“It is a brave act to step into such a big world and become yourself.” — Else Went, Playwright

Set between 2000 and 2004, INITIATIVE follows seven teenagers as they form friendships, fall in love, face loss, and discover who they might become. It’s a story about growing up — and the courage it takes to do so, together. Each artist in this ensemble made their Public Theater debut in roles they helped develop for years — arriving together in a play that feels, at once, like a homecoming and a beginning.

I had the wild honor of spending a day in Central Park with the cast of INITIATIVE, capturing the agonizing thrill of being on the precipice of becoming. I was in the room for its first public reading in 2019 and I was captivated; to be given the opportunity to capture its debut at The Public was a coming of age in step with the greatest group of artists.