‘Dimension 20’ Star Brennan Lee Mulligan Teases Audience Plans for Madison Square Garden Show: ‘We Will Need People to Be on Their Toes’

On Friday night, the Vigilant City stirs to life as Dropout’s “Dimension 20” comes alive at Madison Square Garden. This Dungeons-and-Dragons-style performance, reminiscent of a live game, will star Brennan Lee Mulligan, the game master, and his band of brave adventurers: Ally Beardsley, Brian “Murph” Murphy, Emily Axford, Lou Wilson, Siobhan Thompson, and Zac Oyama.

Getting ready for the much-anticipated “Gauntlet at the Garden,” I share my strategies for our grand debut on this massive scale. In the unique setting of “The Unsleeping City” within “Dimension 20’s” New York City season, I’ve crafted an immersive narrative that invites the audience to be part of the action.

What’s your prep plan for the show?

Spending time with my family is important to me. Later on, I’ll take out my laptop to go through my notes and open up my D&D Beyond campaign. I’ll check my encounters, verify that all my stat blocks are accurate, even though they’re already made. I just want to double-check them. I also need to review the magic items to ensure they align with the game’s lore, as there are some Season 2 magic items I don’t want to remove from the character sheets. However, I have to reduce the levels of these sheets and then transfer the Season 2 items into a different inventory. Is this the kind of information your readers are interested in?

Yes.

Wow! Let’s quickly run through the sequence of events for what’s ahead. My main concern is that there might be too much narrative, as live shows move swiftly – it only takes 10 minutes to greet the audience. I understand the show will pass by in a flash, and I can hardly wait! I’m so thrilled about it. So, it promises to be a lengthy preparation period, followed by my attempts to get some rest beforehand, and then arrive early. Even though we’re not required until later in the afternoon, I intend to show up bright and early in the morning, ready to jump into action if needed.

What’s the plan for if the show is running over?

As a cinema enthusiast, I’m about to steer this movie towards a safe landing by introducing crucial plot twists at X, ensuring a satisfying conclusion at Y. If push comes to shove, I might just pull off a legendary move that brings in an unexpected character to deal a decisive blow of 100 points. Fingers crossed it won’t come to that, but having this cinematic surprise up my sleeve gives me a thrill. Can’t wait to see how the story unfolds!

How will the audience be incorporated into the show?

I’ll just point out that active participation is crucial for this event. It won’t be something you can simply sit back and watch. So, make sure to prepare yourself in advance. And don’t forget to bring a fully charged phone with you.

The show is going to be long, and viewers can pause an episode of “Dimension 20” if they need to go to the bathroom or grab a snack. So, when is a good time during this live performance since we can’t pause it?

During Zac’s speech, it’s an excellent time to listen. Actually, I’m joking! No need to rush to the restroom. You have a brief pause, hang on tight. However, keep in mind that there will be massive speakers. The show is going live on Dropout, so if you miss a moment, don’t worry, you can catch it later on Dropout.tv. There will be food and drink options, merchandise, and we’re collecting winter coats for a drive. If you’re reading this, bring your new or gently used winter coats as it’s freezing in New York. Let’s help keep each other warm!

Do you foresee audience reactions affecting what you’ve planned for the campaign in real time?

As a movie reviewer, I must say that few experiences compare to the electric connection between the audience and the performers on stage. Rarely does this bond cause a shift, instead it amplifies and motivates. In my years of watching performances, I can count on one hand the times when I’ve felt the audience pulling me in another direction. More often than not, I find myself yearning for more, urging them to delve deeper into a particular emotion or theme.

This is not to say that I fear the audience steering us towards an unexpected change, but you can sense it when they’re like, “Take a moment here. We love this,” and let me tell you, it’s absolutely delightful and engaging!

How do you prepare for something unexpected happening?

Building your entire professional life around the principle of spontaneity seems quite amusing to me, considering my good friend Matt Mercer is an exceptional game master, always meticulously prepared. I’m consistently amazed by the detail and precision in his preparations. Peeking at the materials hidden behind his DM screen, I can’t help but exclaim, “Wow, that’s really well done.” He’s more like a list of bullet points in Google Docs, while we tend to improvise and adapt as we go. Therefore, it’s safe to say that things might not always go as planned, they might go wrong at times, and that’s the charm. That’s why you attend a live show – the excitement of watching events unfold before your eyes.

For the first time, several unique aspects will characterize this show. We’re organizing a stadium event with the stage setup in the round and background music. Unlike our previous live shows in the U.K. and Ireland where performers were seated on a panel, this new setup allows everyone to be seen equally while eliminating the issue of partial visibility that comes with a panel seating arrangement. Moreover, there was no music accompaniment in those earlier shows, which means you could hear silence during moments of contemplation or when someone was doing calculations, and audience members might even interject with comments like “Gilear!” to break the silence.

In this upcoming event, we’ll be trying out numerous things for the first time, as there won’t be any rehearsals or trials. The only testing will happen during technical construction. Therefore, this experience promises to be a collective learning journey filled with unexpected events that we’ll navigate together joyfully. Embrace the unpredictability, and let’s enjoy the adventure and fun as we encounter the unknown together!

What do you do if something technical goes wrong?

Regardless of the stage setup, as long as we’ve got a spotlight for visibility and a microphone for audibility, our performance will go on. It’s reminiscent of the finale in “Pippin” for Broadway enthusiasts, where the actors strip down the sets and costumes, leaving only themselves to sing. And if all the technical equipment fails, we’re ready to perform that musical number in flesh-toned leotards.

At a higher level, what does this MSG event mean for the future of “Dimension 20” and the live-events business at Dropout?

It’s incredibly moving to have the chance to perform for our cherished fans and share this experience with them. The U.K. and Ireland tour highlights, and tonight will undoubtedly be no exception, are not about our performance itself, but rather the sight of people in their favorite character costumes during intermission, trading items, and reuniting with friends. It’s hard to put into words how much it means to see this sense of community being fostered around something we’ve created – whether it’s a show or any shared interest – witnessing the connection and camaraderie among people who enjoy our work is the most profound reward imaginable.

This occasion marks a significant milestone for us. Performing at MSG and filling a stadium with our fans brings immense joy, as it’s not just an online board game show anymore – it’s something our long-time crew members and cast have transformed into a new media experience. Now, when you tell your family about what you do, they might ask, “Aren’t you involved in that internet show?” To which you can proudly reply, “Yes, but we just performed at Madison Square Garden!

I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has put in so much effort to make this opportunity come to fruition. It’s truly rewarding that our cast and crew’s hard work, dedication, and talent can be appreciated by a broader audience, many of whom may be discovering us for the first time. To me, this exposure is significant. This is all made possible by our dedicated fan community, and it’s a wonderful feeling to know that our outstanding cast and crew can show off their accomplishments to those they care about, letting them say, “I was part of this.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

2025-01-24 23:17