D&D theater experience comes to San Diego, mixing comedy and chance

The boundary between stage and audience blurs at Balboa Theatre this week as a comedy troupe plays a live game of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) using audience suggestions and voting to determine the narrative.

The show’s creator, though, says the big twists don’t come from the audience.

“The biggest shocks are always the roll of the die,” said David Carpenter, executive producer of “Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern.”

The giant 20-sided die is thrown on stage to add an element of chance to any action. Will an adventurer’s attempt to stab a troll result in death-defying success or stabbing herself in the foot? It depends on the roll.

The one-shot interactive game of D&D starts the same in every city. A wizard stumbles into a tavern looking for adventurers to stop the world from ending. The adventuring party is picked by the audience from a list of ready characters on their phone’s web browser.

Actors are ready to shrug on costumes and play those characters for a 90-minute long-form improv comedy.

The audience is responsible for choosing the branching narratives. That means the troupe never plays the same game, or performs the same show, twice.

“The show is like a sporting event. Everyone has a stake on what the outcome is,” Carpenter said.

The software fueling the show comes form Carpenter’s company Gamiotics, Inc., which brings gamification to the live performance space. To Carpenter, this blend meets the nebulous desires audiences today are seeking: immersive, interactive, experiential.

Of the theaters in San Diego, it’s a good fit for Balboa Theatre which seats over 1,300 people yet feels close to the stage from any spot.

For the first two nights in San Diego, actor Anjali Bhimani will guest star with the national touring company. She is best known for appearing in “Ms. Marvel” on Disney+ and voicing video games like “Overwatch.” But her Dungeons & Dragons chops come from voice work on “The Legend of Vox Machina,” the Amazon adult animation fantasy series based on the first campaign of the popular web D&D series “Critical Role.”

“Twenty-Sided Tavern” won acclaim from dedicated tabletop gamers. But its accessibility and humor has actually helped those super fans show parents and partners what their hobby is all about.

Carpenter said some people hesitate to try “D&D,” worrying it’s too complicated and rule-laden. The show demonstrates that anyone can jump in. More importantly, the uninitiated have a fun time and get a taste of the community around the game.

Performances will be at Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., from Tuesday through Nov. 23. Bhimani will perform on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m. The performances are open to all ages and any experience level.

Find tickets at broadwaysd.com.