While sitting on my couch lost in time and thought during the lockdown of 2020, I dreamed of creating a place that could bring people back together in an attempt to repair our social fabric and alleviate the pain of isolation. I missed playing games and knew others did too. I am not a game master, but knew my other talents and love of hosting parties could help facilitate bringing entertaining games to new friends. As researchers like Brenee Brown and Stuart Brown have shown, creativity and play are not just for kids, they are vital for adults too! Role playing games have a structure that is malleable and thus facilitates imaginative play, in turn, leading to social bonding, laughter, and a respite from stress.
Life has gotten hard for many of us, and I want to bring some relief through playful co-creation. Escape with me to a world of wonder, guided by your imagination as we re-ignite curiosity!
​
All the lore of Catalyst Cabinet of Curiosities is co-created by director Jessica, game masters, and players as they come together in a flurry of collaboration. Jessica set the foundation with the concept and creation of the space and mascot Captain Cornelius. She has a part in the creation of all the ARTifacts -- some she created with her own hands, some she made in collaboration with others, and some she procured and curated. She has also written most of the magic item descriptions -- you can blame her when they are overpowered!
Owen Hardisty
Owen is a lifelong lover of fantasy and storytelling. He has been playing Dungeons and Dragons since 2016 and joined his current home game in 2018. Shortly after starting his first home game Owen began running one-shots at special events in Santa Rosa, which is where he first met Jessica when she and her husband came to play for their first time.
Owen is also an actor in local theater in Sonoma and Napa. A former swim coach and PE teacher, he enjoys local music, open water swimming and singing karaoke.
Zach Hasbany
Zachary is a professional actor, director, and theatre teacher based in Sonoma County. A lifelong lover of storytelling and world-building, he found kismet in 2020 when the global lockdown provided an opportunity for him to try Dungeons and Dragons for the first time. Since then, he has fallen down the rabbit hole, finding every opportunity to explore this game that embraces the creation of myth and legend through oral tradition. Join him at Catalyst to create epic tales of your own, and feel free to tune into his weekly live-stream "20 Chronicles" on YouTube and social media for some D&D camaraderie and shenanigans.