Dungeon Delving

Last night, my buddy Matt and I attended a show called Dungeon Master in Hollywood. The show is a cross between fantasy/comedy live theater and live action roleplaying (LARPing). Some scenes are scripted and some are not. Professional actors play the "NPCs" (non-player characters as we call them) who provide a certain amount of plot.

Here's where things get interesting. Dungeon Master takes interactive theater to the next level by allowing audience members to create characters, dress up in costumes, and join in on the quest! For the participants, there is no script. They, as the party, must figure out how to get past various obstacles and onslaughts of evil creatures. To cast spells, the party members have to call out rhyming couplets that will either be approved or shot down by the Dungeon Master (read: Dude up in the light booth).

Matt and I both got called down to play. In our party we had a faaabulous wizard in a sparkly robe, a pirate, a ninja (who was so stealthy that we often forgot was there), and a zombie shaman. Matt was an old-timey gangster, and I was a cat girl. I didn't talk. I only meowed. It was a good excuse to not have to really pay attention or have to think up rhyming couplets to cast spells. Besides, I was a cat. Cat's so do anything except bat at things, sniff everyone, lick themselves, and randomly go to sleep. Before you ask, yes, I did lick myself several times.

Dungeon Master is a blast. Check your self-consciousness at the door, kick back, and have a good time. Admission is $10 at the door, but you can get $2 off if you go in costume. I will definitely be going back. I already have a few more character ideas!

Check out Dungeon Master in its "Guardian of the Flame" episode: