EPISODE · Dec 5, 2025 · 41 MIN
Else Went — INITIATIVE
from The Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers · host Else Went, Dan Rubins
Initiative runs at the Public Theater through December 7th. For more information, visit www.publictheater.org. Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Theatermania and Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.The Present Stage supports the national nonprofit Hear Your Song. If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org
What this episode covers
Else Went joins The Present Stage to talk about her new play Initiative, a 5-hour exploration of post-millennium adolescence. We talk about Initiative's AOL Instant Messenger storytelling, how the close-knit cast helped to develop the piece over a decade, and, of course, the challenges and advantages of making a 5-hour play. No matter your roll of the dice, stream this episode!
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Else Went — INITIATIVE
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