Live Performances of Dungeons & Dragons Are Filling Stadiums and Going Mainstream

As a longtime enthusiast and observer of the tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) scene, I must say that I am absolutely astounded by the phenomenal success stories of both Critical Role and Dimension 20. Having spent countless hours immersed in these games myself, I can truly appreciate the camaraderie, creativity, and sheer fun that these groups embody.

The following feature is excerpted from TIME Dungeons & Dragons: The Game that Changed the World.

Stepping into a bustling inn, I’m ready to enjoy a drink and chat with fellow guests. From afar, a lifelike creature with a fearsome grin catches my eye, sitting ominously in one corner. Despite its intimidating inhabitants, the tavern boasts an impressive decoration of elaborate wooden sculptures showcasing dragons, owlbears, and swords. Intricate symbols etched into the rafters read “TOMOROW’S STORY IS STILL UNWRITTEN” in a language commonly spoken on Faerûn, known as Common. As I find my spot at the bar with a mug of wine, I notice a tiefling wizard accompanied by a paladin, who walk in from behind me.

Despite the fantastical ambience, I’m not actually in Faerûn’s Sword Coast, nor am I anywhere in the Forgotten Realms. I’m a few blocks away from New York City’s Port Authority Bus Terminal at Stage 42 Theater, about to play Dungeons & Dragons with 500 new friends.

The Twenty-Sided Tavern: Dungeons & Dragons” is an off-Broadway performance where skilled storytellers and humorists engage the audience in a mostly improvised D&D game. It features dice throws, turn orders, and a lively Dungeon Master guiding the narrative. The charming and amusing show has garnered attention from various popular media outlets, including the New York Times and Rolling Stone.

As D&D has evolved from a fringe hobby into a mainstream medium, the idea of people watching others play the tabletop game instead of playing themselves has exploded on a similar track. Actual play—sometimes called live play—is a new genre of storytelling in which people play tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) for an audience, often through a podcast or an online streaming show. Much like with D&D itself, the original supporters of the genre were mega-fan tabletop devotees finding community in a niche medium. But over the past several years, it has exploded, with shows like Critical Role and Dimension 20 becoming large-scale franchises with robust merchandise programs, selling out stadiums with the fervor of a Taylor Swift or Olivia Rodrigo concert.

The Twenty-Sided Tavern capitalizes on the growing popularity of live play performances, blending improv comedy and dramatic storytelling to create an immersive experience that makes spectators feel like they’re part of the action, whether they’re rolling the dice or not. However, this show breaks away from traditional play structures by actively involving the audience in critical storyline decisions starting from the moment the guests arrive. As the venue fills up, the three performers, along with the Dungeon Master and co-creator David Andrew Greener Laws (known as DAGL), mingle among the audience, seeking approval for on-stage participation and distributing prompts for the viewers to complete. While waiting for the show to begin, the cast asks for individual consent regarding their participation and explains how to access the interactive browser-based voting software developed by Gamiotics, which plays a significant role in the production’s most engaging elements.

During the start of the performance, DAGL alongside Tavern Keeper Sarah Davis Reynolds, who is also a co-creator and story architect, guide the audience through learning Dungeons & Dragons. They provide essential knowledge and potential outcomes based on various scenarios without overwhelming newcomers or boring seasoned players. Although the audience has previously encountered the cast, DAGL officially presents the trio of adventurers – a warrior (Tyler Nowell Felix), a mage (Madelyn Murphy), and a trickster (Diego F. Salinas). However, it’s up to the audience to decide whom these comedians will portray. Using the Gamiotics voting system, we get to choose from a selection of characters for each main cast member, drawn from a pool of 33 unique characters tailored for the show. DAGL explains, “We strive to keep the show well-balanced, ensuring that every choice not only brings consequences but also offers equal appeal and impact for the audience.” Reynolds adds, “Whether you attend the show three times or ten times, each viewing offers something fresh and unique.

