Initiative by
Dave has cancer. It's aggressive. And terrifying.
He looks at his life and all he sees are holes; the moments he won't be able to have, if this cancer is successful in its malign task. He only sees one way out: Dungeons and Dragons.
Dave has a circle of friends that still play, and as he thinks back on the moments they've experienced in game, he doesn't remember...
He looks at his life and all he sees are holes; the moments he won't be able to have, if this cancer is successful in its malign task. He only sees one way out: Dungeons and Dragons.
Dave has a circle of friends that still play, and as he thinks back on the moments they've experienced in game, he doesn't remember...
Dave has cancer. It's aggressive. And terrifying.
He looks at his life and all he sees are holes; the moments he won't be able to have, if this cancer is successful in its malign task. He only sees one way out: Dungeons and Dragons.
Dave has a circle of friends that still play, and as he thinks back on the moments they've experienced in game, he doesn't remember sitting around a table, rolling dice. He remembers every spell cast, every enemy vanquished, and every cataloged item.
So, the new quest: to play through potential “memories” Dave might miss. His three friends, Tyrone, Benny, and Sky, sit down with Dave's girlfriend, Meg (a gaming newbie) and chart out a path to victory. If all goes well, Dave will be able to experience events as important as the birth of his first child and as seemingly minuscule as seeing the ocean for the first time.
But. That's if everything goes well. For, in the game, The Shade lurks...
"INITIATIVE is heartfelt and ... emotional... the intrinsic message is real and the characters are challenged by a reality that will impact their lives forever."
Kevin Reynolds, League of Cincinnati Theatres
“Initiative is at its best when embracing the geeky awesomeness of D&D. The warmth and connection created among the group as they gather around the table is truly engaging. The performers have a clear affection for the work, which surfaces through the show’s core themes: deep love among friends, loss, and high-speed memory making.”
Harper Lee, CityBeat
“Initiative was a wonderful addition to the Cincinnati theatre scene... A play (with) a good kind of sadness that makes you feel. (Initiative) really should have a life on its own and one hopes they will choose another one of (York's) plays for latter Y.E.S. Festival productions.”
Alan Jozwiak, League of Cincinnati Theatres
“Initiative is a beautiful appreciation of friendship, and what friends will do for one another. The story of Dave’s struggle with cancer, and the way his friends use a role playing game to provide him with a lifetime full of memories, is full of both loss and laughter. Jacob York shows a mastery of dialogue, pace, and structure.”
Michael King, Co-Project Director – The YES Festival
He looks at his life and all he sees are holes; the moments he won't be able to have, if this cancer is successful in its malign task. He only sees one way out: Dungeons and Dragons.
Dave has a circle of friends that still play, and as he thinks back on the moments they've experienced in game, he doesn't remember sitting around a table, rolling dice. He remembers every spell cast, every enemy vanquished, and every cataloged item.
So, the new quest: to play through potential “memories” Dave might miss. His three friends, Tyrone, Benny, and Sky, sit down with Dave's girlfriend, Meg (a gaming newbie) and chart out a path to victory. If all goes well, Dave will be able to experience events as important as the birth of his first child and as seemingly minuscule as seeing the ocean for the first time.
But. That's if everything goes well. For, in the game, The Shade lurks...
"INITIATIVE is heartfelt and ... emotional... the intrinsic message is real and the characters are challenged by a reality that will impact their lives forever."
Kevin Reynolds, League of Cincinnati Theatres
“Initiative is at its best when embracing the geeky awesomeness of D&D. The warmth and connection created among the group as they gather around the table is truly engaging. The performers have a clear affection for the work, which surfaces through the show’s core themes: deep love among friends, loss, and high-speed memory making.”
Harper Lee, CityBeat
“Initiative was a wonderful addition to the Cincinnati theatre scene... A play (with) a good kind of sadness that makes you feel. (Initiative) really should have a life on its own and one hopes they will choose another one of (York's) plays for latter Y.E.S. Festival productions.”
Alan Jozwiak, League of Cincinnati Theatres
“Initiative is a beautiful appreciation of friendship, and what friends will do for one another. The story of Dave’s struggle with cancer, and the way his friends use a role playing game to provide him with a lifetime full of memories, is full of both loss and laughter. Jacob York shows a mastery of dialogue, pace, and structure.”
Michael King, Co-Project Director – The YES Festival