Dice, Dragons, and DOTS begins a monthly run on every third Sunday at Mother's Brewing, starting Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. in the Barrel Room. The live performance series is the brainchild of creative director and game master Kaleb Norman, who pitched the concept to the board of Devising Original Theatre Springfield, also known as DOTS.
“All these tabletop role-playing games are about reacting in the moment,” Norman said. “It’s improv. It’s role playing. You’re taking on a character and deciding what to do when you’re presented with a challenge.”
Norman joined the DOTS board during the organization’s third year and proposed creating a live Dungeons and Dragons-style show for Springfield. He said the format naturally fits the group’s mission of experimentation and collaboration.
DOTS development director Taylor Roberts said the project aligns with the organization’s focus on supporting voices and ideas that may not fit within larger theater institutions. “DOTS’ whole purpose is to give opportunities to unique voices, whether that’s artists, performers, or theater makers,” Roberts said. “Dice, Dragons, and DOTS is perfectly up our alley, and with someone like Kaleb leading it, it’s going to be dramatic and theatrical in all the best ways.”
Norman said the show blends structured storytelling with audience-facing energy. He serves as the game master, narrating the story and presenting challenges, while host John Spence keeps the audience engaged and the show moving. Five players portray the main characters, with additional performers and surprises incorporated throughout the production.
Roberts said live theater’s flexibility plays a key role in the project. “Theater is open to interpretation in ways a lot of other mediums aren’t,” she said. “It helps build community whether you’re watching or participating.”
Norman added that Dice, Dragons, and DOTS is designed to bring together two groups that do not always overlap. “Community theater does exactly what the name says,” he said. “It builds community. This show merges the fantasy and gaming community with the theater community, and that doesn’t always happen.”
Tickets and information for Dice, Dragons, and DOTS are available at www.dotheatre.org. DOTS can also be found on Instagram and Facebook.