Following the tumultuous aftermath of the Solstice’s peak, an assembly of gallant heroes known as the Mighty Nein band together to confront the perils that suddenly emerged. This was the intriguing plotline that drew over 12,000 enthusiasts to London’s Wembley Arena, a venue renowned for hosting Tina Turner, the Beatles, and Queen. However, this packed event is not a rock concert. Instead, on October 25, 2023, Wembley played host to a group of self-declared “nerdy voice actors” who produce and perform in a Dungeons & Dragons series titled Critical Role.

Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss presented Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer and his cast members from the series Critical Role, which includes Ashley Johnson, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffe, Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, Laura Bailey, and Liam O’Brien. The team appeared in costumes representing their characters from the show’s second season and campaign, with Riegl opting for a Freddie Mercury-themed outfit instead of his character’s costume. The audience enthusiastically sang the theme song and cheered at every 20 on the dice. As Mercer, the creative head of Critical Role Productions and DM of the show’s main campaigns, explained, “Since we’re all theater kids, there’s a unique kind of energy here. There’s almost a transfer of excitement between everyone who’s present, especially when they share the same level of enthusiasm as you do.

As a passionate moviegoer, I can’t help but be captivated by Mercer’s storytelling prowess, whether it’s on Twitch, YouTube, or even a grand stadium stage. He seamlessly blends intricate plotlines with immersive world-building, inviting us into the magical realm of Exandria, his homegrown universe that serves as the backdrop for the mesmerizing saga of Critical Role.

The cast of the popular series “Critical Role” consists primarily of voice actors who have received recognition for their performances. It was during the recording sessions for the film “Resident Evil: Damnation,” where Mercer was voicing Leon S. Kennedy, that the seeds for the formation of the “Critical Role” cast were sown. Outside the recording booth, O’Brien, who was directing the project, mentioned to Mercer that he used to play Dungeons & Dragons as a child. Mercer responded by suggesting that they should give it a try together, but O’Brien politely declined due to his busy schedule with newborn children at home. “I didn’t have any free time back then,” O’Brien remembers, adding, “I was happy for him enjoying it though.

After a while, O’Brien approached Mercer with his proposal. Gathering a group of voice actor friends, they convened at Mercer and his partner Marisha Ray’s small apartment (now the creative director at Critical Role Productions). Johnson shared their home game, which was in the middle of a campaign, with Felicia Day, co-founder of Geek & Sundry. Impressed, Day suggested broadcasting it on Geek & Sundry’s Twitch channel. They debuted their first live-streamed episode in March 2015, resuming the story of a party known as Vox Machina.

During their second venture, the Critical Role team initiated a Kickstarter fundraiser on March 4, 2019, for a 22-minute animated project titled “Critical Role: The Legend of Vox Machina Animated Special.” In just an hour, the Kickstarter surpassed $1 million. By the end of its first day, all declared stretch goals were achieved, and the total had soared to over $4.3 million. Such overwhelming backing led to the project’s expansion into an R-rated animated series on Amazon called “The Legend of Vox Machina,” which follows the tales from Critical Role’s initial campaign. The third season is set for release in October 2024, and a new show focusing on the Mighty Nein from the second campaign has been announced.

In the pathway leading to Comida, the capital city of the world where food reigns supreme, Calorum, beneath the fragrant peppermint trees, a diplomatic caravan from Candia is unexpectedly attacked, apparently by raiders from Meatland. The narrative that unfolds involves complex political intrigue, villainous speeches, and poignant character demises. This tale revolves around six diminutive candy inhabitants, mirroring the epic saga of Game of Thrones.

2020 saw the airing of “A Crown of Candy,” which marks the sixth season and third campaign with the main cast, called the Intrepid Heroes, for the comedy-based streaming service Dropout’s show, “Dimension 20.” Brennan Lee Mulligan serves as Game Master in this series, where comedians and professional gamers gather around a table to weave tales using Dungeons & Dragons. Across its 22 seasons, themes have varied from fantasy high school influenced by John Hughes to a Regency-era archfey court. In the near future, “Dimension 20” is planning a live show at New York City’s massive Madison Square Garden, called “Gauntlet at the Garden.

