the sun."
What was challenging about writing this show?
Two sides of the same coin. I needed to be able to explain the game to people who had NO familiarity with it, but I also wanted it to feel legitimate to the people who are DEEPLY familiar with it. In the end, I just hope everyone gets it. If you understand that it's about friends telling each other stories, that's sort of all you need to know.
Why choose theatre instead of any other medium to tell this story?
It's immediate. It's familiar. It's a world where you can do ANYTHING on a budget of NOTHING. It's based strictly in imagination as much as any art form can be. Why WOULDN'T I choose theatre?