Going on an Adventure
Now and then, someone from the past reaches out and reminds you that the work mattered.
A few weeks ago, I heard from David Andrew Laws, a John Hardin graduate whose artistic journey has taken him well beyond Hardin County.
David was featured as the April 2007 PAC Spotlight, when he was already performing on the PAC stage while studying drama at Walden Theatre in Louisville, and clearly looking toward something larger.
Now David is heading to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
And not with something safe, tidy, or predictable.
He is taking the Kobold Show!
According to David, the Kobold Show! began quite literally as a dream.
He woke up with the vague memory of a clown show performed by little creatures rolling dice and smashing through cardboard doors. He couldn’t shake the fun of it, so he wrote it down, developed the physical and verbal vocabulary of the piece, gathered a group of actors, and the first pack was born.
That alone makes me smile.
There is something wonderfully theatrical about an idea that begins half-remembered, slightly absurd, and impossible to explain in a reasonable tone of voice.
Five clowns. Little lizard-like creatures. Dice. Cardboard doors. An adventure.
And somehow, as David describes it, that silly beginning has grown into something unexpectedly moving.
For those of you, like me, who are not regular inhabitants of the Dungeons & Dragons universe, kobolds are little mythological lizard-like creatures, often treated as monsters, sidekicks, or disposable obstacles. But David points out that within that world, they are also deeply beloved. Many adventuring parties have a story about encountering one of these odd little creatures, growing fond of it, and welcoming it into the group.
That seems to be where the heart of the show lives.
David says audiences have been surprised by how much the piece moves them. After all, how does a show about five clowns going on an adventure make people laugh and cry?
But then again, why wouldn’t it?
Theatre has always had a way of sneaking truth into the room wearing a funny hat.
By stripping away much of the language, focusing on movement, and leaning into story, the Kobold Show! becomes less about fantasy creatures and more about us.
About being strange. About being brave. About finding your pack. About giving yourself permission to be weird, wild, and adventurous.
That sounds like something a lot of us could use.
David and his creative team are now trying to raise the funds needed to take the show to Edinburgh in August. Their first goal is $4,000 toward the larger $20,000 needed to cover the real costs of taking a production from the United States to the United Kingdom: travel, housing, actor pay, marketing, advertising, and all the unglamorous logistics that make the magic possible.
As David put it, they are largely self-funding a passion project on the world’s stage, and every donation, recommendation, share, or helpful connection can make a real difference.
I may not be in a position right now to make the financial contribution I wish I could make. Retirement, as it turns out, involves a lot of figuring out what comes next.
But I do have this blog, a social media reach, and a deep belief that when young artists from our community step boldly into the world, those of us who can amplify them ought to do so.
So here is my ask.
Take a look at the Kobold Show!.
Share the fundraising link.
And like me, please send it to someone who loves theatre, clowning, Dungeons & Dragons, arts education, brave young artists, or odd little creatures smashing through cardboard doors.
And if you are in a position to give, consider helping David and his team take this dream to the Fringe.
Because the lesson of the show may be the lesson of the work itself: we are stronger when we pursue our dreams together.
And I will tell you this from experience. There are few things more gratifying than watching a young artist find their footing, leave the room where you first knew them, and go on to build something strange, personal, joyful, and entirely their own.
David, I’m glad you reached out.
Go have the adventure.
We’ll be cheering from Kentucky.
Also This Month: Go Audition for Little Shop of Horrors
While I’m talking about adventures, let me put in a word for one closer to home.
The PAC will hold auditions this month for the Fall PAC ProAm musical, Little Shop of Horrors. In-person auditions are scheduled for Sunday, June 14, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., and Monday, June 15, from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. at The PAC. Video audition submissions are also available for those who cannot attend in person.
You can find more information and register here: 2026 PAC ProAm Auditions.
I have a particular soft spot for this one. Little Shop of Horrors was the first musical ever produced by The PAC, and it was an absolute joy to direct. It is funny, strange, dark, tuneful, ridiculous, and sneakily smart, which is to say, it is exactly the sort of show that rewards performers who are willing to commit fully and play boldly.
I am also excited to see what Aaron Taylor brings to it as director. Aaron has a great love for this material, a wonderfully zany sense of humor, and a real fondness for B-movie weirdness. I have no doubt all of that will find its way into his interpretation of this classic.
So if you’ve been thinking about auditioning, do so.
If you’ve been waiting for the right show, this might be it.
If you’re nervous, good. That means it matters.
Insider tip! Fill out the audition registration form ahead of time if you can, list your conflicts clearly, then go have fun at the audition! Go be part of something that – and I really mean this – could change your life.
After all, you never know where a first step might lead.
Sometimes it leads to The PAC stage.
Sometimes it leads all the way to Edinburgh.
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