Mulligan was initially introduced to tabletop roleplaying games by Elaine Lee, a renowned playwright and writer, who also happened to be his mother. Lee, best known for her graphic novel series “Starstruck“, assisted Mulligan in finding a gaming group and learning the ropes of playing these games. When he turned 10, he began facilitating the games for his friends, similar to what he does today. “The first time I ran a game,” Mulligan recalls, “I told my mom it was the most stressful day of my life. But then I asked if we could schedule the next one.

CollegeHumor introduced their video platform, Dropout TV, requiring fresh, unique content. When Mulligan proposed Dimension 20, he had been managing games for five out of the six principal Intrepid Heroes. Siobhan Thompson, Emily Axford, Zac Oyama, and Brian Murphy all brought improv comedy experience from CollegeHumor. Although Lou Wilson wasn’t a regular on CollegeHumor, he shared extensive history working with Mulligan. The sixth member of the Intrepid Heroes, Ally Beardsley, had no prior D&D experience but picked it up during the filming of Fantasy High, Dimension 20’s debut season. After the first season, it was evident that Dropout TV had captured lightning in a bottle with these seven talents and Mulligan as the DM. As Thompson puts it, “There’s something enchanting about our group when we’re all together; we transcend beyond ourselves and make each other better.

Dimension 20 occasionally varies its cast, inviting gaming experts, comedians, and even Brennan to play instead of DMing. One memorable season focused solely on guests, excluding anyone from the Dropout universe or the gaming community, creating an ideal platform for introducing new D&D players to the game. Carlos Luna, the series producer and co-executive producer of Dimension 20, shares that prior to his employment, he spent around three years developing actual play scripts to help companies teach D&D more quickly. “I never imagined that the most effective way to do it with the largest audience and the most knowledgeable players at the table would be through Drag Queens,” Luna says.

2023 saw the launch of Dimension 20’s unique narrative, “Dungeons and Drag Queens,” set in a dark underworld populated by stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race royalty. Settling into the Game Master role, Mulligan gathered four talented queens: Alaska 5000 as Princess, Bob the Drag Queen as Gertrude, Jujubee as Twyla, and Monét X Change as Troyánn. Mulligan marveled at their exceptional abilities, stating, “They are top-tier entertainers—not just in the realm of drag, but across the entire entertainment industry.” He added, “Their willingness to learn an unconventional math game on camera showcases a unique blend of confidence, vulnerability, intelligence, and courage.

On the morning when tickets became available for the Dimension 20 concert at Madison Square Garden, Luna was hoping to sell around a few thousand. If it didn’t happen, Luna wondered if it would impact the program and if the effort would be deemed worthwhile. As it turned out, there were already 20-30,000 people in line when they woke up. When Ticketmaster’s system that adjusts ticket prices based on demand took effect, the average $150 to $200 ticket price skyrocketed to approximately $2,000. However, Dimension 20 later apologized to their fans and revealed that most tickets were actually sold for just $119. The company then decided to halt dynamic pricing on this and future events and implemented a lottery system where fans can purchase tickets for only $35, similar to Olivia Rodrigo’s method. Lou Wilson from Dimension 20 expressed his feelings by saying, “I feel incredibly fortunate and grateful. I don’t believe I’ll fully grasp the enormity of these emotions until I’m standing in Madison Square Garden with 20,000 fans making a lot of noise.

As a film enthusiast, I recently had the opportunity to inquire about the overwhelming success of both Critical Role and Dimension 20 teams, and their responses were nothing short of astonishing. The words “flabbergasted” and “befuddled” seemed to encapsulate their feelings perfectly. But what truly resonated was their profound gratitude towards their fans and viewers. In Mercer’s own words, as our interview drew to a close, he expressed his heartfelt thanks: “I owe it all to anyone who’s followed our antics. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to convey my gratitude that anybody cared for our silly dice-rolling stories.

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2024-09-18 21:07