Initiative, the world premiere play by Else Went, was nominated for a 2026 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Ensemble. The ensemble of Initiative included Marisa Brau-Reyes, Brandon Burk, Greg Cuellar, Harrison Densmore, Carson Higgins, Andrea Lopez Alvarez, Jamie Sanders, Jose Useche, Christopher Dylan White, and Olivia Rose Barresi.
Initiative was awarded a 2026 Drama Desk Special Commendation for its ensemble and creative team. “The epic yet intimate Initiative gave us the full high school experience, making five-plus hours in the theater somehow feel like no time at all thanks to the collective of writer Else Went, director Emma Rosa Went, and the extraordinary ensemble cast of Olivia Rose Barresi, Brandon Burk, Greg Cuellar, Harrison Densmore, Carson Higgins, Andrea Lopez Alvarez, Jamie Sanders, and Christopher Dylan White. Collaborating over almost nine years, the Initiative team tapped into the world of D&D to illuminate the magic that can be found in devoting time to process, showing how the richness of a shared language can conjure community, produce ambitious art, and captivate audiences.”
The cast and creative team of Initiative accepted their award at the Drama Desk Awards ceremony on May 17th, 2026, at the Town Hall.