Just a Little Lovin' (JaLL) is a live action role-playing (larp) event that explores the lives of people in alternative sexual and spiritual subcultures from 1982 to 1984 in Saratoga, New York, during the initial onset of the AIDS crisis. Players enact the roles of individuals in a community mostly composed of LGBTQ+ people and cancer survivors invited to a big gay 4th of July party. The larp explores the themes of friendship, desire, and fear of death.

Who is this larp for?

Just a Little Lovin' is intended for participants of any gender, orientation, or sexuality interested in exploring ramifications of the HIV epidemic in the gay, lesbian, and alternative scenes in the 1980s. Just a Little Lovin' is a space for characters to experience physicality, dancing, performance, flirtation, and sexuality.

Characters experience the vibrant and happy gay culture of the '80s with no fear of tomorrow. Then, the theme suddenly turns tragic in the face of death. The larp focuses on strong emotions, including the feelings around death and personal loss, and is often experienced as quite celebratory, emphasizing the urge to cherish precious moments with loved ones in the face of tragedy.

Participants should be open to engaging with the sensitive subject matters of HIV and cancer and strong emotional themes, including romance, sexuality, and grief. Consent and community care are core values of this larp that are built into the structure, mechanics, and debriefing. Potential players should be comfortable embodying characters who will touch and be touched by others.

Organizers' Vision Statement

All participants will experience the three main themes of the larp: friendship, desire, and fear of death.

The organizers will work with participants to create an environment where players feel safe stepping outside their comfort zone, both as larpers and as human beings.

The larp will be of professional quality both practically and artistically.

JaLL is a Collaboration

At JaLL, organizers and participants will tell a story together, collaboratively and creatively. JaLL is not an experience you can passively consume. We want to recruit you to co-create an unforgettable experience with us. You can expect support and guidance from the organizers after the sign-up process. Likewise, we will expect some measure of physical, emotional, and mental work from you as collaborators to help make JaLL happen.

Here are some examples of the responsibilities you’ll have as a JaLL participant. We will make necessary accommodations so that every participant is able to contribute to JaLL USA 2017.

• Imagine and build a fleshed-out character from the two-page character sheet we give you.
• Bring costuming appropriate to your character for three 4th of July parties on subsequent years.
• Help set up tents and set elements for the larp on the first day.
• Collaborate with co-players in workshops and in-game to bring excellent roleplay to your fellow players.
• Honor the humanity of your fellow participants.
• Help run the party while playing your character. For example, you might perform in a talent show, snap photographs of guests, lead a workshop, etc.
• Get up early on the last day of the event and help tear down the larp under a tight time limit.